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Reports by:- perthbruce

WA, Eucla, Eucla Caravan Park

Date of Stay: September 2015 Rating: 2
Now a run down facility that is very busy due to lack of competition.
Average staff friendliness, no complaints. Poor value for money $25 for 2A. Amenities are close to only some sites, were clean, condition is poor, water pressure is good, there was adequate hot water, extra charge for shower, dry change area. Basic laundry, no rec room, no camp kitchen, no wireless internet available., you can use your mobile wireless carrier used was Telstra, reception quality was 2. Noisy, open & roomy park, adequate shade, no permanent/annual vans. No BBQs. Basic playground, in average condition. Dirty pool, tables and chairs provided. Suitable for overnighter, suitable for families, park is considered kid-safe.
Liked:- The only CP on the Nullarbor at the WA/SA border and you can have a shower.
Disliked:- The place is becoming very run-down through lack of maintenance and spending. It has a range of prices for its cabins, motel rooms, restaurant and bar as well as fuel. It s a huge money earner and the CP is usually full by about 3-4pm each day. BUT almost half of the power outlets to connect up your RV do not work and they have been like this for a good part of the year now. It seems the owner is in no hurry to repair it. The roads consist of potholes joined by tar seal.

WA, Salmon Gums, Salmon Gums Caravan Park

Date of Stay: September 2015 Rating: 5
Brilliant community run little park. Has a youngish and very friendly guy (Craig) who runs it and lives on-site - although he does work full time. Non powered site $10. Powered site $15. Connect water to your RV or use their new twin tub washing machine its an extra $5. Large grassed patch for tents, otherwise very flat metalled sites to park on with shade. Bring your own bread - you can buy milk at local BP, otherwise nothing else other than a PO and the pub.

SA, Woomera, Woomera Travellers Village And Caravan Park

Date of Stay: April 2015 Rating: 1
Manager's name is Shane & Jen.
Unfriendly staff, bad staff response to complaints. Reasonable value for money $25 for 2A PN. Amenities are close to only some sites, were dirty, condition is poor, water pressure is good, there was adequate hot water. Adequate number of tourist sites, mostly unlevel sites, poor night lighting, sites will accommodate large motor homes and 5th wheelers, no sites with annex slabs, drive-through sites, adequate taps close by, adequate sullage close by. Poor laundry, no rec room, basic camp kitchen, no wireless internet available, reception quality was 4. Open & roomy park, inadequate shade, no permanent/annual vans. Dirty gas BBQs fuel costs $2, dismal bbq area atmosphere, seating provided at bbq. No pool. Suitable for overnighter, suitable for families.
Liked:- The only caravan park between Port August and Coober Pedy other than one at a roadhouse which is very dusty and noisy. Easy to park - drive through for powered sites.
Disliked:- Everything else. It should be re-titled a prison. The managers have a major attitude to their customers and are rude and arrogant. We stayed on two occasions over a couple of weeks and they are both consistently very rude. One night we stayed there and there were 7 other vans. We had drinks from the occupants of 4 of them and all said they had been treated by Shane very rudely and made to feel stupid. One guy said he almost punched him.
Parking:- Changes by the day depending on their mood. Somedays the Managers (who don't live on site) will be there and expect you to report to the guardhouse (office). Other days they are not there - you must read the 3 pages of instructions in the office window and exactly at 5pm report to the Commandant to pay or he will drive up to you and abuse you
Added Touches:- Surprisingly enough (no - not if you look at the Mngrs) they have a very well stocked bar and the drinks are as cheap as buying them from a city wholesalers.
Local Information:- A great town. Only about 350 defence and contract maintenance staff live here in accommodation made for 4500 people. Great museum, small café and fantastic coffee
Road Conditions:- Good road - the Stuart H/W but not as the SA Govt claims on its webpage "the best kept H/W in Australia".

SA, Coober Pedy, Opal Inn Caravan Park

Date of Stay: March 2015 Rating: 3.5
$25 p/n 2 people of $140 for 7 nights. Behind the motel which has pub and bistro. Most sites drive through and gravel. Newish and very clean amenities. 20c for 4 mins for shower. Tank water for drinking. NO kitchen despite an area for tents etc - very bad. Don't eat at Chinese restaurant - overpriced and bad tasting. Motel bistro good but a little overpriced. Staff at motel are very friendly and helpful. Great pizza and lasagna at Johns Restaurant. Shop at IGA - more food and fresher rather than the other by PO. Dry area so have to produce d/license when buying alcohol from liquor shops. Shell servo very new - $2 for hot showers, very upmarket restaurant and menu. Its next door to this CP and opposite is public dump point and buy water for 20c for 30 litres

SA, Wilmington, Beautiful Valley Caravan Park

Date of Stay: March 2015 Rating: 5
Great little country Park. $25 p/n 2 people or 7th night free. Run by very pleasant guy in his 60s. Huge graveled area with trees - pick your own site. Clean showers/toilets. Limited TV channels. Kitchen and recreation room. All mobile phone's 5/5. Bush ares to walk in. About 40 km east of Pt Augusta. Wild possums are fed by park owner and guests each night. Highly recommended. Will use again. Pub a walk down the road - good meals and servo/deli even closer to Park - all basic facilities for food.

