EASY LIVING Park’S Popularity Comes from Being More Than a Sensational Location

Special Feature Australia’s favourite parks offers some of the best food, wine and wildlife adventures in the state. But Brad said the EASY LIVING park’s popularity comes from being more than a sensational location. Escape 2 Victor Harbor “I think its popularity comes from the Beachfront Holiday Park location of the park and the attitude of the CROWNING guests and the staff. It’s just a relaxing place to is the place to relax in come to,” he said. South Australia. It has taken managers Brad and his wife Erin glory three years to build the park into an award Escape 2 Victor Harbor Beachfront Holiday winner and develop just the right atmosphere. WORDS DAVID The Turu.com.au Australia’s Favourite Parks Park is a family-friendly park just an hour’s He said they would not have achieved that GILCHRIST drive from Adelaide on the Fleurieu Peninsula. result had owners Australian Tourist Park award winners are all places you will want to From the park, visitors can take in the beautiful Management not given the couple the support surroundings and history of Victor Harbor they needed. return to, time and time again. with walks to the bluff, a horse drawn tram to Brad also said that good staff is key to Granite Island, the chance to visit the penguins achieving the success that has come the way here are many things that can make a park Turu.com.au general manager Rob Gallagher or learn about the humpback whales at the local of Victor Harbor Beachfront Holiday Park. “We stand apart from the crowd; it’s that perfect said the popularity of parks was continuing museum, or perhaps to eat out at one of the have good staff in place that have the right ideas combination of atmosphere, location, space to grow as more and more people were many restaurants and cafes. and believe in what management does as well,” and hospitality that come together to make experiencing caravan and camping. “We have, in total, 240 sites. There are 186 he said. Ta park truly exceptional. “There was a perception that they (parks) powered sites, 39 cabins, two camp kitchens, a At the end of the day, Brad is counting his Above: Victor Harbor has 240 sites in With this in mind, the nation’s leading were not at the standard of other holiday heated swimming pool, a children’s playground, blessings as he looks out across the park to a total. Below: The relaxed vibes make destination for holiday park visitors, Turu. accommodation,” Gallagher said. “The industry jumping pillows and plans to do a kids’ water view of the Southern Ocean. for a relaxing seaside holiday. com.au, has completed a nationwide survey has done an amazing job of repositioning itself park. Walk out the gates of the park and you’re of holidaymakers to identify the top holiday so they really are a fantastic destination for straight onto the beach,” said park manager parks for 2015. The ‘Australia’s Favourite Parks families and travellers.” Brad Scofield, outlining the features and Awards’ recognise parks that give travellers the Winners are awarded across each state surrounds of South Australia’s Turu.com.au best holiday park experience, keeping visitors and territory around the country. The seven Australia’s Favourite Parks award winner. returning time and again. state winners of the Turu.com.au Australia’s The park also features water view villas Turu.com.au, owned by Caravan World Favourite Parks Awards strive to put in the hard with views of Encounter Bay and budget cabin publisher Bauer Trader Media, is a search work needed to make their guests feel at home. options, modern studio rooms and ensuite sites Top: Victor Harbor’s Beachfront Holiday engine for caravan and camping holidays, with Caravan World mustered the winners from each for caravanners. Park, with its prime location, took out more than three million visitors exploring over state to discover what it takes to be a Turu.com. If location counts for anything, then this park the South Australian award. 