From swim-up bars to overwater bungalows: Aussie caravan parks have had a makeover
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Australians are hitting the road in record numbers, not letting rising travel prices get in their way of having a good holiday.
One in every three domestic overnight holidays taken in Australia is now a camping or caravan trip – and holiday parks are starting to rise to the occasion.
Lake Argyle's holiday park has one of the best pools in Australia. Discovery Parks
Once just a humble destination for a family holiday, caravan parks across Australia have been giving themselves mega makeovers to offer far more than just a spot to pitch a tent or park a camper.
From luxury vibes at budget prices to high-energy family fun, here are some of the best holiday park offerings around Australia.
Pool with a million-dollar view
There’s a good chance you’ve seen photos of the pool at Lake Argyle’s Discovery Resort. The holiday park’s infinity pool gives guests sweeping views of the surrounding billion-year-old landscape and the Durack Ranges.
There’s also an onsite restaurant and beer garden, so you never have to leave the peaceful bliss of this clifftop location perched above the island-studded Lake Argyle.
Extreme water parks
More and more Aussie holiday parks are upgrading their pools to feature an array of waterslides, splash zones, and more.
BIG4 Adventure Whitsunday Resort is often called out as being the best family-friendly spot.
It has 13 slides designed to keep kids of all ages happy.
The park also has an outdoor cinema, mini golf, and an animal park on site – all free for guests.
BIG4 Adventure Whitsunday Resort has a huge pool and water park for all ages. BIG4
Swim-up bars
For a less extreme water-based offering, how about a swim-up bar where you can get drinks and spend your day floating around the pool?
NRMA Blue Dolphin Yamba Holiday Resort’s pool offers just that, surrounded by lush tropical plants. It’s the perfect spot for parents to make sure they’re enjoying the holiday as much as the kids are.
Because, yep, this spot also has a water park and putt-putt to help tire out the little ones.
This swim-up bar looks like it's at a tropical resort, not a holiday park. NRMA Holiday Parks
Overwater villas
Who said overwater villas were just for high-end resorts?
BIG4 Sandstone Point Holiday Resort at Queensland’s Moreton Bay has luxury three-bedroom villas you can stay in. They’re built directly over a swimming lagoon with live fish, cascading waterfalls, and a sand beach.
The villas also each have two decks, an indoor fireplace and their own plunge pool.
If that’s not enough, the resort also has a massive heated resort pool complete with a swim-up bar.
Day Spa
Tasman Holiday Park in Hastings Point, NSW, doesn’t just have a water park for kids (with interactive splash areas and high-speed super slides), but also an adults-only retreat on-site, too.
Featuring a day spa, massage rooms, hot tubs, an a sauna, it’s a luxe addition to the caravan park experience. The park’s Seascape Leisure Centre also has a 25-metre lap pool and a fully equipped gym.
You can even stay in an overwater villa. Supplied
Embracing the tiny home trend
Why stay in a regular cabin when you could choose a beachfront tiny home? This new offering at Reflections Byron Bay gives you a chance to embrace the coastal chic lifestyle of the holiday hotspot on a budget.
Despite the small floor plan, there’s plenty of space to relax, with the homes’ sunny rooftop decks looking out over the beach, which is just metres away.
Glamping options
More and more holiday parks are introducing glamping options, for people who still want to camp, but are keen to do it in comfort.
Ingenia Holidays Rivershore in Maroochydore, for example, has massive safari tents imported from South Africa. Perched on the river, they have massive four-poster beds, clawfoot tubs, fully-equipped kitchenettes and huge private verandahs.
On NSW’s Central Coast, NRMA Ocean Beach offers ‘glamtainers’ – upcycled shipping containers transformed into luxury, open-plan glamping suites right on the beach.
The safari tents are comfy and spacious. Ingenia Holidays
Pet-centric stays
For many, being able to bring your four-legged friend on holiday is a non-negotiable. There are a bunch of great parks around Australia that don’t just welcome pets, but also offer amenities just for your pooch.
Best Friend Holiday Retreat in Victoria’s Tarra Valley is known as one of Australia’s best dog-friendly parks, featuring agility courses, dog hydrobaths, and enclosed site fencing.
Meanwhile, up north, the BIG4 Gold Coast Holiday Park has off-leash areas, pet wash bays and dog-friendly cabins.
