Dont mind paying (on occasion) as long as I get what I pay for..........
Gerty Dancer said
09:09 AM Aug 25, 2013
We stayed at the Broome Vacation Village, expensive in July, the management was ok but I think we had the worst site in the place, soft red dirt where it had been recently all dug up. On top of that we were amongst a group of regulars who stay there every year for 4 months. and they ignored us, it was very uncomfortable. But we enjoyed Broome, then went out to the Bird Observatory and loved it there. Further south we stayed at Coral Bay which was even more expensive but we had a beautiful site opposite the beach, lovely neighbors, well worth all that $ for such a fantastic place.
-- Edited by Gerty Dancer on Sunday 25th of August 2013 09:11:00 AM
Evie n Rhys said
03:36 PM Aug 25, 2013
Farewell to Broome tomorrow (I hope) after a VERY expensive stopover. I'm glad I made it but I won't be back.....
Firstly, if caravan parK's want our custom even occasionally they need to smarten up their game. I have spent time at the Tarengau Caravan Park in Broome because of needing work on my car and van. The lady in the office certainly gets out of bed on the wrong side each day and wears her cranky pants on a regular basis. If I want abuse and put in the naughty corner for my behavior I'll go back to school. Why are people like this in a "service " industry??
i know how trying it is dealing with the public each day I've done it for years but "you bought a caravan park lady, suck it up"!!!! Your not doing me a favor letting me camp in your front yard, I'm paying well for it.....
Also I object to being given a price for a job to be done and then when I go to pick it up find that it is $500 more!!!!!
and on top of that find a noise that wasn't there before hand.... When returning told "we thought putting the not quite right oil in it would not make a difference but obviously it does, we will have to try and find the right oil and get it up here"!!!!!!!
I rang around town and found it for them and then was told that the mechanics mate has some at home so he will get it from him and come back Monday and we will drain and replace it.......another nights accommodation!!!
I asked if he had shares in the caravan park!
I know they need to make their years income in the dry and I'm hear to tell you I have contributed greatly to Broomes economy..
End of rant, thank you for listening.
Bent Axle Bob said
04:03 PM Aug 25, 2013
Gee, I stayed at the Tarengau CP 2 years ago and enjoyed it, although it was not cheap it was pleasant enough. Maybe change of ownership? While there in Broome, I needed to have solar regulator replaced so found the (a) local solar dealer who was most helpful. Worked to 5pm on saturday afternoon to get my solar up and running again. Price was reasonable. Overall, I found Broome to be NOT cheap but at the same time it was a pleasant stay
Dougwe said
04:04 PM Aug 25, 2013
I don't look at it as a rant E&R, maybe a warning to others perhaps. I have heard many bad reports about Broom and I might add some good but not many. The work being done to your tug and the results and your comments about it was one of the reasons I wanted to get home and get some damage to the front of my tug done in my home town, I was lucky to have that option.
As to the cranky staff, well I worked on the front line with the public and I must say even if I got out the wrong side of bed or took a cranky pill I NEVER showed it while working. You are paying your money to them to provide a service and the provider should not bring their worries to work and provide the best possible service in a happy manner. I am lucky enough to have many letters of appreciation from happy people and groups. I was involved in specialised transport for 40 years, the last 10 driving buses and coaches. I might add here that I do not miss it though one bit.
I hope you have it all sorted now and get to enjoy the rest of your trip but most important,
Evie n Rhys said
04:14 PM Aug 25, 2013
Its the Same owner Bob I just think perhaps she has been doing it too long. Passing it on to her daught I believe at the end of the year. Lets hope she takes after her dad......It takes it's toll no doubt but as Dougwe says you can't let it out on the paying public. I have enjoyed Broome and I'm glad I got here but I just don't need to come back. Friends with me say it has grown so much and turned into a Sunshine Coast now and they won't be back either. That's progress I guess. This trip is a bucket list thing so I'm not going to let it be ruined by this experience. Sh-- happens, just get on with it. Met some lovely people and seen lots and have some nice memories and photos. Onward and upward.....
