Build ME UP

Two classic car enthusiasts explore the South Island in their caravan Butter Cup

- Text Bryony Ammonds-Smith Photography Marina Mathews

Geoff and Belinda Andrew have two activities on their summer to-do list: caravanning and mountain biking. Their caravan, a remodelled retro gem named Butter Cup, takes them from their home in Arrowtown across the motu.

Tell us about the history of the caravan. Geoff's sister and brother-in-law owned the caravan for 18 years, and for most of those years, it was used as a lunch room on their forestry block on the outskirts of Christchurch. Unfortunately, at some point, a tree branch fell on it and damaged the roof, which in turn caused water to get into the floor and rot it out.

When they sold the property, she asked if we wanted the caravan as a “do up” as Geoff's original trade was as a coach and motor body builder and had worked on caravans in the past. We picked up the caravan in December 2017 and, over a period of years, started collecting parts for its rebuild.