Travelling back from a visit to our grandsons in Brisbane and after staying at Casino decide to continue down via the North Coast next night at Urunga Heads one of the North Coast Holiday parks good value for the money at all these parks with excellent amenities and Camp Kitchen for $36 a night run by a NSW government trust. This park was about 80% full.
Next and last night before home, stayed at Old Bar Lani's CP, large park 90% empty, booked in and stated I would like to stay hooked up, yes that will be OK but an extra $5 on top of $35 as you will be across 2 sites, so that's the last and final dollar they will ever receive from us.
We usually prefer the smaller parks in country towns.
If travelling between Sydney and Brisbane at the present time the New England Highway would have to be a better choice as from Grafton till Port Macquarie the speed was between 60 t0 80 for most of the way due to very extensive roadwork's, though it was interesting to see the massive work that is going on the Pacific Highway, be a dream run in a few more years lets hope I live to see it all finished.
If you are looking for a alternative route out of Brisbane try the Mount Lindsay Highway through Beaudesert after Rathdowney narrow winding and rough in places till you reach the NSW border, then road widens and is in good condition, road is sealed all the way
DO NOT turn off to the left at Rathdowney onto Lions Rd as your GPS may direct, this road not suitable for vans.
After the NSW border travel on thru to Woodenbong which has an excellent camping area for $5 non power $10 powered. then on thru Kyogle to Casino then to Grafton quiet but good roads until you reach Grafton from there on the traffic can be heavy, if you are heading down to the coast
boy, you had a mixed bag with your camping areas :)
Its easy to see why the Old Bar CP was so empty - what a rip off !!
I hope you've posted all these 3 CPs here on the campsites topic. If youre angry enough about Old Bar (I would be) - also list them on the website "Badgers" and wikicamps (it seems the majority of people use wiki nowdays and bad comments will either close down CPs like this or keep the empty and then maybe the owners will eventually wake up to reality
Thanks for all the other info as well - very helpful
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Cheers Bruce
The amazing things you see when nomading Australia
On recent trip, stayed at the Golden River CP at Mildura. Asked if it was possible to have an ensuite site and keep car hitched behind bus (can't reverse with car on). The lovely man behind the desk said we could drive through across two ensuite sites and do it that way. No extra charge although we were on two sites.
That is one caravan park I will definitely be going back to!
Sorry, but I have one question, was the Caravan park busy and full up most nights? If yes, $5 for a second bay is cheap. If like our park when it is quiet and only half filling most nights, lots of people get drive throughs no drama. If everybody wanted a drive through in the busy season, a 100 bay park would only be able to take 50 vans.
Sorry that argument doesn't add up.
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Hard work never killed anybody but why take the chance.
Sorry, but I have one question, was the Caravan park busy and full up most nights? If yes, $5 for a second bay is cheap. If like our park when it is quiet and only half filling most nights, lots of people get drive throughs no drama. If everybody wanted a drive through in the busy season, a 100 bay park would only be able to take 50 vans. Sorry that argument doesn't add up.
Gday...
Actually, Young Simmo, that really IS a question.
Roving-Dutchy wrote:
~~~ SNIP Next and last night before home, stayed at Old Bar Lani's CP, large park 90% empty, booked in and stated I would like to stay hooked up, yes that will be OK but an extra $5 on top of $35 as you will be across 2 sites, so that's the last and final dollar they will ever receive from us. ~~~ SNIP
Cheers David
...... and above is the statement that Roving-Dutchy provided in the Original Post
Young Simmo wrote:
I didn't ask a question JCT, I stated some information. Do you believe a Park should halve it's capacity when the busy season is on?
So as you can see - you did actually ask a question about information that was provided in the original post.
