Wanderest, Richmond NSW - problem

Jamjar · Senior Member

Wanderest, Richmond NSW - problem

madaboutled · Guru

Stayed there twice now without issues. We use it as a base camp to visit our 2 boys who live in Sydney, they come & see us.

Jamjar · Senior Member

madaboutled wrote:
Stayed there twice now without issues. We use it as a base camp to visit our 2 boys who live in Sydney, they come & see us.

This is my second visit here and this time I have made an official complaint re the staff member concerned.

I made a booking around 3 weeks in advance. I explained I couldn't reverse the caravan so would need one of the two powered sites near the exit boom gate. They are single sites that you almost drive into, with small van and sedan. All I have to do is some straighting up reversing. My dates were flexible. A very polite gentleman put me on hold, returned and said all good.

When I arrived, the rude chap I had encountered first trip was on duty. He said I was on a site that was in the middle of 4 that are nose to tail, like parking along a normal street curb. He added that it was the only site left. I explained my situation and that my booking for one of the other sites had been made weeks earlier. He said they don't do specific sites for people.

I said that one of the sites I wanted were currently vacant and he said yes, but someone was booked on it for the following day. My reply was that I didnt want to sound argumentative, but if they didn't take bookings for specific sites, then why would he be keeping the site I needed for someone the following day.

Of course he'd put his foot in it, and had no choice but to give me the site.

He threw my membership card over to another area and angrily scribbled all over the first site on my layout plan.

Then it was on again over my credit for last visits key deposit.

I had a long discussion with the duty manager, tonight. He was shocked and said they absolutely do take bookings and try to accomodate requests when allocating sites. He showed me the book with all this month's bookings. It's the usual thing, with pencilling in and highlighting upon arrival.

It was a humiliating experience, which I could have done without. I'll be talking with the club's operations manager, on Monday. Hopefully, it won't happen again to me or to anyone else.

Jamjar

grahamg · Senior Member

love the comment , we don't take bookings on sites but you can't have the one you want because it is booked. I think they just want to push you onto the site they want to use.
Many times I have been told to use site xxx which is usually right next to other people and there are numberous sites free where you could have more space. I think they try and limit the number of sites that are used. Maybe only use the heavy duty sites and stay of the grassy spots. This is what i beleive happens in general. ( have not been to Wanderest, Richmond NSW).

Jamjar · Senior Member

grahamg wrote:
love the comment , we don't take bookings on sites but you can't have the one you want because it is booked. I think they just want to push you onto the site they want to use.
Many times I have been told to use site xxx which is usually right next to other people and there are numberous sites free where you could have more space. I think they try and limit the number of sites that are used. Maybe only use the heavy duty sites and stay of the grassy spots. This is what i beleive happens in general. ( have not been to Wanderest, Richmond NSW).

Wanderest is an unused part of the Richmond Club's carpark. Nothing has been added except for access to power for 10 sites - other sites unpowered - an amenities block with 2 toilets and showers and a dump point.

It is free without power and $10 per night with. I am on a powered site. You can stay 4 nights, twice per month. The set up is adequate and I would like to stay here again, but don't want the stress of dealing with the one person at reception.

Oh, and there isn't any access to water other than at the dump point or in ablutions block. Yet, I heard the chap at reception tell someone there was water. As a caravan owner, if I asked if there was water available I'd be meaning to connect to the van.

-- Edited by Jamjar on Thursday 8th of June 2017 09:20:57 PM

-- Edited by Jamjar on Thursday 8th of June 2017 09:26:15 PM

Tony Bev · Guru

Sorry to hear that you have had a bad experience, at the Wanderest Travellers Park, in Richmond NSW

I have been there twice before (2014 and 2015), and hopefully I shall be there again about Jan/Feb 2018, to allow the boss, three days of luxury

I had not encountered any rudeness, from anyone

Both times I went there on spec, and never forward booked

It is up there among my five best places to stay
$5 per year membership, (paid up until 2019)
Zero payment for un-powered site
$10 per night for powered site

Only allowed three nights each time, (the last time I was there)
The 10 for 10 sign in 2015, meant that you could choose between 10 different meals, for $10 each meal

Opps...

I must have been typing while JamJar was posting

From memory there are about three water taps scattered around, but not to connect to a caravan, as the water is for everyone

If we are now allowed to stay for four nights, then it will be one more day of luxury for the boss

-- Edited by Tony Bev on Thursday 8th of June 2017 09:54:24 PM

Jamjar · Senior Member

Hi Tony, I'll go for a seek to see if there are other taps, in the morn. 4 nights it be and is now $10 per year.

Haven't see any food deals, but they have good food at their cafe.

www.richmondclub.com.au/Services/Wanderest-1

J.

PS I do recommend you book.

-- Edited by Jamjar on Thursday 8th of June 2017 10:16:37 PM

the rocket · Guru

Hi. Wondering where is this in nsw? Thanks

PeterD · Guru

the rocket wrote:
Hi. Wondering where is this in nsw? Thanks

Wanderest Travellers Park - The Wanderest Travellers Park

Norweb · Veteran Member

Sorry you had a bad experience with the Richmond Club, I have been a resident of Richmond for some 20yrs and a member of the Club for the same amount of time.

Now I too have had bad experiences with the desk at the Club the new restaurant too can be rude. My wife and I have now joined the Windsor RSL and the staff are terrific.

The people of the Hawkesbury Valley are friendly people. I am glad you fronted this person and would recommend you see the Manager.

-- Edited by Norweb on Friday 9th of June 2017 11:41:23 AM

grahamg · Senior Member

sounds like you get what you pay for.

Tony Bev · Guru

PeterD wrote:
the rocket wrote:
Hi. Wondering where is this in nsw? Thanks
Wanderest Travellers Park - The Wanderest Travellers Park

It is on Francis Street, Richmond, NSW

About one and a quarter hours (by train), north of Sydney

On one side of the street is the Richmond Club, (I call it the bowling club, as it has a lawn bowling green, visible from the road)

On the opposite side of the road, is the car park
Behind the car park is the Wanderest camping area

Drive into the car park and you will see the boom gates in front of you
Stop well before the boom gates, (to allow others to drive around you, and enter their number on the security keypad), which opens the boom gate for them

Walk across the road to the club, to (become a member, $10 year), book in, and receive your number which opens the boom gate, and shower/toilet area, for you

The railway station to the Sydney line, is an easy walk away
Shops are an easy walk away
Laundry is an easy walk away
There is a nice park, with plenty of shade for a picnic, an easy walk away

I am led to believe that if the camping area is full, they will allow you to park, in the normal car park

The only drawback which I know of, is that it is on bitumen, and therefore hot, on a hot day
Also be aware that there are plenty of pokies inside the club, which did not worry me, as I am not bright enough, to know how to use them

Hope that this info is useful to you

Jamjar · Senior Member

That's a shame Norweb. The folk in the little cafe are lovely.

Tony, no number for keypad now, just a fob you tap on the keypad. It works on the amenities, also.

I found some other taps, this morn. They are mostly on the row of nose to tail powered sites. None up my end of carpark.

Was speaking with a lady who arrived, last night. She was told there were no powered sites available for her, for an overnight stay. One site was vacant when she arrived, this morn and still vacant this evening. She went over to the club to ask if she could have it for tonight and was told that it was booked, so no. She was shown the pencilled in booking in the book and it was from yesterday for the four days.

So, they are holding a powered site booking for someone who hasn't turned up for 2 days out of 4. Can't think of any park, motel, hotel etc that would do that, especially when no payment is taken at time of booking.

I think admin needs some training.

Jamjar