I've stayed at 'parks' on the Nullabor a few times, most recently two places in 2019. The combination roadhouse / motel / caravan parks each provided a place to park the van (drive through sites), an electricity supply and an ablution block. No water connection, no TV reception, no wifi (but one did have mobile phone service), nothing to see, nothing to do.
Notwithstanding, the worst park that I've stayed at was a well-managed, well equipped, (apparently) very popular park in Tweed Heads, the location of which invokes thoughts of Australia's most well-known car.
I needed to spend one month in the Coolangatta / Tweed Heads area for a (kind of) business matter. Online pre-booking / pre-paying offered significant savings so, after thorough research and review of available options, I chose a park that had a 4.5 star rating from 500+ reviews.
What could go wrong?
Noise!!!
Firstly, the park is situated less than 20 metres from the M1 resulting in non-stop, 24 hour, traffic noise, especially loud between 6:00 am & 9:00 am and again 5:00 pm & 8:00 pm.
Secondly, the park is located directly under the arrivals flight path of GoldCoastAirport. The planes pass overhead so low that you can almost see the rivets in the fuselage.
I could not wait to leave that place and I genuinely don't understand why it's so popular notwithstanding that it is 'packed' with family oriented facilities and activities. It is sooo bloody noisy!!!
We stay in the numerous free areas along the Nullarbor many times. Absolutely brilliant. Walk up some of the escarpments or the beach in some areas, or cliff edges. Some of the best places in Australia or the world for that matter. It's worth a trip there on its own merit.
Wouldn't touch a caravan park with 17 barge poles end to end. Why torture yourself when the atmosphere of quiet free areas provides a lifetime of positive memories.
Caravan parks = torture. If they have internet access even worse.
Summary, all caravan parks are in the same category & we avoid them like the plague.
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A caravan park in Broken Hill. Paid for 3 days in 05', and had a blue with the manager, I was actually right for once, he didn't like being called out on it, so he kicked us out, and would n't refund the 2 nights we had owed. I had to go to the local council to get the refund, it was a council caravan park, and was quite large and I thought well run, but alas it was not. Put us off that c.van park ever since. We generally free camp now due to our dogs, but locally use a council run van park at Copeton Dam, for most of our breaks , have given up travelling pretty much now.
-- Edited by Bicyclecamper on Sunday 25th of December 2022 12:10:15 PM
There is nothing wrong with the park, it's nice, but I had booked a site and was going to arrive after dark. The owner left me the "stuff", map and details of my site, etc. When I got there, somebody else was in my spot. These people had just driven in and helped themselves to a site...... I had to wait for them to move before I could get into my allocated site. I couldn't believe those people.
There is an issue with water along the Nullarbor & it's not a modern issue! Just ask some of the people who have been around a few thousand generations.
Bring your own & learnt to use it wisely. We are down to about 2.5L each daily & 3L each in summer.
Be careful at night on the Nullarbor.
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Procrastination, mankind's greatest labour saving device!
50L custom fuel rack 6x20W 100/20mppt 4x26Ah gel 28L super insulated fridge TPMS 3 ARB compressors heatsink fan cooled 4L tank aftercooler Air/water OCD cleaning 4 stage car acoustic insulation.
Big 4 at Tamworth would be amongst the worst we had the misfortune to stay at (back in 2014) sites so small unable to fit an 18ft Jayco, massive gutter drain front and rear of pad - unable to disconnect on pad had to disconnect on road and park manager placed van on pad with a tractor - unable to park car at caravan but had to leave it at front carpark - Sardines comes to mind.
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Big 4 at Tamworth would be amongst the worst we had the misfortune to stay at (back in 2014) sites so small unable to fit an 18ft Jayco, massive gutter drain front and rear of pad - unable to disconnect on pad had to disconnect on road and park manager placed van on pad with a tractor - unable to park car at caravan but had to leave it at front carpark - Sardines comes to mind.
