23 Nov 2022
Words Christine Retschlag Informer 104

Pitch Perfect

Think caravanning and camping need be remote? Think again. While Australia features some excellent regional and Outback campgrounds and van parks, there’s some pretty perfect places in which to pitch a tent, park a van or get your glamp on near our capital cities as well.

Latest 2021 Census data reveals there are now 60,000 caravans around the country – a 150 per cent increase since the 2016 Census. So where are people parking them?

Closer to home than you may think, according to Comiskey Group Director Rob Comiskey, whose first endeavour into the the holiday park industry was heralded by the opening of BIG4 Sandstone Point Holiday Resort – just 45 minutes north of the Brisbane CBD - in November 2018.

“BIG4 Sandstone Point Holiday Resort is not only a convenient place to stay for event attendees of our iconic entertainment venue Sandstone Point Hotel, but a tourism destination in its own right,” Mr Comiskey says.

“The resort has become the highest selling holiday park within the BIG4 network, offering world-class facilities including a water park, heated pool, fire pit, basketball court, pump track, jumping pillow and more, across from the pristine beaches and scenic bushland of Bribie Island.

“Providing guests with multiple accommodation options suitable for all kinds of stays, guests can choose from a variety of villas and glamping tents, as well as 175 camp and caravan sites.”

Despite only opening a few years ago, BIG4 Sandstone Point Holiday resort has already increased in size by 50 per cent due to its popularity.

“BIG4 Sandstone Point Holiday Resort is perfectly positioned directly between the Brisbane CBD and the Sunshine Coast,” Mr Comiskey says.

“The resort has become a popular place for families from these population dense locations to holiday, particularly those with young children who find a quick 45-minute drive north from Brisbane or south from the Sunshine Coast, a much easier feat than an international trip or interstate getaway.

“BIG4 Sandstone Point Holiday Resort benefits from its location, not too far from the city but feeling a world away. Particularly during COVID when things were uncertain, people didn’t want to stray too far from home, we saw plenty of locals holidaying with us.”

Caravan Industry Association of Australia CEO Stuart Lamont says there has been a consistent trend of Australians taking shorter trips, closer to home, during the pandemic, largely due to interstate travel uncertainty and health concerns.

“Fuel prices are always a factor that influences consumer spend. Add to this the current state of inflation across the board and it will be difficult for many to justify travelling further from home,” he says.

“However, it may come as a surprise that a $0.20 increase in the price of fuel, on average, adds less than $3 extra per day to the cost of a caravan trip. This dollar amount shouldn’t deter anyone from embarking on trips to regional areas and supporting these local economies in dire need of the tourism income.

“This is not to say that you can’t holiday close to home, the caravan and camping industry has ample offerings just a stone’s throw from any capital city.

“These parks offer many types of accommodation, everything from luxe glamping to roughing-it unpowered sites and allow their patrons to disconnect with the stresses of daily life and reconnect with friends and family without having to travel long distances.” END