At that first meeting, a proposal from Henry Sutton, the Australian motoring pioneer, was unanimously adopted: It held its first car rally at Aspendale Racecourse in 1904.

[5][6][7][8] In 1916, the club received the approval of King George V to prefix the title "Royal" to its name.

The content is based on the three major topics: travel/touring and associated leisure content, motoring/mobility – mainly new and used car reviews and news, and news and programs which touch on broader mobility issues including road safety, public transport and the environment – and member benefits/news.

[14] An RACV member magazine has been produced for more than 90 years, beginning in 1922 as a monthly supplement in The Australian Motorist.

In November 2013, RoyalAuto was named Association or Member Organisation Magazine of the Year by Publishers Australia in its Excellence Awards 2013.