9News Unmasked episode four: Peter Hitchener reminisces about his favourite family holiday

Nine News Melbourne newsreader Peter Hitchener reminisces about his favourite family holiday growing up as a kid in the latest episode of 9News Unmasked.

What were your favourite family holidays when you were growing up?

The topic came up for discussion with Livinia Nixon and Tony Jones recently on 9News Unmasked and I instantly thought of our annual breaks at Coolangatta when I was in primary school.

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We lived in the bush and our fortnight at the beach every summer was eagerly anticipated.

Getting there was part of the fun of course. While my sister and I made the most of the drive, word games and I Spy somehow lost their appeal after the first couple of hours, and gave way to the inevitable chorus "Are we there yet?" "How much longer?" "I'm hungry!" "I want to go to the toilet"… and there were still three hours to go!

Parents everywhere, take a bow for your patience.

Coolangatta seemed impossibly glamorous and relaxed. It was the 1950s after all and kids from the bush like us weren't used to such luxuries as fresh sliced bread daily, ice cream that was really cold and showers that were really hot!

Breakfast, served direct to the motel room through a serving hatch, was an exciting reminder of just how far the hospitality industry had evolved - so modern. 

Most of all though the surf, the sand and the sun provided a rare chance for my parents to set aside the cares of life in the country. 

There's nothing that comes close to family time, and I find it surprisingly moving writing about our holidays at the beach all these years later. I wonder whether you have similar memories of childhood.

If you would like to hear about Livinia's and Tony's favourite family holidays, please check out the current edition of 9News Unmasked, we would be most grateful.