Royal Automobile Club of Victoria
An Australian motoring club and mutual organisation providing roadside assistance, insurance distribution, mobility services, home services, resorts and member facilities.
Last updated November 4, 2026
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Overview
The Royal Automobile Club of Victoria, commonly known as RACV, is a Melbourne-based motoring club and mutual organisation serving members and customers primarily in Victoria, with resort, accommodation and related operations in Queensland and Tasmania. Established in 1903, RACV began as a social and advocacy organisation for automobile and motorcycle owners. Its early objectives included creating a community for motorists, promoting fair driving rules, representing motorists’ interests and encouraging improvements to roads and transport infrastructure. The organisation was founded on 9 December 1903 at the Port Phillip Club Hotel after a meeting called by Syd Day, Henry James and James G. Coleman. The founding membership comprised 56 people, approximately corresponding to the number of motor vehicles then operating in Melbourne. Henry James Joseph “Harry” Maddox became the first president and H. B. “Harry” James the first secretary. RACV held its first car rally at Aspendale Racecourse in 1904. In 1916, it received approval from King George V to use the word “Royal” in its name. RACV’s role expanded beyond motoring sociability and advocacy at an early stage. From 1907, it issued driving certificates to competent drivers aged 16 and over, before Victorian law required proof of driving ability in 1910. Its roadside assistance service began in November 1924, when four mechanics patrolled Melbourne’s main traffic routes on BSA motorcycles. This service developed into one of the organisation’s best-known member benefits and remains central to the RACV identity. Modern RACV operates across several connected service areas. These include emergency roadside assistance, vehicle servicing, motor insurance distribution, home insurance distribution, car loans, travel insurance, solar installation and energy services, home trades, and accommodation and leisure facilities. RACV insurance products are distributed under the RACV brand, while motor and home policies have been underwritten through arrangements involving Insurance Australia Group. Travel insurance has been issued through Tokio Marine. RACV therefore combines member services with commercial partnerships rather than acting solely as an insurer or conventional roadside-assistance provider. The organisation’s insurance history began with motor insurance in 1970, followed by home insurance in 1990 for homeowners, renters and landlords. In 1999, RACV established a distribution relationship and underwriting joint venture with Insurance Australia Group for short-tail personal insurance products marketed under the RACV brand in Victoria. RACV later broadened its home and mobility proposition through trade services, vehicle finance and energy-related offerings. RACV Solar was established in 2017 as a solar-installation business. The organisation acquired Gippsland Solar in 2019, expanded its solar presence through the acquisition of Great Ocean Solar and Electrical in 2021, and acquired Bendigo-based solar retailer Cola Solar in 2023. Energy retail services began in 2022. Home Trades Hub Australia was established in August 2020 to coordinate plumbing, electrical, locksmith and other home services through a national network of tradespeople. Hospitality and leisure are another significant part of the organisation. RACV operates properties including resorts, hotels and country clubs in Victoria, Queensland and Tasmania. Its portfolio includes RACV Cape Schanck Resort, RACV Torquay Resort, RACV Inverloch Resort, RACV Goldfields Resort, RACV Cobram Resort, RACV Healesville Country Club & Resort, RACV Royal Pines Resort, RACV Noosa Resort and RACV Hobart Hotel. Several properties feature golf courses. RACV Club facilities include the Melbourne City Club and the Healesville Country Club & Resort. RACV has also maintained a long-running publishing function. Its first magazine appeared in 1922 as a supplement to The Australian Motorist. Later titles included the Royal Auto Journal, The Radiator and Royalauto, launched as a full-colour magazine in 1953. The member publication subsequently became the bimonthly RA magazine and related digital content, with current editorial material published through RACV’s online news and lifestyle channels. RACV is governed as an unlisted public company limited by guarantee. Its governance structure includes a board of independent non-executive directors and a managing director and chief executive officer. The organisation’s registered office is in Melbourne’s central business district. Its contemporary positioning combines the heritage of a motorists’ club with practical membership benefits spanning mobility, insurance, home services, energy, travel and leisure.