Cupie said
06:14 PM Aug 25, 2013
Gerty Dancer wrote:
We stayed at the Broome Vacation Village, expensive in July, the management was ok but I think we had the worst site in the place, soft red dirt where it had been recently all dug up. On top of that we were amongst a group of regulars who stay there every year for 4 months. and they ignored us, it was very uncomfortable. But we enjoyed Broome, then went out to the Bird Observatory and loved it there. Further south we stayed at Coral Bay which was even more expensive but we had a beautiful site opposite the beach, lovely neighbors, well worth all that $ for such a fantastic place.
-- Edited by Gerty Dancer on Sunday 25th of August 2013 09:11:00 AM
It's many years since we were last in Broome .... but we must have met the same 'regulars' from the Perth area.
They were most unsociable when we had the audacity to use 'their' BBQ area or walk on the grass verge in front of their caravans. It seems that they plant the grass when they arrive. I thought about running the wheels over the grass as I left. But decided that to do so would lower myself to their level .. Instead I called out "nice grass' (tongue in cheek of course) as I left. SWMBO thought that it was funny so that's all that mattered.
Evie n Rhys said
05:25 AM Aug 26, 2013
Thanks Gerty I'll keep that one in mind. Yes the regulars all had a "formal" brunch this morning. Lace table cloth, wine glasses with serviettes poking out n all. I was quite put out that I wasn't invited...... I made a point of taking my rubbish up to the bins and porta loo up to empty during the brunch. Silly really isn't it. The ones who had the brunch have mesh fencing around their van and he rakes the stones out the front like those Japanese sand beds you get for your coffee table! He rakes every leaf up around th place and there are a LOT of leaves. Poor guy can't relax. Bit of a wate of a holiday I say.
Oh well moving on tomorrow all going well with the car and van in the morning. Moving on anyway really, can't afford to stay any longer. I did visit the outdoor cinema last night and really enjoyed it. As a plane came in to land it was a real experience. I thought it was going to fly right through the screen!!!!
Glad I came and I did see lots I have enjoyed. It's my country too so I'm not going to let them spoil my experience.
Safe travels all.
Tess
Mark said
06:48 AM Aug 26, 2013
The planes landing over the cinema are a real experience aren't they!! I guess that's what makes it unique in it's own special way.
snapper49 said
01:40 AM Aug 27, 2013
"Further south we stayed at Coral Bay which was even more expensive but we had a beautiful site opposite the beach, lovely neighbors, well worth all that $ for such a fantastic place"
Have to concur much better than Broome
We stayed at the first caravan park on an unpowered site (solar panels and no power available)think from memory $45 a night
Cupie said
02:00 AM Aug 27, 2013
snapper49 wrote:
"Further south we stayed at Coral Bay which was even more expensive but we had a beautiful site opposite the beach, lovely neighbors, well worth all that $ for such a fantastic place"
Have to concur much better than Broome
We stayed at the first caravan park on an unpowered site (solar panels and no power available)think from memory $45 a night
When we stayed there power was available but only limited water from a desalination plant. Showers were all gunked up from the minerals in the ground water.
Absolutely beautiful place though & amazing to see the people driving their newish 4WDs on the beach and into the water to launch their boats.
snapper49 said
07:59 AM Aug 27, 2013
sorry should have said no powered sites available as they were all booked
Hylda&Jon said
04:35 PM Aug 27, 2013
I'm not sure I would blacklist a whole town because I had a bad experience with one caravan park and a problem with one mechanic but its an individuals prerogative I guess.
We stayed for 2 weeks at Roebuck Bay Caravan Park in Broome during the 'stairway to the moon' time and thoroughly enjoyed it and the town was lovely and full of very pleasant people and I would recommend it to anyone.