Same here Possum3. Round about the same time we were up there and sardines is a good description. Won't be going back there again
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Rankin's Springs CP owned by Carathool Shire. No stay time limit. We arrived, caretaker couple living on site in an ancient rusty old caravan. Guy walked around all day, early morning to last thing at night with a can of grog in his hand & a fag, puffing away. His wife was in her dressing gown & slippers all day, chain smoker. They were both incredibly rude. We wanted to stay in the area for a week to photograph wildlife. You can only stay two nights because I'll have to clean the toilets otherwise. The park was totally empty except for us. There were four washing machines in the dirty laundry. The caretaker saw my wife heading over with a basket load of washing. He quickly threw dirty sheets over three machines saying that the local water supply was muddy & not suitable to use. He told my wife that the fourth machine which was identical to the others was for their private use & no-one else could use it. The park was untidy & run down just like the caretakers. We sent an email to Carathool Shire & never received a reply. Rankin's Springs is a nice friendly town in a lovely area. Pity about the CP. In 12 years of traveling we've never had a problem anywhere else.
-- Edited by 86GTS on Monday 26th of December 2022 11:23:00 AM
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There might be no Wi-Fi connection in the forest but I promise that you'll find a better connection.
The worst caravan park we stayed in was in Italy, a site next to Pompeii. The sewer overflowed & flooded the camp ground. Luckily we were just above the "high tide" level.
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Procrastination, mankind's greatest labour saving device!
50L custom fuel rack 6x20W 100/20mppt 4x26Ah gel 28L super insulated fridge TPMS 3 ARB compressors heatsink fan cooled 4L tank aftercooler Air/water OCD cleaning 4 stage car acoustic insulation.
Two spring to mind.
The first at Elliot in the NT.
Pretty much like Rankin Springs. Must be run by the same people.
It was a worry using the facilities as they were pretty filthy and the whole park was like parking in Steptoe and Sons backyard.
The other bad experience was the Big 4 in Lakes Entrance.
Old Park with tiny bays and gutters along the narrow roads.
Tried getting into the bay they allocated us but the van wouldn't fit. Told the bloke it wouldn't as the van was too long for the bay, but he got sarcastic and wanted to back it in suggesting I couldn't. So I backed it in right up against the cabin at the rear of the bay and my drawbar was still out on the road and the gutter prevented unhitching the van.
In a bad grace he then agreed the van wouldn't fit so directed us onto another bay which was also tight but I managed to just get the van off the road.
It was off peak, so the park had plenty of empty bays, but the clown packed us all up together like a bunch of sardines. I could practically lean out a window and wash my hands in the neighbours sink. My awning was just about rubbing the van on the other side. All of us were very unimpressed with a half empty park.
Won't be patronising that park again.
many years ago at west wylong driving from north of Sydney ......we booked in and went for a shower to be told the locals had used all the hot water ......so we had to wait till next town going to wards Adelaide ........very disapointing place .....
many years ago at west wylong driving from north of Sydney ......we booked in and went for a shower to be told the locals had used all the hot water ......so we had to wait till next town going to wards Adelaide ........very disapointing place .....
Back in 2015 we stayed at Pyramid Hill CP for a few days
The shower bases in the men's amenities had fungi growing in them.
My wife finished her shower just as a naked 6ft 6in, 20 stone, tattooed Maori guy got out of the cubicle next to her.
The locals were using the amenities every day. There were lots of blokes using the women's amenities.
They were also using the laundry, washing horse & pet blankets as well.
The CP was quite nice other than that as was the town.
The pub served fantastic Chinese quisine.
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There might be no Wi-Fi connection in the forest but I promise that you'll find a better connection.
Stayed at the Oasis in Coober Pedy, the worst smell ever coming from the cabins or over the fence at the Mogas dealer, like living next to a raw sewerage treatment plant.
Mentioned it to the office, they couldn't smell anything and we couldn't move coz they were full, everyone round us was gagging.
