Published: May 2026  ·  Category: Guide  ·  Reading time: approx. 6 minutes

You’ve spent $100,000 or more on a caravan built for a lifetime of adventure. Then you park it in someone else’s yard for $3,500 a year and hope for the best.

For most caravan owners in Melbourne, renting storage has always been the default — a monthly direct debit, a padlock on a shared gate, and not much else. But a new option is emerging in Melbourne’s inner north that flips that equation: buying your own dedicated storage unit as a titled asset, with security that matches what’s inside it.

Here’s why more Melbourne caravan owners are making the switch from renting to owning, and what a development like Hocking Stores in Coburg North actually offers.

The Real Cost of Renting Caravan Storage in Melbourne

Melbourne caravan storage rental costs vary considerably by location and security level, but the numbers are consistent enough to make a clear case.

Basic outdoor storage — an open yard with a gated perimeter — runs from around $300 to $375 per month in Melbourne’s suburbs. That’s $3,600 to $4,500 per year for exposure to the elements, limited access hours, and shared security infrastructure.

Step up to a covered or indoor facility with 24/7 access and monitored CCTV, and you’re typically looking at $400 to $600 per month depending on the suburb and size of bay required. For a full-size off-road tourer needing a high-clearance bay, the higher end of that range is common across Melbourne’s northern corridor — areas like Tullamarine, Thomastown, and Broadmeadows.

Over five years, that’s $24,000 to $36,000 spent on storage you will never own. No capital gain. No asset. Nothing to show for it.

What Owning Your Own Storage Unit Looks Like

The alternative is a titled commercial or industrial strata unit — a mini-warehouse or lockup that you own outright, the same way you’d own a car park space or an apartment. You hold title, you can sell it, and your costs are fixed for the long term rather than subject to rent reviews.

Strata storage units in Melbourne’s inner-north industrial precincts have traditionally appealed to tradies, car collectors, and small business owners. But the specifications of newer developments — particularly high-clearance roller doors, drive-up access, and gated compounds with CCTV — align almost perfectly with what a serious caravan owner needs.

The key metrics when assessing a unit for caravan storage:

1. Door Height and Width

Most off-road tourers sit between 3.0m and 3.5m in height when loaded. A motorised roller shutter with at least 3.5m clearance is the minimum for a full-size van.

2. Floor Area

A 6m to 7m van plus a tow vehicle needs at least 40–50 sqm to store side by side. Solo van storage without the tow vehicle can work in a 25–35 sqm bay.

3. Drive-up Access

A unit you can reverse directly into is far more practical than one requiring tight internal manoeuvring — particularly with a van over 7m.

4. 24/7 Access

If you want to leave for a weekend on short notice at 5am on a Saturday, restricted access hours become a genuine problem. Owned units on secure gated sites typically offer unimpeded 24/7 access to owners.

5. Security Infrastructure

Back-to-base alarm systems and CCTV give you evidence and response capability that a basic padlock rental doesn’t.

Hocking Stores, Coburg North — A Development Worth Knowing About

A development that ticks all of the above boxes has recently come to market in Melbourne’s inner north: Hocking Stores Mini Warehouses at 22–24 Hocking Street, Coburg North, brought to market by NSL Property Group.

Coburg North sits approximately 9km north of the Melbourne CBD, within easy reach of the Sydney Road and Sussex Street corridors — practical access for caravan owners based in Melbourne’s northern and inner-western suburbs.

Development Specifications

1.Total building area:  44–47 sqm per unit

      2. Starting price:  From $299,000 plus GST

      3. Stamp duty:  No stamp duty payable — a significant saving

      4. Number of units:  19 individual titled units

      5. Door access:  Motorised roller shutter doors with high-clearance interiors

      6. Bay height:  High bay spaces — suitable for car hoists and full-size caravans

      7. Site security:  Gated compound, CCTV, back-to-base alarm systems

      8. Owner access:  24/7 access to the site

      9. Vehicle access:  Drive-up access directly to each unit

      10. Owners’ facilities:  Lounge with WC, shower, kitchen, microwave, fridge and coffee machine

      11. Zoning:  Industrial 1 — storage, workshop, creative studio or light trade

      12. Status:  Available now — occupy or invest

      The Industrial 1 zoning means owners can use the space for storage, a workshop, a creative studio, or a light trade operation — not just passive parking. For caravan owners who also do their own servicing or fitout work, a high-bay space with drive-up access is significantly more functional than a rental bay.

      Running The Numbers: Rent vs Buy

      At a purchase price of $299,000 plus GST (no stamp duty), the upfront cost is significant. But the comparison over time is instructive.

      If you’re currently paying $400 per month in rental storage — a conservative figure for a high-clearance covered bay in Melbourne’s north — that’s $4,800 per year. Over 10 years, $48,000 in rental costs with no residual asset value.

      A strata commercial unit in an established inner-north Melbourne precinct at $299,000 today carries reasonable prospects of capital appreciation over the same period, consistent with broader Melbourne industrial property trends. You also have the option to rent the unit out during periods you’re not using it for additional income.

      The break-even logic is straightforward: if the unit appreciates at all, or if you can generate any rental income from it, you are financially ahead of the rental alternative in a relatively short timeframe.

      Who This Is Best Suited To

      Owning a dedicated storage unit of this type makes strongest financial sense for:

      • Owners of multiple recreational vehicles.  If you have a caravan, a boat, and a 4WD that can’t all live at home, a 44–47 sqm unit can consolidate storage costs from multiple rental contracts into a single owned asset.
      • Full-time or near-full-time travellers.  If you’re spending 3–6 months on the road each year, having a secure home base — one where you can leave the van loaded, do maintenance, and store gear — is more valuable than a basic rental bay.
      • Tradespeople and small business owners who are also caravan enthusiasts.  The Industrial 1 zoning means the space can work harder than pure vehicle storage when you’re not away.
      • Investors.  Strata industrial units in Melbourne’s inner-north corridor are a recognised asset class. At entry-level price points with strong tenant demand from tradies and small businesses, the unit can be tenanted when not in personal use.

      How To Find Out More

      Hocking Stores is available now. To enquire about available units, pricing, and inspection times, contact NSL Property Group directly:

      Guy Naselli  —  0413 750 744

      Jackson Brenchley  —  0431 286 661

      Units are available to owner-occupiers and investors. The no-stamp-duty benefit applies to commercial strata purchases of this type in Victoria — confirm your eligibility with your conveyancer.

      Thinking About Your Next Caravan?

      If you’re in the market for a premium caravan to put in your new storage unit, browse Australia’s leading luxury, off-road, and lightweight caravan brands at LuxuryCaravans.com.au. Our verified dealer listings span every state, with direct contact via phone, WhatsApp, and email — no call centres, no middlemen.

      Browse luxury caravan brands at www.luxurycaravans.com.au/dealers/

      LuxuryCaravans.com.au is Australia’s premium caravan marketplace, connecting buyers with verified dealers nationwide. Storage listings featured on this site are presented as a service to the caravan community and do not constitute property advice.