The Royal Automobile Club of Victoria, known as RACV, is a motoring club and mutual organisation based in Melbourne, Victoria and established in 1903.

RACV provides emergency roadside assistance, car loans, and trade services and distributes vehicle insurance and home insurance underwritten by multinational Insurance Australia Group (IAG), and distributes travel insurance issued by multinational Tokio Marine. The organisation operates nine resorts across Victoria, Queensland, and Tasmania, and two clubs with locations in Melbourne and Healesville.

History

Automobile Club of Victoria was founded at a meeting held at the Port Phillip Club Hotel on 9 December 1903 called by Syd Day, Henry James and James G. Coleman. Henry James Joseph "Harry" Maddox (1862–1937) was elected as its first President, and H.B. "Harry" James, its first secretary. At that first meeting, a proposal from Henry Sutton, the Australian motoring pioneer, was unanimously adopted:

::"that the objects of the club should be the promotion of a social organisation and club, composed mainly of persons owning self-propelled vehicles or motor cycles; to afford a means of recording the experiences of members and others using motor cars and motor cycles; to promote investigation in their development; to co-operate in securing rational legislation and the formation of proper rules and regulations governing the use of motor cars and motor cycles in cities, towns and country districts; to maintain the lawful rights and privileges and protect the interests of owners and users of all forms of self-propelled vehicles whenever and wherever such interests, rights and privileges are menaced; to promote and encourage the improvement, construction and maintenance of roads and highways and the development generally in this State of motoring, and to maintain a club to be devoted to the interests and advancement of automobilism."

It held its first car rally at Aspendale Racecourse in 1904. In 1916, the club received the approval of King George V to prefix the title "Royal" to its name.

thumb|right|RACV Headquarters on [[Bourke Street, Melbourne]]

It is an unlisted public company, limited by guarantee, and headed by a board of directors consisting of eleven independent non-executive directors and a managing director and CEO. The registered office is located in the Melbourne central business district. It was a founder of the insurance brand AAMI, previously known as Club Motor Insurance and now owned by Suncorp-Metway.

Resorts and Clubs

RACV operates nine resort properties across Australia. Five resorts feature 18-hole golf courses: Cape Schanck, Torquay, Goldfields and Healesville Country Club & Resort in Victoria, and Royal Pines Resort in Queensland.

Queensland:

  • RACV Royal Pines Resort
  • RACV Noosa Resort

Tasmania:

  • RACV Hobart Hotel

The RACV Club operates two locations: the Melbourne City Club in the Melbourne central business district and the Healesville Country Club & Resort. It was launched as a stand-alone publication in the mid-1920s called the Royal Auto Journal.

The Radiator, a newspaper-format publication, was introduced in the mid-1930s.

Subsidiaries and investments

Notes:

  • R.A.C.V. Finance – 100%
  • Intelematics Australia – 100%
  • Gippsland Solar – 100%
  • Nationwide Group – 100%
  • Insurance Manufacturers of Australia (IMA) – 30% (joint venture with Insurance Australia Group owning other 70%)
  • Club Assist – 30%
  • Australian Motoring Services (AMS) – 24% (joint venture with Australian automobile clubs)
  • Collaborate Corp (Drive My Car) – 6.77% (P2P car sharing company)

References

  • Royal Automobile Club of Victoria
  • RoyalAuto magazine
  • RACV makes an investment in Collaborate a peer-to-peer marketplace