WA, Northam, Northam Caravan Park

Date of Stay: November 2014 Rating: 4
Manager's name is Bev and Ian -owners.
Owned by on-site couple and retired local farmer. They intend to apply for 5 star rating - still a long way off getting that! Most of the park is permanents - ranging from those in their 20s with a kid to retired, but no screaming kids. Northam is known as a place people go to live to get on a pension of some sort. There is extensive gardens and a large, covered aviary, but it overgrown in places. We never found a sullage point on our site and we had to pull the bushes apart to find the water tap. Power points well marked. Plenty of shade for both powered and non-powered sites. The ablution blocks are very run down and antique, but kept very clean and plenty of hot water. New toilet/shower block almost completed. Hopefully the will knock down the old ones and re-build them. We stayed a week and got pretty friendly with some of the permanents. Northam township is a dump, but has a Coles, Woolworths and small Target. Use the café in the shopping centre at Woolies - very popular, good food, good price. The MacDonalds there is a dump - dirty with unfriendly staff usually.
Very friendly staff, no complaints, staff explained park layout and facilities. Reasonable value for money $189 for 2A PW, powered, off-peak season. Amenities are close to only some sites, were clean, condition is poor, water pressure is good, there was adequate hot water, dry change area. Adequate number of tourist sites, some level sites, good night lighting, sites will accommodate medium to large vans, no sites with annex slabs, shade to most sites, drive-through sites, adequate taps close by. Good laundry, basic rec room, basic camp kitchen, dump point, you can use your mobile wireless carrier used was Telstra, reception quality was 4. Quiet, open & roomy park, adequate shade, many permanent/annual vans. Clean UC gas BBQs fuel costs $2, congenial bbq area atmosphere, bbq area lighting, seating provided at bbq. Basic playground, in poor condition. No pool. Suitable for a week or more, suitable for families, well maintained park, park is considered kid-safe.
Liked:- Very tropical with all the tree, plant and flower plantings - 100s of roses.
Parking:- Owners are so laid back they are almost prone. You can park outside the gate, room for heaps of large vans or outside office.
Local Information:- Tooyay is a totally tourist driven township about 30 mins away - full of cafes and pubs. A MUST is the monastery township at New Norcia. There is a guided tour every day at 11am - about $25 (discount for seniors). Tour takes about 2 hrs - fantastic buildings which you only see the inside of many by being on a guided tour. There is a pub on the grounds with typical counter meals (fairly expensive). I think you can also stay in a 'van there, but you would need to check this.
Road Conditions:- Roads fairly ok, but typical of WA - too many road trains tearing up the soft bitumen (temps up to late 40s in summer), so can be quite bumpy in parts

WA, Kalgoorlie, Big 4 Acclaim Prospector Holiday Park

Date of Stay: November 2014 Rating: 3.5
This is one of two C/Ps in Kalgoorlie owner by the same company. There are 4 parks in this city. Sadly, they are not re-investing money in the Park and the facilities are looking old and tired. Toilets/showers only in one central area - a very long walk if you are in the wrong part of the Park and need toilets urgently. Make sure you lock and chain everything down. Told by staff that in last year, two 'vans have been stolen (yes - the complete van) from 2 different parks and BBQ's etc are fair game
Friendly staff, staff explained park layout and facilities. Reasonable value for money $235 for 2A PW, off-peak season. Amenities are close to only some sites, were clean, condition is poor, there was adequate hot water, soap provided, paper towels/dryer provided, exhaust fans/good ventilation. Adequate number of tourist sites, mostly unlevel sites, poor night lighting, sites will accommodate large motorhomes and 5th wheelers, no sites with annex slabs, shade to some sites, adequate taps close by, adequate sullage close by. Good laundry, no rec room, no camp kitchen, dump point, no wireless internet available, you can use your mobile wireless carrier used was Telstra, reception quality was 5. Quiet, open & roomy park, inadequate shade, a few permanent/annual vans. Clean UC gas BBQs are free, congenial bbq area atmosphere, bbq area lighting, seating provided at bbq. Clean pool, pool is shaded, tables and chairs provided. Suitable for a week or more.
Liked:- Quiet enough - but typical of C/P owned by company - no sign of Managers or staff, other than cleaners and maintenance staff.
Disliked:- No warning issued about severe storms. Their tourist info is badly out of date. Sites are coarse metal and not at all level. Many 'vans needed one side lifted so they were level and others had 3-4" of puddles around them after rain
Parking:- Park outside on road - dead end road only used for Park.
Local Information:- Typical large mining city. 32,000 people approx. and most have too much money so plenty of expensive retail shopping and drinking. Has Woolworths (better of two), Coles, KMart, Target. If you need a Tradie for repairs to your 'van, be careful - most will rip you off. Go talk to friendly staff at Fiesta Caravans (they do not sell 'vans - but repair and lease them to mining companies). They have a good range of 'van parts and there is a large, well stocked outdoors camping store opposite Woolworths Menzies is a small town between Leonora and Kalgoorlie. Great little coffee shop there - good quality food and great coffee. Road out to Lake Ballard is mostly dirt and very rough. We did the drive from Kalgoorlie and wondered why we bothered - the 51 statues on the lake bed didn't do it for us.
Road Conditions:- Goldfields H/Way from Leonora is very bumpy and has few rest areas - if you need to stop - use the 1st you can find or you will be driving for some distance to find the next. Otherwise road ok

