While I've got my rant on

Sheba · Guru

While I've got my rant on

Kaid · Guru

Big 4 Rollingstone. (North of Townsville Qld)

Booked a fortnight in advance for a beachfront site. (1 night only)

Only to arrive and find site had been given away. Alternative site was full

of tree roots and impossible to reverse into. Even if we had wanted to the camper on the next site

had his tent pitched on it too.

Went back to office was basically told we hadn't told them we had a dog , hadnt booked properly.

Even though our correct details were on their computer. Another site we chose had a 3 month

stay booked and even though he was not due for a couple of days we could not have that site.

Overall impression was that if we were not a family staying for the weekend or a long termer

coming up for the winter .We were of no consequence . Never mind that the next time we might have stayed longer.

Was told we could like it or lump it . So we left

That is the 2nd time we have been screwed over by a Big 4

NEVER AGAIN.

They spend far too much on fancy advertising and not enough on customer service

justcruisin01 · Guru

A couple of years back I told Big 4 head office what they could do with their membership due to very rude receptionist.

You should have gone to the freeby at Bushy Parker, great spot just down the road.

JC.

herbie · Guru

Oh for free/ low cost camping!!!But understand where you are coming from about customer could not care less attitude from some of these parks. One we had the displeasure in at in Victoria ( near Grampions ),,1/ advertises on net $22/25 per night but when you get there, it is $28per night..shower is timed to 6 mins ( with just hot water ) Lights in toitet block is timed to go off every two mins.and to top it off the power keet going off ,so had to move to another spot and the same thing happened ,so really we all payed $28 for a none powered site. Then to cap it off he advertises FREE WIFI ,but after you pay him he tells you he and the supplier have had a barny so now no WIFI. Never would i go back to this crap park EVER.. and he is wondering why so many people use free camping spots.

neilnruth · Guru

What a great looking park. Is it in the book Sheba?

Dougwe · Chief one feather

Bushy Parker looks really nice there Sheba. I will have a look see when up in Townsville sooner than soon. I was going to check out all the free camps anyway.

I'm surprised with Big4 Rollingstone though as I checked it out about 12 months ago when In Townsville and they couldn't do enough for me and even if all the beach front sites were gone I had picked out quite a few others that would keep me happy but all personal choice off course.

I reckon your experience added to other reasons Kaid was why I didn't renew my membership last December.

If you are looking for a good CV park close to Townsville, I like Big4 Woodlands, Yes I know, it's Big4 but I have stayed there quite a bit now over the last 5 years and find them just great. I don't need them much now as I use my daughters free camp in her back yard.

Kaid · Guru

Thank you all for your comments.
Thank you too for the pics Gayle.
Will look at staying there next time we are up.
I also fired off a nice little email to Big 4 head office
outlining my experience. But, surprise surprise no response
I always say the best advertising is by word of mouth :)
We could have stayed at another site there, that wasn't the problem.
It was the attitude of the woman in reception

jules47 · The Happy Helper

Bushy Parker is in the book - No. 32 Camps 7 (Qld), also Toomulla Beach, not far down the road #34 camps 7 - heaps of room - toilets and water. Not on the beachfront, but great spots - free!!!

herbie · Guru

The Big 4 brand is just that ,so if one park is not up to scratch we appear to think the rest won't be much better.But each park is only as good as or as bad as the managment allow it to be, So in some cases having the big chain name out the front of a place can hinder a business when you get rude people attending to you in reception. ( some of these people win the award for the rudest people award )Do not know if sending emails / phone calls to head office regarding the service you (did not get ) is of any help these days, it used to be ,but now i feel these Big Name Chains are thinking along the lines of big profit from the money these parks have to pay to belong to their name chain,so if they acted on all the complaints they would get from people like the one in question ,they would be loseing parks off their Name every other week. And with so many chain names popping up now the park just changes to another Big Name Chain,Just seen it happen around here in the last few months first hand.So it is a win/ win situation for the Park and the Chain just to keep pulling the public in on the back of chain name.

milo · Guru

i thought some of these big 4 and similar branded types were indipendantly owned ,
run etc? i could be wrong about that..

jules47 · The Happy Helper

I think you are right Milo - Big 4 are an organisation that caravan park owners can join, to be included in their booklet, advertising etc., same as Top Tourist etc., costs the CP owner money to join, and pay again every year.

leevin · Senior Member

I sent an email to Top Tourist about a terrible Cpark (no....filthy, dangerous camp ground) in WA.
That was in February 2013.
Still waiting for a reply or even acknowlegdment from them!
So don't hold your breath.
Remember, just give them your money.
You are nobody (unless you have kids or want a cabin for a week!).
But just wait until your renewal is due, they will love you, then dump you when the money is in their account.
I won't be renewing with any of them.
I have asked for discounts/free days without showing my card.
Most parks will look after you as they want your money.

Sheba · Guru

One more Pic. at Bushy Parker. Resized this time. The water really is that colour.

Cheers,

Sheba.

justcruisin01 · Guru

When I emailed the big4 our emails were passing each other it was so quick with a reply.

When my renewall was due the emailed me again, I returned it & said that I will never return.

Again they wanted a reason so I reminded them of the previous problems, they admitted that they still had all the details & again apologized.

I would keep sending the same email to the TT every day untill they replied,

JC.

wasn_me · Guru

Kaid wrote:
Thank you all for your comments.
Thank you too for the pics Gayle.
Will look at staying there next time we are up.
I also fired off a nice little email to Big 4 head office
outlining my experience. But, surprise surprise no response
I always say the best advertising is by word of mouth :)
We could have stayed at another site there, that wasn't the problem.
It was the attitude of the woman in reception

Years ago when I used to manage a truck service department, I was told at training seminars, that a satisfied customer will tell 4 people. A dissatisfied customer will tell 13 people. These days a dissatisfied customer can tell thousands via the internet.

Cheers Pete