Vale Peter Ennals, ‘The Caravan Man’

He passed peacefully away at the age of 81 on Wednesday, July 16.

Even in his finals days, Peter’s strength seemed to never leave him.

“He had this positive power and positive thinking,” his brother, Gary, said.

“He’d say, ‘I don’t know what’s wrong with me, I’ll be home in a couple of days’.”

Peter was the second of three sons to Bob and Amy Ennals, born on July 23, 1943.

Over his life, Peter would go on to play in the top echelons of Aussie rules, build one of Australia’s most successful caravan businesses, and contribute to building his community.

Through his business, Peter Ennals Caravans, and his involvement in the community through the Cobram Barooga Apex Club and the Cobram, Yarrawonga and Yarroweyah football netball clubs, Peter’s dedication to the community that raised him was without limits.

“He was a person who had enormous presence,” Gary said.

“He was loud, funny, exciting, and good fun to be with. He was a leader — a natural leader.”

When a 17-year-old Peter returned home from Albury Grammar in 1960, he was a qualified wool classer with distinction.

He got to work on the family farm, classing wool across the district and playing football at Cobram Football Netball Club.

Quickly rising through the reserves squad, Peter cemented his spot in the Tigers’ seniors side by the age of 20.

His talent and attack of the footy was noticed by scouts from Melbourne, and that year Peter packed up and moved to Footscray Football Club, later to be called the Western Bulldogs Football Club.

There, Peter quickly impressed coaching staff, included the legendary Ted Whitten, who saw the young Cobram product was one to watch.

“They gave Peter the jumper number 10 because they expected big things from him,” Gary said.

One of the highlights of Peter’s time at Footscray was his VFL debut in 1965.

But plagued by injuries and homesickness, Peter decided to return home to Cobram.

He threw everything into his home club, playing for the Tigers for several years, including its 1975 premiership, and becoming club president in 1984. He spent five years in the Ovens and Murray League with the Yarrawonga Pigeons, and coached at Yarroweyah Football Club as well.

A gifted conversationalist, Peter retired from football and began his sales career with a furniture sales company before getting into the tractor sales game.

Later, seeing an opportunity, Peter bought a caravan business from John Anderson in 1986, when he was 43.

It was a decision that was to change the trajectory of his life and enable Peter to make the most of his natural warmth and good humour.

“Because he was a good salesman, you’d walk in there to have a talk, you’d walk out of there with a caravan. That’s how it happened,” Gary said.

From relatively humble beginnings, Peter turned Peter Ennals Caravans into one of the most successful caravan retailers in Australia across his 35 years’ ownership until his passing.

He did caravan shows at Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, and quickly gained a reputation as an expert in the field.

And he made sure people knew about what he was up to.

A big believer in advertising, Peter had his own jingle for Peter Ennals Caravans and held an annual Easter caravan show.

He also had his own radio show on 2QN three times a week, when he’d rarely discuss caravans but instead focus on sport, politics and life.

People would tune in just to listen to his stories, such was Peter’s personality.

Aside from football, his son and daughter in Brad and Zoe, and his business, Peter also held a great love for his community.

A member of the Cobram Barooga Apex Club for many years, Peter also served as president and guided the club to become one of the largest by membership in Australia.

He trained Apexians such as Andrew Gilmour and Greg Mentha.

Greg said he would always be grateful that Peter invited him to join the club.

“Apex was an invaluable training ground for me, which saw me achieve things both in and outside Apex that as a 22-year-old, I could never possibly anticipate,” Greg said.

Fellow Apexian and great mate Peter Mogg said Peter was in many ways a unique character, a type that we might not ever encounter again.

“He was not only a large physical presence being over 6ft and 100kg, but he walked tall, stood tall and had a handshake that would make you grimace,” Mr Mogg said.

“You didn’t need to know Peter for long before he made you feel you knew him well. A true gift.”

Cobram Caravans director Kevin Gribble said it was a privilege and responsibility to carry forward the standards Peter set, preserving his ethos while guiding the business into the future with pending improvements and upgrades.

“In doing so, we hope to ensure that his impact is not only remembered, but continues to endure for years to come,” he said.

Tributes flowed from the Cobram Football Netball Club following Peter’s passing.

“Peter’s football accolades speak for themselves,” the club wrote.

“But his larger-than-life attitude certainly left an impact on those he crossed paths with over his journey.”