1800 holiday parks from around Australia. au winner. has the right stuff. The Fleurieu Peninsula 138 caravanworld.com.au The caravan you want is now easier to find tradervs.com.au 139 Special Feature Australia’s favourite parks FAMILY FAVOURITE WA’s family-owned Cable Beach Caravan Park is a real home-away-from-home. Given Cable Beach Caravan Park is the Turu. However, he said you don’t have to leave the com.au state winner for Western Australia, it’s park to enjoy a quality coffee as the park has clear there are many people who find the idea of its own cafe, offering breakfast, lunch and 22km of pure white sand and turquoise water coffee. Of course, the park offers much more lapping on the shores of the stunning Kimberley than that. It also has powered and unpowered region too much to resist. sites, a children’s playground, barbecues and Add to that the fact that this park is set near internet facilities. Cable Beach’s renowned backdrop of Indian Notwithstanding those conveniences, Greg Ocean-fringed red ochre cliffs, and you’re well said the climate, together with the gregarious on your way to discovering why this park is a ‘social atmosphere’, also play a role in the fine home-away-from-home. The park provides park’s popularity. the opportunity for travellers to take advantage By way of facilities, he said one of the prime of the many local adventures, from riding a park attractions during the warmer tropical camel along the beach at sunrise or sunset to Kimberley days and evenings is the 30m pool discovering the region’s pearling history and and waterfall. “It won awards for the best in WA HITTING THE ROAD colourful multicultural society. when it was built,” he said. Co-manager of the family-owned park Greg Beyond that, the park is somewhat of a Simplicity is the hallmark of Victoria’s Great Ocean Beacham said the park’s location is key to its northern caravanning Mecca with most of the Road Tourist Park. popularity. “We’re only a few minutes’ walk from park set aside for large caravan sites. the beach with shops and cafes down the road”. However, with 17 years’ experience running Anyone who’s travelled the Great Ocean Road ocean views. the park, it’s clear the Beacham family put has motored along a magnificently scenic However, for her, the park’s simplicity and something extra into making this park the best coastal drive that takes in inspirational sights atmosphere is the key to its success. “We don’t it can be. They contribute that extra something like the Twelve Apostles, iconic surf breaks have the bells and whistles that resort parks that makes visitors come back for more. and cascading waterfalls. This stretch offers have. We just work towards having a really well “Even though we are a fairly big park, we activities such as surfing, scuba diving and sea presented park that’s really family-friendly.” still try and keep it quiet and managed as kayaking blended with arts, fresh local cuisine Sarah said she and Dean also put their onus professionally as we can,” Greg explained. and more. on good customer service. Greg reckons that Cable Beach Caravan Those are some of the ingredients that make Thinking about the entire park experience at Park benefits from being a family-owned park the Great Ocean Road Tourist Park so alluring Great Ocean Road Tourist Park, Sarah reckons because the family take pride in their park and among a diversity of accommodation choices. the park offers the sort of camping holiday many the work they do. It’s an attitude that pays off. The park is set in Victoria’s Peterborough, travellers remember from childhood. “We try to provide guests with something decent just 10 minutes west of Port Campbell on the “That’s what people are looking for,” she said. and word of mouth gets people coming back,” Curdies River. This is a stretch of coastline that “They remember that sort of family holiday he said. provides great views, fishing and diving, and fondly and bring their families here for that. bird, whale and penguin watching. The park But with a few of the things that weren’t on offer has a clean, modern amenities block including back then – like jumping pillows and wi-fi and disabled facilities, a children’s playground with great camp kitchens.” jumping pillow, together with a spacious camp Sarah said her park fits well in Peterborough kitchen and more. – it suits the village. That’s because the village Top: The iconic Great Ocean Road Park owner Sarah Hellessey, who co-owns and is still a hidden gem without the hustle and is a popular destination for vanners. manages the park with her husband Dean, said bustle of some of the towns along the Great Below: Simple, relaxed cabin and winning the Turu.com.au award for Victoria, Ocean Road. camping accommodation is on offer. “was a reinforcement of the customer service we try and offer as well as the amenities we have on offer in the park. It is a tick of approval of all the hard work we’ve put in over the years.” Left: Cable Beach Caravan Park is a While Sarah agreed the location of the park big park, perfect for larger groups. on the Great Ocean Road is important, she said Above left: The 30m pool and the park’s popularity was growing because, waterfall won awards when it was “Peterborough is still a relatively untouched first built.

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