The caravan park prices do get high but it's the same in any major resort area so was expected.
Cheers
Jon
wendyv said
09:40 PM Aug 27, 2013
We've had 3 stays in Broome. The first one wasn't great because we arrived in a major rain event (May); the Vacation Village people were very helpful, even though place was chockers because rain had stopped people moving on. We were reluctant to use the tent that was our only accommodation on that trip, in the rain - we were very happy to take up their offer of an onsite van at a very cheap rate because there were a couple of leaks in the roof; they supplied a couple of buckets, too! And it was ensuite - for what tent site would have cost us.
Next stop stayed Roebuck Bay CP. Again, very helpful - our arrival had not been pre booked because we came in on back of tilt tray after wheel bearing on vehicle went. It was still high season - August. Shinju Motors were brilliant.
Last stop stayed one of the Cable Beach parks - name escapes me. Phoned to book about a week ahead and lucked a cancellation - right before the Festival! Sites were on the small side, but no more than many other places. Staff very friendly and helpful.
Places up north, in WA, the NT and outback Qld, do seem more expensive than places down south. But - they provide a facility that travellers want and have to make their business pay from a fairly short season. They are not running a charity. Often things like their power and water are more expensive, to them - especially facilities that have to make their own power from diesel generators. Good staff can be hard to get.
Broome is a difficult one because for about 3 months, one could probably fill another 2 or 3 caravan parks. But for the rest of the time, the parks that are there are less than full. I suspect they run at quite a loss over the Wet season. When we were working in the Pilbara, we went to Eighty Mile Beach for a weekend off, in November - hardly anyone else there. Travellers who complain about having to book a fair way ahead, or about not being able to get a site in Broome, should bear these realities in mind.
beiffe said
03:15 PM Aug 28, 2013
This is one of the reasons I stay south as I can find a site anywhere and there are only short distances between each one.
Besides I would not like to crowd it up for the ones who wish to travel north.
Regards
Brian
Mark said
03:21 AM Aug 29, 2013
wendyv wrote:
We've had 3 stays in Broome. The first one wasn't great because we arrived in a major rain event (May); the Vacation Village people were very helpful, even though place was chockers because rain had stopped people moving on. We were reluctant to use the tent that was our only accommodation on that trip, in the rain - we were very happy to take up their offer of an onsite van at a very cheap rate because there were a couple of leaks in the roof; they supplied a couple of buckets, too! And it was ensuite - for what tent site would have cost us. Next stop stayed Roebuck Bay CP. Again, very helpful - our arrival had not been pre booked because we came in on back of tilt tray after wheel bearing on vehicle went. It was still high season - August. Shinju Motors were brilliant. Last stop stayed one of the Cable Beach parks - name escapes me. Phoned to book about a week ahead and lucked a cancellation - right before the Festival! Sites were on the small side, but no more than many other places. Staff very friendly and helpful.
Places up north, in WA, the NT and outback Qld, do seem more expensive than places down south. But - they provide a facility that travellers want and have to make their business pay from a fairly short season. They are not running a charity. Often things like their power and water are more expensive, to them - especially facilities that have to make their own power from diesel generators. Good staff can be hard to get.
Broome is a difficult one because for about 3 months, one could probably fill another 2 or 3 caravan parks. But for the rest of the time, the parks that are there are less than full. I suspect they run at quite a loss over the Wet season. When we were working in the Pilbara, we went to Eighty Mile Beach for a weekend off, in November - hardly anyone else there. Travellers who complain about having to book a fair way ahead, or about not being able to get a site in Broome, should bear these realities in mind.
