Campabout Oz, a WA-based 4WD rental company, is facing allegations of withholding thousands of dollars in refundable bond deposits, leaving Australian and international families frustrated and out of pocket.
The Kennedy, Molesworth and Muir families have collectively lost $19,000 in unreturned bonds despite returning vehicles in pristine condition. Despite repeated attempts to contact Campabout Oz, they’ve been met with silence or excuses. They are among dozens of others who have also lodged complaints.
“Tourism operators like Campabout Oz jeopardise not only individual travellers’ experiences but also Australia’s reputation as a trusted destination,” customer Claire Molesworth said.
“While Tourism Australia invests millions into campaigns to attract international visitors, scams like this undermine trust and risk deterring tourists from choosing Australian operators,” fellow disgruntled customer Emma Muir added.
The families are calling for stronger regulatory oversight and urging other travellers who’ve had similar experiences to come forward.
The group has lodged a formal complaint with WA Consumer Protection Authority and advised various MPs, but to date their complaints remain unresolved. The owners of directors / owners of Campabout OZ are listed as Vanessa Wimple Wood and Ryan Wood.
Yesterday they escalated their case to the Magistrates Court in Victoria, in a bid to ensure Campabout Oz is held accountable for its actions. The families are also aware of dozens of other complaints against Campabout Oz in the Western Australian and NSW Magistrates Court, as well as other online platforms with poor reviews and similar issues with refund returns.
A review site has also been launched by Jo Bright who created a website to share her experience and to help other affected customers make informed decisions. Complainants have come from New Zealand and as far as the US.
“We used Campabout Oz in June 2024 for a family holiday,” Bright says on the site. “Unfortunately, as of now, they still hold our $6,000 rental bond, and we have been unable to resolve the matter. Despite repeated attempts to contact them via phone and email, we have not received any response since 21st August 2024.
Requests by Travel Weekly for information from Campabout Oz have not been successful.
