With Patrick on puddle prowl caravan park cabins answer family needs
Lisa and Patrick share the
sunshine on the cabin porch |
Caravan park cabins and children are a natural fit. Deluxe cabins come with everything needed to handle "happy little disasters". Patrick (Paddy) O'Shannassy and his family fit in fine, but more of Patrick later.
Caravan parks welcome children in Australia and throughout New Zealand's parks in the North and South Islands.
That extends to something which is not found in many hotels, motels, B&B's or guesthouses on both sides of the Tasman. The caravan park culture, facilities and ambience suits kids.
Good caravan parks in Australia and New Zealand offer facilities which are better than most children have at home or at school.
Cabin and Magna Ocean Grove Holiday Park |
Secure enclosed space, family friendly people, a place where parents get their space too because caravan parks naturally attract adults who can remember the pure joy of being a camping kid.
There is a subtle difference in the respective approaches to the caravan park culture in Australia and New Zealand.
Chalets and motel units are the New Zealand Holiday Park version of the popular cabins in Australian caravan parks and there is no drop in the delivery of "fully equipped" by the leading New Zealand Holiday Parks when compared with Australia's cabin product.
Good parks make children kings with excellent facilities and services on both sides of the Tasman.
Ocean Grove Holiday Park is in Wallington Rd., Melway Ref: 483 f10
(turn right towards Wallington coming from Geelong) on route to Victoria's world class scenic surf-side drive the Great Ocean Road.
It is one of the recent better examples of cabins with home comforts we have tried on regular editorial tours in Australia and New Zealand in 2006 - 07.
In fact we deliberately took a family cabin on December 23. It wasn't about us doing a Scrooge. We went back to Ocean Grove after many years drawn by good memories of caravan park time (with child).
But December 23 is in that "shoulder" time, just before Christmas, when prices are easier on the hip pocket. The great migration from city and suburbs to beach and bush campsites which follows Boxing Day is still in that place we call Future Shocking.
Hmmm, mum can't reach me in time so... |
It is also the period when some grumpy Grey Nomads take cover until the school holidays pass. This has direct benefit as it means less chance of a War of the Worlds - we are sure parents get the point.
Despite there being some truth in the general publicly held belief that journos never pay for anything GoSee makes a point of paying full fare. Unless, and it happens, it becomes rude to refuse the generousity of industry friends.
But we make a point of finding a way to make it up when that comes up. Mostly it is the GoSee budget being hit and that focuses our initial search for a good deal.
To give balance to that attitude "good deal" does not translate into "cheapest" with us. There are many elements of a good deal which have nothing to do with money.
Cabin quality is No 1.
Look mum I am making a splash |
There are also many practical benefits for GoSee site visitors in this approach. Within the limits of good taste, fair play and the law we aim to report what we find.
Another is we see the real accommodation as the traveller finds it, not as it is presented "packaged" by some forewarned caravan parks to an accommodation Star rating inspector.
So when owner Steve Smith asked why we had chosen Ocean Grove Holiday Park we said we came to relive happy beach memories of Ocean Grove caravan parks.
Steve and Joan Smith are new to the world of the Web and it impresses that they are right on the money with their online customer market research.
So for $A92.50, plus $A6 for linen, we took the key to the comforts of Deluxe Cabin 31 and settled into clean, fresh fully self-contained comfort.
Puddles are great fun |
It was a long way from the tired onsite caravan which housed the first stay at Ocean Grove.
GST on Cabin 31 was $A8.41. Arrival time is after 1.30pm.
In our case that came after a wonderful GoSee pre-Christmas Lunch watching the waves through the floor to ceiling glass of nearby The Dunes Cafe and Bar.
Departure from Ocean Grove Holiday Park is before 10am with late check out available for $A35, subject to availability.
The weather was wild and woolly, with wind and rain so we turned up the gas heater and kicked back on the twin sofas.
Later, after dinner, we hit the big comfortable bed with our hired fresh linen and it was not until next morning we met Patrick, his brother Jean-Paul, mother Malinda and dad Paul.
The sun was out and it was playtime - cricket to be exact, with some spot-on deliveries to the plastic stumps.
Come on time to get into some cricket |
Paul likes cabins. He particularly liked the well-appointed cabin next to ours as its facilities, TV, DVD, space and fully-equipped kitchenette had kept the family friendly through the recent bad weather.
