Burleigh Wagon (image supplied)
You’ve undoubtedly spotted Regan Merka’s colourful creation across the beaches (and pavements of the GC). And no, we’re not talking about Cool Cabanas, although these ingenious creations are almost as ubiquitous! Regan Merka is the remarkable mum and the creative mind behind the Burleigh Wagon. Offering a whole new level of convenience for parents on the go and a sleek design, it’s no wonder families across Australia (and beyond) are falling head over wheels for this game-changing stroller wagon. We dive into Regan’s journey, exploring the inspiration behind the Burleigh Wagon and the incredible impact her creation has had on parents and children alike.
Regan Merka and her daughters (image supplied)
How long have you been a Gold Coast local?
My family & I have been living on the Gold Coast now for 7 years. We are originally from Southern California in America. I first came here for graduate school at Bond University and fell in love. So, I knew someday I wanted to come back & raise a family here. Such a dream come true to be now doing just that!
What do you love the most about the Gold Coast?
I love the outdoor lifestyle here on the coast. The beautiful beaches, parks, outdoor markets, theme parks, and how easily accessible they all are. I love how kid friendly the coast is. There is always something fun to do and you can’t beat the weather in Queensland. Also, I have made so many lifelong friends here, so I would say the people are pretty epic too!
Regan’s daughters, Burleigh Wagon (image supplied)
Tell us a bit about yourself.
I am a mum of 2 beautiful and bright girls. One of our daughters is on the Autism spectrum, and we created the wagon for her. As special needs parents know, it can be extra challenging to leave the house. Our struggle to do just that, is what drove us to create a vehicle to help families like us get out for the house with greater ease and be able to stay longer and enjoy more.
For the last nearly 4 years here in Australia, my husband and I have run every aspect of the business ourselves, from social media to packing all orders. But we are really excited to finally expand our team this year.
For those who don’t know, what is Burleigh Wagon?
The Burleigh Wagon is an innovative stroller wagon that kids will ACTUALLY love to ride in and parents will love it too! It is an approved double stroller with a built-in esky, built-in Bluetooth speaker + charging ports, convertible bench seating for kids & adults, full sunshade, and so much more!
Regan with one of her versatile Burleigh Wagon’s (image supplied)
Tell us the inspiration behind starting Burleigh Wagon.
We struggled carrying all the gear with us on family outings (particularly to places like the beach). At the time, there were no wagons available here in Australia. So, I decided to design one myself that catered to children, but also adults too.
I didn’t want to have to carry any of the larger items for adventure days anymore: like a bulky esky, large surfboard, beach cabana, camping or fishing gear, kids bikes when not in use, etc. So, I added heavy-duty side storage racks to our wagons design- for all the bigger gear that was almost impossible to lug around all day.
I also wanted to create a wagon that could not only carry all the gear but the children safely too, and there was nothing on the market I could find that did both successfully. My daughter also needed a safe place for her to feel secure on outings and she hated the pram! So, we added safety features to comply with ACCC mandatory safety standards and we made the wagon transformable into a bench seat so our daughter could have a rest wherever we were, which we found super handy for us tired adults too!
We now feel a sense of ease when leaving the house, knowing we have an all-in-one vehicle for adventures that will transport all we need and also keep our children content on longer days out of the house. And now being able to help other families like us use their NDIS funding to purchase their wagons has been extra rewarding. It’s the best feeling to hear stories from families of children with disabilities tell us how much their Burleigh Wagon has helped their child feel included in the community, where they may have found it challenging at times before.
Burleigh Wagon (image supplied)
What has been the biggest opportunity and/or challenge so far for you?
Our biggest challenge from the beginning has been cash flow and staying in stock. Our wagon is an expensive product to manufacture. It takes 14 factories to produce all components needed for 1 wagon. Managing all these factories and coordinating shipments with cash flow vs demand has been difficult. We often run out of stock in our peak summer season due to the complexity of this juggling act.
We have been given a massive opportunity recently, that will hopefully alleviate this issue moving forward! So, keep an eye out for an exciting announcement soon 😉
Burleigh Wagon (image supplied)
You’ve just cracked the US market. Congratulations!
What are you next plans or goals for Burleigh Wagon? Thank you so much! We are so beyond excited to be in the USA. We had 1,000’s of Americans sign up their interest for us to launch there, so it’s such a huge milestone for us to now be available for pre-order in North America, and just in time for their summer 🙂
We also hope to expand our warehouse locations to the east coast of the USA this year. We are currently operating out of San Diego California, but having distribution from both coasts will be helpful.
In addition, we plan to expand our range of products in the USA, as well as launch a new addition here in Australia later in 2023!
Burleigh Wagon (image supplied)
What is the best piece of business advice that you have ever been given?
To never give up, no matter how hard it gets. Many businesses fail because of lack of perseverance when times get tough. So, we have always tried our best to pivot when something isn’t working and try something new, which can often be scary, risky and unknown territory. But so far, our risks have been worth it and have kept us afloat during uncertain times like COVID and the current downturn in the market.
Regan Merka, founder Burleigh Wagon (image supplied)
What are your Gold Coast favourites…
Café/coffee spot: Parkway Robina
Restaurant: Sofia’s, Broadbeach
Bar or place for a drink: Edgewater at Isle of Capri
Beach: Burleigh
How do you choose to spend your days off?
With my girls going on adventures! We love going to Mt. Tamborine & exploring. We also love the rock pools, Dreamworld, cruising up to Brisbane for some shopping in the city, a day trip to Tropical Fruit World or Cabarita. These are some of our fave things to do.