A pair of Australian “vanlife” YouTubers have been ordered to pay more than AU$1.2 million after a legal dispute with a caravan manufacturer escalated into content posted on their social media channels.
Jackson and Kyla Cartwright, known for travel and camping content on their YouTube channel, had commissioned a caravan from Masterpiece Caravans Pty Ltd in April 2022 for around $198,500.
After taking delivery in February 2023, they used the caravan for several months while documenting their travels online. A dispute later arose over alleged defects, which the company denied.
The parties eventually reached an agreement for the caravan to be returned in exchange for a refund, along with a condition that the creators would not post negative content about the company.
Despite this, the court found that subsequent YouTube videos made by the couple implied they were forced into homelessness and that the caravan had “catastrophic defects.” These videos were widely viewed within the caravanning market.
The court ruled that the content caused measurable reputational and commercial harm to the manufacturer, with a noticeable decline in orders following the videos.
The creators did not appear in court, and a default judgment was issued.
The final ruling ordered them to pay approximately $1,211,349 in damage
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