History
RACV was founded on 9 December 1903 at Melbourne’s Port Phillip Club Hotel. The founding meeting was called by Syd Day, Henry James and James G. Coleman, and attracted 56 members. Henry James Joseph Maddox was elected the organisation’s first president, while H. B. James became its first secretary. The original institution was both a social club for automobile and motorcycle owners and an advocacy body concerned with driving regulation, motorists’ rights and road improvement. The club’s first car rally took place at Aspendale Racecourse in 1904. RACV also became involved in driver competence and road-user standards. Beginning in 1907, it issued driving certificates to competent drivers aged 16 and above, several years before Victoria introduced a legal requirement for evidence of driving ability. In 1916, King George V approved the addition of “Royal” to the club’s name. RACV’s roadside-assistance service began in November 1924. Four mechanics riding BSA motorcycles patrolled Melbourne’s principal traffic routes, providing an early version of the breakdown service that later became a defining member benefit. The organisation also developed a publishing program. A first magazine appeared in 1922 as a supplement to The Australian Motorist. During the mid-1920s it became a standalone publication known as the Royal Auto Journal. The newspaper-format title The Radiator followed in the mid-1930s, and a new full-colour magazine, Royalauto, was introduced in 1953. The publication later became the bimonthly RA member magazine, with associated material continuing online. RACV diversified into insurance during the second half of the twentieth century. RACV Insurance was established in 1970, initially offering motor insurance. Home insurance followed in 1990, covering homeowners, renters and landlords. In 1999, RACV formed a distribution relationship and underwriting joint venture with Insurance Australia Group. Under the arrangement, selected short-tail personal insurance products were distributed in Victoria under the RACV brand, allowing the club to offer insurance while relying on a specialist insurance partner for underwriting functions. Over time, RACV expanded from a traditional motoring association into a broader member-services organisation. Its service portfolio came to include emergency roadside assistance, vehicle servicing, motor and home insurance distribution, travel insurance, car loans, home trades and energy services. Travel insurance products have been issued through Tokio Marine. The organisation’s home-services strategy included the creation of Home Trades Hub Australia in August 2020, coordinating access to plumbing, electrical, locksmith and related services through a national trades network. RACV entered renewable energy through RACV Solar in 2017. It acquired Gippsland Solar in 2019, adding a Latrobe Valley solar-installation business. In 2021, it expanded into Ocean Grove through the acquisition of Great Ocean Solar and Electrical. Energy retail services commenced in 2022, and RACV acquired Bendigo solar retailer Cola Solar in 2023. These moves connected RACV’s established household and insurance relationships with solar installation, energy supply and related home-consumption services. Hospitality and leisure became another important operating area. RACV operates properties in Victoria, Queensland and Tasmania, including resorts, hotels and country clubs. Its Victorian properties include Cape Schanck, Torquay, Inverloch, Goldfields, Cobram and Healesville. Its Queensland properties include Royal Pines and Noosa, while RACV Hobart Hotel operates in Tasmania. Several resorts include 18-hole golf courses. The RACV Club operates the Melbourne City Club in Melbourne’s central business district and the Healesville Country Club & Resort. The organisation is structured as an unlisted public company limited by guarantee. It is governed by a board comprising independent non-executive directors together with a managing director and chief executive officer. Its registered office is in central Melbourne. In its modern form, RACV retains the identity of a Victorian motoring club while operating a multi-sector platform covering mobility, insurance, household services, energy, accommodation, recreation and member communications.
- 2023
Cola Solar acquired
[1]RACV acquires the Bendigo-based solar retailer Cola Solar.
- 2022
Energy retail services commence
[1]RACV begins offering energy retail services.
- 2020
Home Trades Hub Australia established
[1]RACV creates a home-services platform covering trades including plumbing, electrical work and locksmith services.
- 2019
Gippsland Solar acquired
[1]RACV acquires Gippsland Solar in Victoria’s Latrobe Valley.
- 2017
RACV Solar is established
[1]RACV launches its solar-installation business.
- 1999
Insurance Australia Group relationship established
[1]RACV establishes a distribution relationship and underwriting joint venture with Insurance Australia Group.
- 1990
Home insurance begins
[1]RACV begins home insurance operations for homeowners, renters and landlords.
- 1970
Motor insurance begins
[1]RACV Insurance is established, initially focused on motor insurance.