Enjoyed reading your very positive post about travel in the north and north WA, very realistic approach and a fair minded view. Been living and working in Broome and have seen a lot of tourists come and go with and without attitude!! A refreshing read. Mark
Evie n Rhys said
05:15 AM Aug 29, 2013
Thanks everyone all very valid points. I fully expected the costs to be high and was prepared for the once in a lifetime visit. I also expect that at the end of a long season I would be fed up with the picky travelers and yes I know they have to make their money while the tourists are there because it is a short season. I agree with it all. What was off putting was being TOLD by the locals that they don't like tourists but we are a necessary evil because they need to make their money in the dry!!!!!! They could at least try and pretend to like us.....That was my mechanic (who moved there 7 yrs ago) so he wa a blow in and the woman at the park who is retiring and letting her daughter take over because she's fed up.
That's fine, Ive been and I don't have to go back I just feel sad for those who have not seen that part of our beautiful country. I hope they find things different to the way I found them.
Happy travels.
Tess
wendyv said
05:44 AM Aug 29, 2013
I agree that those attitudes do not belong in places that rely on tourists for income, so in your place, Tess, I would feel annoyed too. There are many variables that these places can't change - but their attitudes are one of the few things totally under their control. Seems like you have come across some Broome-ites who could do much better.
I have worked in seasonal tourist places - as a blow-in, not a local. Yes - some tourists can be right pains in the you-know-where. (the stories I could tell.........) But if one chooses to work in a SERVICE industry, then you have to accept that you put up with some customers with poor attitudes. Whatever you might privately think, you smile sweetly and do your best for the customer. "The customer is always right" - I started part time work at age 14 in a chain store that is now one of our big supermarket chains - that was the mantra drilled into us. Guess it stuck.
We stayed at the Broome Vacation Village, expensive in July, the management was ok but I think we had the worst site in the place, soft red dirt where it had been recently all dug up. On top of that we were amongst a group of regulars who stay there every year for 4 months. and they ignored us, it was very uncomfortable. But we enjoyed Broome, then went out to the Bird Observatory and loved it there.
Further south we stayed at Coral Bay which was even more expensive but we had a beautiful site opposite the beach, lovely neighbors, well worth all that $ for such a fantastic place.
-- Edited by Gerty Dancer on Sunday 25th of August 2013 09:11:00 AM
Farewell to Broome tomorrow (I hope) after a VERY expensive stopover. I'm glad I made it but I won't be back.....
Firstly, if caravan parK's want our custom even occasionally they need to smarten up their game. I have spent time at the Tarengau Caravan Park in Broome because of needing work on my car and van. The lady in the office certainly gets out of bed on the wrong side each day and wears her cranky pants on a regular basis. If I want abuse and put in the naughty corner for my behavior I'll go back to school. Why are people like this in a "service " industry??
i know how trying it is dealing with the public each day I've done it for years but "you bought a caravan park lady, suck it up"!!!! Your not doing me a favor letting me camp in your front yard, I'm paying well for it.....
Also I object to being given a price for a job to be done and then when I go to pick it up find that it is $500 more!!!!!
and on top of that find a noise that wasn't there before hand.... When returning told "we thought putting the not quite right oil in it would not make a difference but obviously it does, we will have to try and find the right oil and get it up here"!!!!!!!
I rang around town and found it for them and then was told that the mechanics mate has some at home so he will get it from him and come back Monday and we will drain and replace it.......another nights accommodation!!!
I asked if he had shares in the caravan park!
I know they need to make their years income in the dry and I'm hear to tell you I have contributed greatly to Broomes economy..
End of rant, thank you for listening.
As to the cranky staff, well I worked on the front line with the public and I must say even if I got out the wrong side of bed or took a cranky pill I NEVER showed it while working. You are paying your money to them to provide a service and the provider should not bring their worries to work and provide the best possible service in a happy manner. I am lucky enough to have many letters of appreciation from happy people and groups. I was involved in specialised transport for 40 years, the last 10 driving buses and coaches. I might add here that I do not miss it though one bit.
I hope you have it all sorted now and get to enjoy the rest of your trip but most important,
It's many years since we were last in Broome .... but we must have met the same 'regulars' from the Perth area.
