Future is green for Gympie family's $30m RV empire

Father and son driving business into new era.

ALWAYS GREEN: Jack Green has helped his father turn a small car business into an Australian success. Picture: Renee Albrecht

SIX-YEARS-OLD when his father started the company, Jack Green never planned to join the family business.

Now, the Chief Executive Officer of Green RVs is leading the company's charge into the digital age, launching a new YouTube series to 40,000 viewers and overseeing a business which has a turnover of more than $30 million at its dealerships.

"I didn't even know what I wanted to do,” Jack said of his plans while growing up.

After trips to university and the Sunshine Coast did not pan out, he was faced with a choice.

"I had the option of get a job in two weeks, or move to Gympie, and the only job I could get was selling cars.”

Opening almost 20 years ago in November 1997 as Cooloola Cars and Commercial, Jack's father and Green RVs director Carl said that like all big things they had started small.

"It started in a little relocatable in the corner on a bit of gravel,” Carl said.

"It was me and my wife and 20 cars.”

Carl said it was the decision to return home after living in Mt Isa which lead to them starting the business, which over the years has sold not only cars, but also boats, machinery and caravans, before finally finding its feet with RVs.

Jack and Carl Green. Picture: Renee Albrecht

It was never an expectation that Jack would follow in his footsteps.

"You don't wish nothing on them,” Carl said.

"You just let them do whatever they want - as long as they are working.”

Now forming a partnership, it is driving the company into a bright future, with customers from as far as Tasmania and Western Australia.

The online segment, Friday RV Cooking, is latest step, one which Jack said started from a desire to offer something extra to customers.

"When I did it I just wanted content for my own customers,” Jack said, but soon customers were coming in with praise.

"It's exciting to get the reactions we have.”

The ability to adapt to the swiftly changing world of technology was a key part in their ability to thrive in a sometimes difficult market.

"You're seeing all these second-hand caravan dealers dropping off the market now because they're not keeping up with the times,” Jack said.