- 1953
Royalauto launches
[1]RACV introduces the full-colour Royalauto member magazine.
- 1924
Roadside assistance begins
[1]RACV starts roadside assistance patrols in Melbourne using four mechanics on BSA motorcycles.
Products and positioning
A member-oriented motoring and lifestyle organisation that extends traditional roadside assistance into insurance, mobility, home services, renewable energy, travel and leisure.
Motoring assistance · 1924
Emergency roadside assistance
RACV’s roadside-assistance service began in 1924 with motorcycle patrols in Melbourne. It developed into a core member service intended to assist motorists experiencing breakdowns and other vehicle-related problems. The service is central to RACV’s historical identity as a motoring club and remains one of its principal customer-facing offerings.
Insurance · 1970
RACV Motor Insurance
RACV’s motor-insurance offering originated in 1970 and provides insurance products distributed under the RACV brand. The organisation’s insurance model includes relationships with external underwriting partners, allowing RACV to combine member distribution, service and brand recognition with specialist insurance infrastructure.
Insurance · 1990
RACV Home Insurance
RACV introduced home insurance in 1990. The offering serves homeowners, renters and landlords and forms part of the organisation’s broader household-services proposition. Home insurance is distributed under the RACV brand through its insurance-partner arrangements.
Vehicle finance
Car loans
RACV provides car-loan and vehicle-finance services as part of its wider motoring offering. These products extend the organisation’s relationship with members beyond breakdown assistance and insurance into vehicle acquisition and ownership-related finance.
Renewable energy · 2017
RACV Solar
Established in 2017, RACV Solar provides solar-installation services. RACV expanded the business through acquisitions including Gippsland Solar, Great Ocean Solar and Electrical, and Cola Solar. The business is part of RACV’s strategy to provide household energy services alongside traditional insurance and home offerings.
Energy services · 2022
Energy retail
RACV commenced energy retail services in 2022, broadening its energy proposition beyond solar installation. The offering connects RACV’s household-services platform with energy supply and renewable-energy interests.
Home services · 2020
Home Trades Hub Australia
Home Trades Hub Australia was established in August 2020 to provide access to home-service trades, including plumbing, electrical work and locksmith services. It operates through a network of tradespeople and gives RACV a national home-services capability beyond its core Victorian motoring base.
Hospitality and leisure
RACV Resorts and Clubs
RACV operates resorts, hotels and clubs in Victoria, Queensland and Tasmania. The portfolio includes accommodation, recreation and selected golf facilities, while the RACV Club has locations in Melbourne’s central business district and Healesville. These properties extend the member organisation into travel, hospitality and leisure.
Member communications · 1922
RA member magazine
RACV’s member publishing tradition began in 1922 and passed through titles including the Royal Auto Journal, The Radiator and Royalauto. The publication later became RA, a bimonthly member magazine supported by digital news and lifestyle content on the RACV website.
Brand decisions
2022
Add energy retail servicesProduct launchBackground
Following the creation and expansion of RACV Solar, RACV continued developing a broader household energy proposition.
Action taken
RACV commenced energy retail services.
Aftermath
Energy retail became an additional component of RACV’s renewable-energy and home-services strategy.
2020
Build a national home-trades platformStrategyBackground
RACV was broadening its services from motoring and insurance into practical household assistance.
Action taken
RACV established Home Trades Hub Australia, using a network of tradespeople to support plumbing, electrical, locksmith and related services.
Aftermath
The initiative gave RACV a home-services platform operating nationally while complementing its insurance, property and household relationships.
2017
Enter solar installationProduct launchBackground
RACV sought to extend its household-services proposition into renewable energy.
Action taken
The organisation established RACV Solar to provide solar-installation services.
Aftermath
RACV subsequently expanded the solar business through acquisitions and later added energy retail services.
1999
Partner with Insurance Australia Group for branded insuranceStrategyBackground
RACV was expanding beyond its historic motoring-club role into insurance while retaining a member-focused brand and distribution model.
Action taken
RACV established a distribution relationship and underwriting joint venture with Insurance Australia Group for selected short-tail personal insurance products in Victoria.
Aftermath
Insurance became an important part of RACV’s broader member-services portfolio, with products distributed under the RACV brand and supported by an external insurance partner.
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