G'day, Though not quite grey yet we're considering selling up and buggering off to anywhere we can drive to. This leaves us with quite a few questions which I hope you more experienced folk can help with.
Firstly: We want to do something like managing a caravan park, motel or similar. Is there any thing else you suggest? Is there much of that sort of work about or is every man and his dog looking for the same? What qualifications would be handy to have?
Also what sort of wage would you expect? I'm sure it depends on what people are asking of you, but what's acceptable for a weeks work?
Secondly: If you have done similar, is a caravan a burden if you're looking at posts of 6 months plus?
I'd also be thankful for any information you could pass on which you think maybe helpful.
Thanks
Bruce
Tony Bev said
01:08 PM Aug 23, 2016
Hello bruceandbella
Firstly welcome to the forum
I am sure that if any of the friendly members have the information you seek, they will come along and pass it on
Unfortunately I know very little of Caravan Parks, and my Motel experience is only as a paying guest
In my opinion/s (so I could be wrong), perhaps you should try before you buy.
What I mean by try before you buy, is that if you are looking for a Motel, or Caravan Park management position, there would be no need to have a caravan. Accommodation is usually provided to the Manager
If you do not require a Caravan, then there should be no reason to sell up, and you will still have a home base, until you are certain, that you no longer require it
It is good to have a dream, and also good to seek out information, concerning that particular dream
Hope that this gives you some ideas
Dougwe said
02:57 PM Aug 23, 2016
Welcome to the gang bruceandbella, enjoy here and out in the playground.
Keep Safe on the roads and out there. Oh! and Woody cos he's only liddle, see his AV.
Bruce and Bev said
06:42 PM Aug 23, 2016
there is a caravan park in Queensland who offer 4 or 6 )I think) courses on park management. From memory it is not cheap and they only run them when they have sufficient people on board.
I have spoken to a few GN's who full time travel and stay at CP's. The wife works the office and the hubbie works on ground work. None of them have done the caravan park course in Queensland. They got their work training from just rocking up at Parks and asking if there was any work available - with no pay - in return for training and free accommodation.
Pay rates don't exist. Some are cash under the table and others is by negotiation depending on how desperate the owners or permanent Managers are for a break away or the GN's experience and skills
Cruising Cruze said
07:31 PM Aug 23, 2016
Oops
"Pay rates don't exist. Some are cash under the table "
how is that possible
Regards John
wendyv said
07:58 PM Aug 23, 2016
Starting off, you are more likely to pick up work if you go more remote e.g. northern Aust. Quite often, tourism operations in these places are seasonal, so they look to put people on for 3-6 months only. It is a good way to pick up some experience and references.
Many of these places do not advertise for staff, but rely on word of mouth or travellers just turning up and asking.
Useful qualifications - Responsible Service of Alcohol accreditation (such places often have food/drink outlets attached). Computer skills useful for Reception work - the course mentioned above teaches the main program used for bookings, but there may be other places that teach it. Senior First Aid qualification (can get via St Johns Ambulance etc.) Cooking skills - often in demand if there is a roadhouse or the like attached to a place.
Trade or mechanical skills often in demand.
A medium or heavy rigid driving licence endorsement can help. Some places have tours and the like as part of their offerings and use vehicles like Coasters.
I believe you need to have your own van/motorhome.
In some of the more distant places, keep is part of the package, so while the money offered may seem on the low side, you do save quite well because there isn't much spending needed.
Some of the sorts of places I am thinking of may also want staff to basically mind the place over the down season when business is minimal - but that is because it is usually hot/wet, unpleasant.
Consider contacting: campgrounds along the Gibb River Road in WA (need sturdy van); Caravan parks in Kununurra, Broome, Katherine, Batchelor/Litchfield. Cobbold Gorge - Qld, and Bedrock Village at Mt Surprise, Undara, Karumba parks, Adels Grove. Barkly Roadhouse, Nullarbor Roadhouses, Cooktown Caravan parks. etc.
ShortNorth said
09:15 PM Aug 23, 2016
Bruce and Bev wrote:
there is a caravan park in Queensland who offer 4 or 6 )I think) courses on park management............
BIG4 North Star at Hastings Point in northern NSW have fully accredited caravan park management courses - not sure of cost, but may be worth inquiring !
Hendo said
09:46 AM Aug 24, 2016
Hi Bruce
Ten years ago I got fed up with my job (40 odd years), resigned and became a C/Van Park manager in Byron Bay. Lasted six months! Got out of Byron, bought a van and went on the Harvest Trail for 12 months picking cherries, apples, apricots etc. Then took on a C/Van park on the south coast NSW. Stayed 3 years and enjoyed the experience. Work is not hard but it is 24/7. Pay rates look good, $60 - $80k but as I said it's 24/7 and that's shared between you and your partner / wife. Normal day would start around 7.30am, office shop would closed around 8.00pm. Wife looked after the admin side, I was outdoors maintaining the park. 1 day off a week.
After the contract ended I semi retired and came home only to be conned in to running a motel for a month, which turned out to be 12 months. Again 24/7, hours very similar.
We then took on a motel on the south coast for 12 months until my wife passed away suddenly.
We didn't do a park management course, running a park or motel is not rocket science. The computer booking systems (RMS etc.) are not hard to master.
I preferred Motel management over C/Van parks. Motel guests are usually travelling through, arrive, booking in, go to their room and you only see them next morning. Caravan Parks guests are usually on holidays, arrive in party mode and are looking for a good time, can be noisy, children running riot etc.
Only drawback with motels is cooking breakfast but you don't have to be a chef to knock up a feed of bacon and eggs (poached)
I would suggest that you don't jump into a big park or motel first up, look for a small park or motel.