Cheers - John
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2006 Discovery 3 TDV6 SE Auto - 2008 23ft Golden Eagle Hunter Some people feel the rain - the others just get wet - Bob Dylan
OK, If you are referring to the 90%, I was wrong and have committed an incredible sin and will pay for a long time. I still stand by my original comment, and it seems I am the only who doesn't think Caravan Parks should halve their income in the busy season because people are too lazy to unhitch. Oh that's right, they want to leave at 4.am and don't want to wake people up, how silly of me.
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Hard work never killed anybody but why take the chance.
I can only agree with Roving-Dutchy, I made the mistake of staying in Lanis cp a couple of months ago, and would never go back. The amenities were old, and the staff in the office were not overly friendly. The park was 95% empty, we put it down to being winter. But the most off putting thing for me was the amount of signs. I have never seen so many rules in all my life, from limit your shower time to no parking any where except on your site, kids could only kick balls in designated areas etc ,etc. I can only think they must have had some pretty bad experiences to have so many rules. Never the less I won't be going back.
Cheers
Greg
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Greg & Shas
"Take kindly the council of the years gracefully surrendering the things of your youth"
OK, If you are referring to the 90%, I was wrong and have committed an incredible sin and will pay for a long time. I still stand by my original comment, and it seems I am the only who doesn't think Caravan Parks should halve their income in the busy season because people are too lazy to unhitch. Oh that's right, they want to leave at 4.am and don't want to wake people up, how silly of me.
Gday...
Simmo .... MAAAATE
Lay right on back mate Let it go ... Don't take it all so seriously
Cheers - and as someone else used to say STAY EXCITED - John
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2006 Discovery 3 TDV6 SE Auto - 2008 23ft Golden Eagle Hunter Some people feel the rain - the others just get wet - Bob Dylan
rockylizard , don't confuse seriously, with having fun. I came into here for entertainment, and so far it is working. So many people can't say something helpful and entertaining, and rubbish others for entertainment and I like to sock it back.
Cheers Mate
I have only been here a month, check me out in 12 months, could even be a bounty, He, He, He.
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Hard work never killed anybody but why take the chance.
at least you put up plenty of posts and comments on other peoples posts, Simmo. So keep at it - it gives us something to read and most of your posts are bloody good !!!
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Cheers Bruce
The amazing things you see when nomading Australia
I am also at a park that I will not return to, it is a Big4 Park which generally are excellent but not this one.
it is on the Fleurieu Peninsula SA and is a huge park with only 2 amenity blocks, both in the middle of each section and well over 100 metres from the expensive beachfront sites, why would you pay more for the windy sites with distant facilities. It also has no pool, no dump point and one camp kitchen with the only BBQ's and from my observation, it has no ensuite sites either...this is the worst Big4 that I have been to and even the mail doesn't arrive after a week has passed, or else they don't clear their PO box more than once a week.
Some parks exist and survive despite their deficiencies.
-- Edited by Wizardofoz on Friday 16th of October 2015 08:02:21 AM
-- Edited by Wizardofoz on Friday 16th of October 2015 08:04:18 AM
On a recent trip from S.E.Qld, down through central NSW via Lightning Ridge, we stayed at the Opal Caravan Park just outside the township of Lightning Ridge. The park is about three and a half years old now and is in superb condition, with great amenities and fantastic management. The fact the owners actually planned the park to accommodate all forms of travellers from overnight cabins, ensuite sites, caravan sites for the self contained to pitching a tent, is truly commendable. The caravan sites are all drive through, accommodating small or large vans, while offering the choice of remaining hitched or unhitched. The roadways between the rows are wide enough to enable two vehicles to pass comfortably and easy manoeuvring into and out of sites. Plenty of other facilities including a dump point, car and caravan washing, camp kitchen, fire pit, dog friendly with a free dog sitting service.
Highly recommend this park, $35 per night. If I owned a caravan park on around 10 acres, I would be seriously looking at how I could improve the facilities to ensure people would be happy to visit and let all in sundry know about it.
cheers,
Robyn
Actually, Young Simmo, that really IS a question. 
