Mandy and Rolly Heath are back — and this time, they've got 13,000 kilometres of stories to share. Since their last appearance on the show, they've taken Gold Class Caravan's AC17C through some of Australia's most iconic and demanding terrain: the Bungle Bungles by helicopter, Lake Argyle by Barbie boat, three nights in Broome, and then the full length of the Gibb River Road, west to east.

In this episode, Steve sits down with Mandy, Rolly, and Wayne Chevis at the MDC Queensland Muster to get the full debrief. How did the Gold Class handle the corrugations and creek crossings? Was the Horizontal Falls seaplane worth the nine-year wait? And what made a planned two-day stop at Cape Keraudren turn into sixteen?

They cover it all — the bucket list moments, the honest road conditions, the airbag suspension revelation, and why Mandy has absolutely no intention of going back to a hybrid.

They also talk camp cooking — Rolly's recent masterclass at the Ipswich Show that became a fundraiser for the Royal Flying Doctors, and the massive cook-up he's putting on here at the Muster for 250 people: fire rice, pork tacos, and 60 whole pork loin ribs hung over the fire.

Whether you've always had the Gibb River Road on your bucket list or you're just living vicariously, this one's essential listening.

🔔 Subscribe so you never miss an episode: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjsVAcWloYAYA64q9ewHGiJ5uhgEGBJYZ

📻 Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts & more: https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/2522398.rss

🌐 MDC Campers & Caravans: https://www.marketdirect.com.au
⭐️Gold Class Caravans: https://www.goldclasscaravans.com.au/
📖 Full podcast library: https://www.marketdirect.com.au/blog/mdc-podcast/

Follow Mandy & Rolly:
📱 Facebook & Instagram: Memories Not Money
🌐 memoriesnotmoney.com

Escape with Confidence

Australia is only covered by mobile phone signal across 30% of its landmass. If you're relying on Google Maps in the outback, you're relying on memory — and memory from a platform that's never physically driven those tracks.

In this episode of Off Grid Down Under, Steve sits down with Sam Hayward, Chairman of HEMA Maps, alongside MDC's Banksy and Vaughan, to dig into 40+ years of mapping Australia's most remote country. From the company's Dutch founders laminating marine charts in Queensland, to sending the entire HEMA staff into the desert in pairs to remap outback Australia, to the Map Patrol vehicles that are still out there collecting ground-truth data today — this one goes deep.

We cover why Google Maps and Apple Maps fall dangerously short in remote areas, how HEMA's maps are actually made, the difference between the Smart Navigator and the app on your phone, and what kit Sam would recommend to any family heading out on a big lap.

In this episode:

• How HEMA Maps started — founders Henry and Margaret's story
• The Great Desert Tracks expedition of 1998 that remapped outback Australia
• Why Google Maps can get you into serious trouble in remote areas
• Australia's mobile coverage problem (hint: it's not 98%)
• Map Patrol — why HEMA still physically drives every track
• The Alpha Program: 50+ volunteer travellers collecting data on the road
• Smart Navigator vs phone app — which one's right for you?
• The biggest mistakes people make planning remote trips
• Physical atlas vs digital navigation — does one replace the other?
• What's coming for HEMA: HEMA Cloud, turn-by-turn offline, and more

Explore the full MDC range at https://www.marketdirect.com.au — and don't forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode.

FIND HEMA MAPS:
Website: https://hemamaps.com
App: Search "Hema Explorer" or "4WD Maps" in the App Store / Google Play

Escape with Confidence

Almost twenty years ago, Vaughan Hindley started Market Direct Group with $5,000, a laptop, and a bulk lot of 12-volt camping jugs on eBay.

Today, MDC is one of Australia's most trusted off-road caravan brands — with 40,000+ units on the road, showrooms across the country, and a footprint in the United States.

In this episode, Steve sits down with Vaughan (CEO & Founder), James Field (General Manager – Commercial & Product), and Mark Banksy (Beach2Bush Adventures) to tell the full story — the pivots, the product firsts, the things that nearly didn't work, and what's driving MDC's next chapter.

In this episode we cover:

How a bulk lot of camping jugs on eBay started it all
Building the first Australian-designed hybrid caravan in China — and holding a four-year lead on everyone else
Why Vaughan built caravans in Australia and will "never do it ever again"
The one-to-one factory relationship that's been the backbone of MDC quality for 15+ years
Launching MDC USA — and becoming the premium product in a disposable market
Gold Class Caravans, the Forte SR Series, and what's coming in 2026 and beyond

If you're an MDC owner, thinking about buying, or just love a good Australian business story — this one's for you.

🔔 Subscribe so you never miss an episode:
🌐 Explore the full MDC range: https://www.marketdirect.com.au
📻 Listen on Spotify & Apple Podcasts — search Off Grid Down Under by MDC
📖 MDC Podcast page: https://www.marketdirect.com.au/blog/mdc-podcast/

Escape with Confidence | marketdirect.com.au

Escape with Confidence