Look for a motel that doesn't have a restaurant, pool, and ships its laundry out.
Mate, if you want to PM me I would be glad to talk to you further.
If you attend one of these you will no doubt get some leads to parks requiring relief management.
-- Edited by PeterD on Wednesday 24th of August 2016 02:03:29 PM
bruceandbella said
04:15 PM Aug 25, 2016
Thanks for the replies guys. Hendo, I'll keep that offer in mind, thank you. Just want to get it right what we want to do and there is a lot of possessions that cannot be properly stored for any great period of time.
G'day, Though not quite grey yet we're considering selling up and buggering off to anywhere we can drive to. This leaves us with quite a few questions which I hope you more experienced folk can help with.
Firstly: We want to do something like managing a caravan park, motel or similar. Is there any thing else you suggest? Is there much of that sort of work about or is every man and his dog looking for the same? What qualifications would be handy to have?
Also what sort of wage would you expect? I'm sure it depends on what people are asking of you, but what's acceptable for a weeks work?
Secondly: If you have done similar, is a caravan a burden if you're looking at posts of 6 months plus?
I'd also be thankful for any information you could pass on which you think maybe helpful.
Thanks
Bruce
Hello bruceandbella
Firstly welcome to the forum
I am sure that if any of the friendly members have the information you seek, they will come along and pass it on
Unfortunately I know very little of Caravan Parks, and my Motel experience is only as a paying guest
In my opinion/s (so I could be wrong), perhaps you should try before you buy.
What I mean by try before you buy, is that if you are looking for a Motel, or Caravan Park management position, there would be no need to have a caravan.
Accommodation is usually provided to the Manager
If you do not require a Caravan, then there should be no reason to sell up, and you will still have a home base, until you are certain, that you no longer require it
It is good to have a dream, and also good to seek out information, concerning that particular dream
Hope that this gives you some ideas
Keep Safe on the roads and out there. Oh! and Woody cos he's only liddle, see his AV.
I have spoken to a few GN's who full time travel and stay at CP's. The wife works the office and the hubbie works on ground work. None of them have done the caravan park course in Queensland. They got their work training from just rocking up at Parks and asking if there was any work available - with no pay - in return for training and free accommodation.
Pay rates don't exist. Some are cash under the table and others is by negotiation depending on how desperate the owners or permanent Managers are for a break away or the GN's experience and skills
Oops
"Pay rates don't exist. Some are cash under the table "
how is that possible
Regards John
Many of these places do not advertise for staff, but rely on word of mouth or travellers just turning up and asking.
Useful qualifications - Responsible Service of Alcohol accreditation (such places often have food/drink outlets attached). Computer skills useful for Reception work - the course mentioned above teaches the main program used for bookings, but there may be other places that teach it. Senior First Aid qualification (can get via St Johns Ambulance etc.) Cooking skills - often in demand if there is a roadhouse or the like attached to a place.
Trade or mechanical skills often in demand.
A medium or heavy rigid driving licence endorsement can help. Some places have tours and the like as part of their offerings and use vehicles like Coasters.
I believe you need to have your own van/motorhome.
In some of the more distant places, keep is part of the package, so while the money offered may seem on the low side, you do save quite well because there isn't much spending needed.
Some of the sorts of places I am thinking of may also want staff to basically mind the place over the down season when business is minimal - but that is because it is usually hot/wet, unpleasant.
Consider contacting: campgrounds along the Gibb River Road in WA (need sturdy van); Caravan parks in Kununurra, Broome, Katherine, Batchelor/Litchfield. Cobbold Gorge - Qld, and Bedrock Village at Mt Surprise, Undara, Karumba parks, Adels Grove. Barkly Roadhouse, Nullarbor Roadhouses, Cooktown Caravan parks. etc.
BIG4 North Star at Hastings Point in northern NSW have fully accredited caravan park management courses - not sure of cost, but may be worth inquiring !
Ten years ago I got fed up with my job (40 odd years), resigned and became a C/Van Park manager in Byron Bay. Lasted six months! Got out of Byron, bought a van and went on the Harvest Trail for 12 months picking cherries, apples, apricots etc. Then took on a C/Van park on the south coast NSW. Stayed 3 years and enjoyed the experience. Work is not hard but it is 24/7. Pay rates look good, $60 - $80k but as I said it's 24/7 and that's shared between you and your partner / wife. Normal day would start around 7.30am, office shop would closed around 8.00pm. Wife looked after the admin side, I was outdoors maintaining the park. 1 day off a week.
After the contract ended I semi retired and came home only to be conned in to running a motel for a month, which turned out to be 12 months. Again 24/7, hours very similar.
We then took on a motel on the south coast for 12 months until my wife passed away suddenly.
We didn't do a park management course, running a park or motel is not rocket science. The computer booking systems (RMS etc.) are not hard to master.
I preferred Motel management over C/Van parks. Motel guests are usually travelling through, arrive, booking in, go to their room and you only see them next morning. Caravan Parks guests are usually on holidays, arrive in party mode and are looking for a good time, can be noisy, children running riot etc.
Only drawback with motels is cooking breakfast but you don't have to be a chef to knock up a feed of bacon and eggs (poached)
I would suggest that you don't jump into a big park or motel first up, look for a small park or motel.
Look for a motel that doesn't have a restaurant, pool, and ships its laundry out.
Mate, if you want to PM me I would be glad to talk to you further.
Some course providers:
FreeSpirit Resort & Holiday Park Management
P.R.O. Management
Australian Caravan Park Training School
If you attend one of these you will no doubt get some leads to parks requiring relief management.
-- Edited by PeterD on Wednesday 24th of August 2016 02:03:29 PM