From a spot by the most beautiful beach in Australia to a holiday park with a hot spring out the back, we’ve got your next caravanning adventure covered
1. We Love Frankston Holiday Park, Carrum Downs, Vic
Frankston Holiday Park is less than an hour away from Melbourne, and only a 20-minute drive to the beautiful beaches and wineries of the Mornington Peninsula. The park has grassy powered sites, a community lounge and kitchen, and modern amenities (including a coin laundry). You can relax by the pool on a hot day, or enjoy a barbecue under the stars.
Oh, and your four-legged friends are welcome, so you needn’t leave any of the family behind. Carrum Downs has many walking paths, bike tracks, creeks, bushland areas and wetlands to explore, or why not visit the local cafes and restaurants in Frankston and see if you can spot some of the cool public art sculptures that are scattered around town.
2. We Love Acclaim Rose Gardens Beachside Holiday Park, Albany, WA
The historic town of Albany is located on the south coast of WA, less than an hours’ flight (or a 4.5 hours’ drive) away from Perth.
The region is home to beaches like Middleton Beach and Little Beach, which are known as some of the best beaches in the country, thanks to their remarkable beauty. Acclaim Rose Gardens Beachside Holiday Park is delightfully set on a sprawling 12 acres at Emu Point bay, where caravanners and campers can enjoy powered sites in the shade.
There’s also a playground, a sports club next door (tennis, anyone?) and a camp kitchen and amenities block. Be sure to explore Albany while you are there – it has a whole host of museums, art galleries and national parks, as well as world-class food and wine. The kids are sure to enjoy a visit to Whale World, and everyone will enjoy the scenic drive up to Porongurup Ranges – the perfect place for a picnic with a view.
3. We Love Anchorage Holiday Park, Iluka, NSW
If you’re after a holiday that’s jam-packed with fun activities, Anchorage Holiday Park may just be your ideal destination. The four-star park is situated right on the scenic Clarence River, and offers spacious caravan and camping sites. Many of the sites have concrete annexe pads, while all of them have their own sullage and water connection. No one will be bored here – there’s simply too much do. Fishing, birdwatching, surfing and kayaking are all popular activities in this region, just to name a few. Make sure you leave enough time to visit some of Iluka’s lovely, pristine beaches (like Bluff Beach, which has a whale-watching platform) and its World Heritage Rainforest.
1. We Long For Riverview Tourist Village, Katherine, NT
Surrounded by an abundance of local attractions and containing a range of on-site facilities, you’ll want for nothing at Riverview Tourist Village, located a mere four minutes away from Katherine’s town centre. The park is peaceful, shady and clean, with more than 100 powered sites and 25 unpowered sites, as well as an on-site café and Caltex shop. You can relax in the hot springs – a shady, spring-fed thermal pool – at the back of the park on the banks of the Katherine River, or go for a quick dip in the pool on hotter days. While you’re in town, pay a visit to the Katherine Low Level Reserve (within walking distance from the camp), where you can fish and swim ‘til your heart’s content. There are plenty of local attractions to see, including Cutta Caves, The Railway Museum, and Edith Falls.
2. We Long For Alivio Tourist Park, O’Connor, ACT
For those who crave a more luxurious caravanning experience, consider staying at Alivio Tourist Park, located just 4km from Canberra City. You can enjoy your own ensuite with a modern shower, toilet and vanity, as well as the brand-new camp kitchen, which has everything you could possibly need from indoor barbecues, to ovens, toasters and kettles, and a TV and deck area. Their drive-thru site features a concrete slab (suitable for caravans and camper-trailers up to 10 metres), and you’ll have access to power, water and, equally essential for some of us, Wi-Fi. Cool down in the huge swimming pool, enjoy a meal at the café and bar, or challenge your partner to a game of tennis, volleyball or basketball. There’s even bike and bushwalking trails to explore. With so much to do, you probably won’t want to leave the park at all!
3. We Long For BarraCrab Caravan Park,Clairview, Qld
This well-reviewed, family-owned beachfront caravan park is the perfect spot to relax and perhaps take a break from a long journey. Located between Rockhampton and Mackay, Clairview is a small community on the Isaac coast, and, if you hadn’t guessed by the name of the park, it’s famous for crabbing. The holiday park offers both powered and unpowered sites, some of which offer waterfront views. This park has everything you need – there are kitchen and dining facilities, a bar, a boat ramp, free kayak hire, and plenty of fishing opportunities (barra, salmon, flathead and mud crabs are just some of the fish up for grabs). Enjoy a picnic by the beach or make use of a boat ramp for a day on the water. If you’re lucky, you might even get to see some turtles or the endangered dugongs.