Now he noted with satisfaction the secure fencing around the grassed sheltered central barbecue area with a father's eye for safe play space.
In addition Ocean Grove Holiday Park runs to a camp kitchen. Not as good as the top examples we have used in New Zealand, but right up there by Australian standards.
The recreation room opens from 9am to 10pm each day. There is a solar-heated swimming pool, a playground for children under 12, tennis court ($5 an hour) racquet $1 ea plus a $5 key deposit. There is also a good laundry.
The tennis court is available from 9am to 10pm. The spa is a 9am to 10pm experience too at $8 for half an hour for two plus $5 deposit on the key.
But Paddy O'Shannassy didn't need any of that. The sun shone, he was on the prowl and he felt fine.
He turned bright eyes on Lisa and won her heart. He sat with her in the sunshine and laid on the blarney.
Children have play space inside a safe high fence |
That led to climbing chairs and verandah rails, opening big books, exploring new places, greeting new people, and adventures on the big spread of grass.
But it is tough being a mum. Kids are so quick. Paddy found a puddle. Not just any puddle. A beautiful puddle.
Delighted he jumped and splashed in it. His dad Paul sounded the alarm, but too late Paddy, rejoicing, sat in it.
He was among friends and we all enjoyed his puddle pleasure. Mum Malinda, resigned to the coming clean-up, allowed Patrick to wade into the experience until, enough fun, and Paddy was retrieved for re-cycling in the home-comforts of the big Deluxe cabin.
As we said at the start of this little tale caravan park cabins and children are a natural fit. Particularly for parents.
We wonder - maybe when Paddy is older good memories of a beautiful puddle at Ocean Grove Holiday Park will bring him back with his own family?
Editor's Note: Also see -
These features are related to the family cabin and camping culture in both Australia and New Zealand.
Kids are kings when they GoSeeAustralia
GoSeeAustralia finds One Mile Beach, Port Stephens a caravan park paradise
Meet Luke, the future for caravan parks in Australia
Ballarat Goldfields Holiday Park enters Hall of Fame
Families fuel drive to quality time in caravan parks
Camper family four wing north by Swan
Families keep 310,575 caravans on freedom road
Cabin alternative wins Aussie family vote
Hook up and tow
Heritage Lifestyle Park concept puts more holiday quality into time-out
Guthrie touch lifts Family Parks Trans-Tasman chain to 203 member parks
New Zealand leads Australasia with its dazzling camp kitchen culture
Family Parks named New Zealand's most hospitable Holiday Park experience for 2nd year
Significant jump in Australian off-peak tourism to New Zealand minister tells Holiday Parks
Holiday Parks pick up accommodation improvement pace at 50th Conference in Hamilton
Motorhome adventures in North and South Island of New Zealand - Part 1 Practical motorhoming
From sex crazed super prawns to spin-outs on the Waikato - sweet as!
Errol Flynn's ghost sails Australasias biggest volcano lake
Motorhome adventures with children - New Zealand South Is tour
Editor's note: Key the word children into the multi-search box on the GoSee Home page or into the multi-search box at the bottom of an Information feature page and read related information in GoSee unique cross-linked files.
For more information
contact: Garth Morrison
Editor Go See Australia and Go See New Zealand Directory
Email: garth@contact.com.au
Breakfast cooks on the Camp Kitchen barbecue |
At Ocean Grove Holiday Park children are a spectator sport |
Cop this dad. Jean-Paul bowls to Paul O'Shannassy |
Happy snaps from the barbecue shelter table |
Hey mate this puddle has real potential |
Jayco flight on site Ocean Grove Holiday Park |
Jayco Outback Expanda spread out at Ocean Grove Holiday Park |
_Ocean_Grove_Holiday_Park.jpg)
Joan and Steve Smith (left) Ocean Grove Holiday Park |
Malinda helps Patrick with his bookwork |
Pam and Lisa see the funny side of life over lunch at The Dunes |
Playtime gear for under 12s Ocean Grove Holiday Park |
Point Lonsdale lookout and The Rip are a short drive from Ocean Grove |
Spirit of Tasmania powers through Port Phillip Bay's Rip swell |
Take five while the tent goes up |
The playroom at Ocean Grove Holiday Park |
Wild weather view of The Rip from Ocean Grove |
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