Merimbula Beach Holiday Park

A voyage of discovery to NRMA's coastal holiday parks has surprising results.

Within two hours of my arrival in Merimbula, I had toured the town in a restored 1951 Armstrong Siddeley Lancaster, heard about the local Elvis and Pavarotti, and watched an octopus open a jar.

I had also looked out over the Pacific Ocean from the balcony of my four-star bungalow while waves crashed on the rocks below and a brisk sea breeze cooled the 28-degree Saturday afternoon.

It was a wonderful start to my five-day tour to find the heart and soul of NRMA's coastal holiday parks.

I take the short cut from Sydney - by plane. I save a few hours, but regret not driving. For the unhurried, I recommend the scenic six hour road journey down the NSW south coast.

Holiday park managers Belinda and Adam Thomas usher me into their beautiful, black Armstrong Siddeley.

"We thought we'd greet you in style," says Belinda. I already like their style.

Adam drives us through town. Time has stood still for his car, but not for Merimbula. The tiny lakeside settlement I remember from a previous visit in the '70s has sprawled into the surrounding hills.

Whoever called it the Sapphire Coast got it right. Blue water and sky combine with sunlight to create a sapphire-like luminosity that glows over everything.

At Merimbula Aquarium, proprietor Anthony Daly shows me his amazing collection of fish, sharks and weird creatures from the deep. I spy the octopus and run my fingers over the glass side of his tank. Tentacles chase my fingers.

"He's playing with you," says Anthony. When the sealed jar drops into the water, my octopus playmate slithers his squishy body over the top and does a twist-style dance on the lid until it loosens enough for him to reach a tangle of tentacles in to claim the anchovy prize inside. Octopuses, I decide, must be the poodles of the sea.

In the late afternoon, I stroll through the holiday park from the bottom of the hill where luxury bungalows look out across magnificent Short Point Beach, to the shady open-space caravan and camping area at the top end. Then I head back along the cliff edge past the picnic tables perched above the Pacific. Whales can be seen from here from late September to late November.

Managing this park is clearly a labour of love for Belinda and Adam. They took it on after a 12-month caravan sabbatical around Australia with their then eight-year-old daughter Isabella.

"We came through Merimbula on that trip, not knowing what lay ahead, and we saw how wonderful it was," says Belinda. "Then this opportunity came up and here we are."  

As well as looking after 1000 guests per day during peak holiday times, they host the occasional cliff-side wedding and organise a classic car gala day every February with a stage show starring the local Elvis and Pavarotti tribute acts.

Early Sunday I take photos of sunrise over the sea, followed by breakfast at the Cheeky Mango cafe. A chorus of bellbirds tinkles across the top of the park. I pass the morning chatting to friendly guests - weekenders in the villas overlooking the heated pool, full-time nomads and holidaying caravanners. The verdict on Merimbula Beach is unanimous: A jewel among holiday parks in a gem of a location.

Merimbula Beach Holiday Park

A voyage of discovery to NRMA's coastal holiday parks has surprising results.

Within two hours of my arrival in Merimbula, I had toured the town in a restored 1951 Armstrong Siddeley Lancaster, heard about the local Elvis and Pavarotti, and watched an octopus open a jar.

I had also looked out over the Pacific Ocean from the balcony of my four-star bungalow while waves crashed on the rocks below and a brisk sea breeze cooled the 28-degree Saturday afternoon.

It was a wonderful start to my five-day tour to find the heart and soul of NRMA's coastal holiday parks.

I take the short cut from Sydney - by plane. I save a few hours, but regret not driving. For the unhurried, I recommend the scenic six hour road journey down the NSW south coast.

Holiday park managers Belinda and Adam Thomas usher me into their beautiful, black Armstrong Siddeley.

"We thought we'd greet you in style," says Belinda. I already like their style.

Adam drives us through town. Time has stood still for his car, but not for Merimbula. The tiny lakeside settlement I remember from a previous visit in the '70s has sprawled into the surrounding hills.

Whoever called it the Sapphire Coast got it right. Blue water and sky combine with sunlight to create a sapphire-like luminosity that glows over everything.

At Merimbula Aquarium, proprietor Anthony Daly shows me his amazing collection of fish, sharks and weird creatures from the deep. I spy the octopus and run my fingers over the glass side of his tank. Tentacles chase my fingers.

"He's playing with you," says Anthony. When the sealed jar drops into the water, my octopus playmate slithers his squishy body over the top and does a twist-style dance on the lid until it loosens enough for him to reach a tangle of tentacles in to claim the anchovy prize inside. Octopuses, I decide, must be the poodles of the sea.

In the late afternoon, I stroll through the holiday park from the bottom of the hill where luxury bungalows look out across magnificent Short Point Beach, to the shady open-space caravan and camping area at the top end. Then I head back along the cliff edge past the picnic tables perched above the Pacific. Whales can be seen from here from late September to late November.

Managing this park is clearly a labour of love for Belinda and Adam. They took it on after a 12-month caravan sabbatical around Australia with their then eight-year-old daughter Isabella.

"We came through Merimbula on that trip, not knowing what lay ahead, and we saw how wonderful it was," says Belinda. "Then this opportunity came up and here we are."  

As well as looking after 1000 guests per day during peak holiday times, they host the occasional cliff-side wedding and organise a classic car gala day every February with a stage show starring the local Elvis and Pavarotti tribute acts.

Early Sunday I take photos of sunrise over the sea, followed by breakfast at the Cheeky Mango cafe. A chorus of bellbirds tinkles across the top of the park. I pass the morning chatting to friendly guests - weekenders in the villas overlooking the heated pool, full-time nomads and holidaying caravanners. The verdict on Merimbula Beach is unanimous: A jewel among holiday parks in a gem of a location.

