Founder’s Story
About Happy Camper Pizza
Happy Camper Pizza is the rolling passion-project of journalist-turned-foodie Sonia Lear and Aeronautical engineer-turned-fire-master Remi Pham, a couple who turned their love of pizza and vintage vehicles into Melbourne’s premier food truck catering company.
What began in 2013 with a single 1965 Airstream caravan and three toddlers, has grown into an institution.
Happy Camper now runs a fleet of beautifully restored food trucks, a restaurant – Campground Kitchen & Bar – and will soon launch an event space, Happy Camper HQ in Melbourne.
The Happy Camper Story
From One Airstream to Melbourne’s Most-Loved Pizza Truck Fleet
2009
2009
While Sonia is in India giving birth to their first child and filing stories as an ABC correspondent, Remi hits a mid-life crisis and suggests quitting engineering to start a food truck. Sonia’s response: “f**k off.” (The spark is lit all the same.)
2011
2011
Remi builds a backyard Bunnings wood-fired oven for their daughter’s 1st birthday. He finally convinces Sonia to build a food truck and "Allegra” Airstream is commissioned.
2013
2013
Happy Camper Pizza debuts outside POD Café, West Footscray, after an 18-month Airstream renovation in the USA.
2015
2015
“Merri” The Chevy joins the fleet, rebuilt from a 1962 C20 shell rescued in Airport West.
2018
2018
Remi leaves engineering to grow Happy Camper full-time.
“Gwyneth” Teardrop arrives from Wales (12-month build).
“Joie” Teardrop is hand-built locally, twice, after an early fire.
Sonia dreams of owning a Bedford truck; the very next day she meets a family of Bedford restorers, led by an 80-year-old who worked on the original 1960s production line, and commissions the next truck.
2019
2019
“Bonnie” Bedford (I) is completed; Happy Camper purchases the Braybrook warehouse and builds its commercial kitchen, “Happy Camper Base Camp”.
2020
2020
COVID hits Melbourne; Happy Camper pivots to takeaway, launching Pizza Camp (vac-packed pizzas) and Mrs Sippy West, pizza-and-cocktail delivery across the west, complete with Bonnie Bedford’s tequila horn playfully duelling the local Mr Whippy.
2021
2021
A gas explosion destroys half the warehouse and damages several trucks, Bonnie (I) is beyond repair. With insurance cancelled during lockdown, a community GoFundMe sparks the build of a new truck.
2022
2022
“Farrah” Bedford launches; Allegra Airstream is rebuilt. The Happy Camper team operates from Footscray West Primary canteen while a new commercial kitchen is built.
2023
2023
Campground Kitchen & Bar opens - literally rising from the ashes, serving Happy Camper's famous pizzas.
2025
2025
“Bonnie” Bedford (II) rolls out after a two-year build, using salvaged parts from Bonnie (I).
Next
Next
Sonia and Remi are currently building Happy Camper HQ - an event space and commercial catering kitchen - next door to Campground Kitchen. It will also house a social enterprise and a community hub. Watch this space!
Plan Your next Event
The Camp Fleet
- Our Pizza Trucks
Each trucks has its own quirky story and vibe, ready to take you and your guests on a trip down memory lane.
