About Us
Along with their 14 children, Richard and his wife Catherine Whillas first constructed their own oilskin cloth using a 'wringer mangler' and a combination of oils and waxes found on the local land. Known for its functionality and durability, this cloth was ideal to protect them and their wharf equipment from the harsh Australian elements.
Eventually parts of the family would go onto manufacture outerwear garments for Australians and later, as word spread, worldwide. It was during this time that "Kakadu Traders Australia" would become a brand, synonymous with quality, comfort, and durability.
Nearly 50 years on and still under the watchful eyes of the Whillas family, Kakadu Traders Australia supplies tough, reliable products worldwide. Strong canvas, refined oils & waxes and rugged cowhide are amongst the raw materials that give our products the guts to get the job done time & time again.
THE ORIGINS OF
KAKADU TRADERS
Kakadu didn't start in a boardroom. It grew from a family that knew a thing or two about rough weather and making do with what was at hand.
With roots stretching back to the Cape Jaffa Lighthouse on South Australia's rugged Limestone Coast, the Whillas family had long been accustomed to the Southern Ocean throwing everything it had at them. Cold winds, salt spray and hard weather came with the territory.
That practical, make-it-work attitude followed the Whillas family. Using an old wringer mangler and their own combination of oils and waxes, they began developing oilskin cloth tough enough to stand up to Australian conditions.
It wasn't made to win any fashion awards. It was made to work.
That same thinking became the foundation of Kakadu Traders Australia.
Before long, the Whillas family was turning tough fabrics, leather and oilskin into Australian-made hats, jackets and rugged outdoor gear. Word travelled beyond the coast, then beyond Australia. What started with a simple belief in making useful gear properly found its way onto farms, worksites, outback tracks and adventures around the world.
More than 50 years later, we're still a family-run Australian business, and the thinking hasn't changed much.
We believe good gear should earn its keep.
That's why we still work with materials that have some guts to them. Heavy-duty canvas. Refined oils and waxes. Rugged cowhide and kangaroo leather. Australian wool and fur felt. Materials chosen because they can take a knock, collect a few scars and come back tomorrow ready to do it again.
We're not too worried about keeping things spotless.
A scratched leather hat tells a better yarn than a clean one. An old oilskin jacket that's seen a few winters has earned its place by the door. Around here, worn-in beats worn-out.
From the Limestone Coast to the Australian Outback and beyond, Kakadu gear has found its way onto people who travel further, work harder and don't mind a bit of weather.
An Australian family company since 1972.
CAPE JAFFA LIGHTHOUSE
Kingston SE, South Australia