Treasure Island Holiday Park

Day 2 and 3

At Coolangatta airport, I pick up a Thrifty car and head north through the Gold Coast night, past the gaudy neon, motels and high-rise apartments. The tackiness is exciting. Behind the glare of lights, beyond the palms and parked cars, white surf rolls in the dark.

At Treasure Island, just north of Southport, I immediately relax in another beautifully appointed bungalow. I fall asleep watching Fox Sports on the flat-screen TV.

I wake early to the funny high-pitched voices of young children. In the adjacent camping area, yawning parents eat breakfast in the shade of their tent while cute kids waddle around with half-eaten toast. Four guesses should cover where this family is heading today: Sea World, Dreamworld, Warner Brothers MovieWorld, or Wet'n'Wild Water World.

Last night at the Thrifty counter, I saw signs advertising the NRMA Member discount on car rental, and it occurred to me how a Gold Coast fly-drive holiday could be great value for a family taking advantage of low air fares and NRMA discounts for Treasure Island and the theme parks. 

Manager Brendan Brady plans to make the park even more family-friendly and his vision is already becoming reality with the addition of 20 new villas catering for groups of families holidaying together.

"You can have a barbecue on one deck and then pop over to your neighbours' deck five metres away for a cuppa and a nightcap," Brendan tells me over breakfast in the lovely indoor-outdoor bistro, which has now been modernised under his direction.

I fit in a few holes of mini golf then head south to a game of the real thing at my next stop.

Darlington Beach Holiday Park

Day 3 and 4

Marketing manager Graeme Solomon is waiting with golf clubs at Darlington Beach Holiday Park's own nine-hole course. Our erratic tee-shots echo like whip-crack among the tall gums. Grazing kangaroos blink at us. Ducks cross the greens. I hear surf breaking.

I soon realise I'm in a unique holiday park - spacious, isolated, quiet and calm, with a stretch of beach all to itself. Coffs Harbour is still 25 minutes away by car. 

After a quick change in yet another spacious bungalow, I meet the Darlington Beach team for an outdoors dinner by the bowling green. Manager Dean Farnham tells me it is rare for a holiday park to have a bowling green.

"At Christmas, guests love the fancy dress bowls night," he says as we tuck into innovative dishes that restaurant operator Michael Hall has created over a blazing open fire right beside our table.

Local didgeridoo musician Kristian Benton shows us how to play the 'didge'. His music is captivating, the drone vibrating in the soul. You can sample his music at yidakivibes.com.

Early next morning, surf school operator Steve Bailey drives me to the beach for my first ever surfboard lesson.

"Its just one, two, onto your feet," he says, demonstrating on a long board on the sand. It looks easy, but he expects me to do it on a breaking wave. Every time I try to stand, the board slips away. I think I'll need a few more lessons - hundreds of them.

Dean takes me on a tour of the park. Gentle morning sunlight filters through the treetops. Birds dart around. He is proud of everything, from the composting operation and worm farm, to the spaciousness apparent everywhere in this huge park. There are no regimental rows of cramped caravans here. And over there in the middle of the lagoon is Sanctuary Island where special campfire nights are held for families to learn about the local Aboriginal culture.

This is Dean's sea-change Nirvana, having escaped here, with his wife Carol, from a hectic life as a city lawyer.

It is obvious he cares deeply about Darlington Beach, and I sense a warmth and humanity here that spring directly from his management and vision.

"We wouldn't want to be anywhere else," he says, looking around.

The awesome natural beauty of the surrounds becomes his unspoken explanation.

Ocean Beach Holiday Park, Umina

Day 4 and 5

Another immaculate four-star bungalow greets me at Umina in the late afternoon. Until this tour I had no idea holiday parks provided such quality on-site accommodation. You could write a real estate blurb on every one - quality furnishings, modern kitchens, European appliances, flat-screen TVs, polished floors, remote control air-conditioning…

This quality is evident everywhere at Ocean Beach Holiday Park. Combine it with the location - next to the beach, 90 minutes drive from Sydney CBD, close to everything the Central Coast offers - and you can see why it is such a popular weekend and holiday destination.

Guest services manager Vanessa Fordyce confirms my first impressions: "There is so much to do on the Central Coast, but we've got enough to keep you entertained here if you don't want to leave the park. During the holidays we have craft sessions, sports sessions, drumming workshops, talent shows, bingo, trivia, and live music on the village green."

Even in mid-winter, the show must go on, with Xmas In July nights on successive Saturdays, July 11 and 18, including a Christmas buffet and a visit by Santa.

NRMA Members get 10 per cent off the entry charge. They also get an extra 10 per cent discount on low season accommodation rates, on top of their usual Member discount. Bookings must be made by July 1 at 4379 9444.

In the morning, I wake to the sound of whip-birds and squealing lorikeets in the trees. I walk along the creek bank that borders much of the park, talking to people outside their tents, caravans and campervans. This is an experience I would not have in the isolation of a five-star hotel.

Norm and Dianne Pounder of Terrey Hills are taking a few days break from the family in his 1973 Kombi campervan.

"I did it up myself," says Norm. "We've taken it to Birdsville and along the Strzelecki Track without any real problems."

Terry and Marion Keaveny from the Gold Coast have been on the road with their caravan for 12 months, and "look out" for NRMA holiday parks.

"We used to live in Umina," says Marion, "so we're here to visit friends and enjoy the park." They also use Ocean Beach as a base to visit Sydney by train and Palm Beach by ferry.

I could take a lot more of this place. On the drive back to Sydney, Vanessa's words play on my mind: "Between 80 and 90 per cent of our guests return."

I have a feeling I'll be among them.

Article by David Naylor, Editor Open Road magazine, May 2009.