They were most unsociable when we had the audacity to use 'their' BBQ area or walk on the grass verge in front of their caravans. It seems that they plant the grass when they arrive. I thought about running the wheels over the grass as I left. But decided that to do so would lower myself to their level .. Instead I called out "nice grass' (tongue in cheek of course) as I left. SWMBO thought that it was funny so that's all that mattered.
Oh well moving on tomorrow all going well with the car and van in the morning. Moving on anyway really, can't afford to stay any longer. I did visit the outdoor cinema last night and really enjoyed it. As a plane came in to land it was a real experience. I thought it was going to fly right through the screen!!!!
Glad I came and I did see lots I have enjoyed. It's my country too so I'm not going to let them spoil my experience.
Safe travels all.
Tess
The planes landing over the cinema are a real experience aren't they!! I guess that's what makes it unique in it's own special way.
"Further south we stayed at Coral Bay which was even more expensive but we had a beautiful site opposite the beach, lovely neighbors, well worth all that $ for such a fantastic place"
Have to concur much better than Broome
We stayed at the first caravan park on an unpowered site (solar panels and no power available)think from memory $45 a night
When we stayed there power was available but only limited water from a desalination plant. Showers were all gunked up from the minerals in the ground water.
Absolutely beautiful place though & amazing to see the people driving their newish 4WDs on the beach and into the water to launch their boats.
I'm not sure I would blacklist a whole town because I had a bad experience with one caravan park and a problem with one mechanic but its an individuals prerogative I guess.
We stayed for 2 weeks at Roebuck Bay Caravan Park in Broome during the 'stairway to the moon' time and thoroughly enjoyed it and the town was lovely and full of very pleasant people and I would recommend it to anyone.
The caravan park prices do get high but it's the same in any major resort area so was expected.
Cheers
Jon
Next stop stayed Roebuck Bay CP. Again, very helpful - our arrival had not been pre booked because we came in on back of tilt tray after wheel bearing on vehicle went. It was still high season - August. Shinju Motors were brilliant.
Last stop stayed one of the Cable Beach parks - name escapes me. Phoned to book about a week ahead and lucked a cancellation - right before the Festival! Sites were on the small side, but no more than many other places. Staff very friendly and helpful.
Places up north, in WA, the NT and outback Qld, do seem more expensive than places down south. But - they provide a facility that travellers want and have to make their business pay from a fairly short season. They are not running a charity. Often things like their power and water are more expensive, to them - especially facilities that have to make their own power from diesel generators. Good staff can be hard to get.
Broome is a difficult one because for about 3 months, one could probably fill another 2 or 3 caravan parks. But for the rest of the time, the parks that are there are less than full. I suspect they run at quite a loss over the Wet season. When we were working in the Pilbara, we went to Eighty Mile Beach for a weekend off, in November - hardly anyone else there. Travellers who complain about having to book a fair way ahead, or about not being able to get a site in Broome, should bear these realities in mind.
Besides I would not like to crowd it up for the ones who wish to travel north.
Regards
Brian
Enjoyed reading your very positive post about travel in the north and north WA, very realistic approach and a fair minded view.
Been living and working in Broome and have seen a lot of tourists come and go with and without attitude!!
A refreshing read.
Mark
That's fine, Ive been and I don't have to go back I just feel sad for those who have not seen that part of our beautiful country. I hope they find things different to the way I found them.
Happy travels.
Tess
I have worked in seasonal tourist places - as a blow-in, not a local. Yes - some tourists can be right pains in the you-know-where. (the stories I could tell.........) But if one chooses to work in a SERVICE industry, then you have to accept that you put up with some customers with poor attitudes. Whatever you might privately think, you smile sweetly and do your best for the customer. "The customer is always right" - I started part time work at age 14 in a chain store that is now one of our big supermarket chains - that was the mantra drilled into us. Guess it stuck.