WA, Leonora, Leonora Caravan Park

Date of Stay: November 2014 Rating: 4.5
New lady Manager trying to get rid of a couple of bad egg permanents. She is friendly and helpful. Provided everyone with advance severe storm warning one day while we were there.
Very friendly staff, no complaints. Very good value for money $160 for 2A PW, off-peak season. Amenities are close to all sites, were clean, condition is reasonable, water pressure is good, there was adequate hot water, soap provided, paper towels/dryer provided, exhaust fans/good ventilation. No sites with annex slabs, very few sites are shaded, adequate taps close by, adequate sullage close by. Good laundry, good rec room, good camp kitchen, late checkout allowed, you can use your mobile wireless carrier used was Telstra, reception quality was 5. Quiet, open & roomy park, inadequate shade, many permanent/annual vans. Clean UC wood BBQs are free, congenial bbq area atmosphere, bbq area lighting. Good playground, in good condition. No pool. Suitable for a week or more.
Liked:- Like most mining towns, this C/P was mostly full with permanents in their 'vans or lots of dongas at rear of park. Early work starters, but they do their best to be quiet when driving out. Friendly permanents -other than 2 that cause problems for new Manager.
Parking:- Plenty of street parking, or park outside office.
Local Information:- Two pubs - both with skimmpys that are FIFO from Perth. Both have good meals. Supermarket OK - but missing some basic items. Mon-Fri there is a mobile food caravan. No decent coffee in town. Good modern swimming pool. Must see is Sons of Gwalia museum and working open pit gold mine. Restored home of ex mine manager - Edgar J Hoover (ex US President). Well restored old mine site and town - we spent most of day there. It is a great B&B as well as providing morning and afternoons teas for visitors. Also visit Niagara Dam (a 1.5 hr drive from town which is also a free camp) and ghost town. Have a beer with the elderly female licensee - very interesting to talk with and listen to history of this once huge mining town with 13 pubs - now one.
Road Conditions:- Road on eastern end of town very rough, but otherwise road is very good with good shoulders.

WA, Mount Magnet, Mount Magnet Caravan Park

Date of Stay: November 2014 Rating: 4.5
Owned by the local Shire who have been smart and invested in the wild flower tourists that flood this part of WA. The Shire has just had a new toilets/laundry block built which according to locals cost over $700K. It is absolutely outstanding in quality and size - huge shower cubicles etc. $3 for washing/drying machines. Brand new kitchen that has everything down to crockery and cutlery - you could cook anything using all the gear they provide. New free gas BBQs and tables which are covered also there
Very friendly staff, no complaints. Very good value for money $105 for 2A PW, powered, off-peak season. Amenities are close to all sites, condition is poor, water pressure is good, there was adequate hot water, soap provided, paper towels/dryer provided, exhaust fans/good ventilation. Sites will accommodate medium to large vans, very few annex slabs, shade to some sites, drive-through sites, adequate taps close by, adequate sullage close by. Good laundry, no rec room, good camp kitchen, dump point, no wireless internet available., you can use your mobile wireless carrier used was Telstra, reception quality was 5. Noisy, open & roomy park, adequate shade, a few permanent/annual vans. Clean UC gas BBQs are free, congenial bbq area atmosphere, bbq area lighting, seating provided at bbq. No pool. Suitable for a week or more, suitable for families.
Liked:- Great facilities.
Disliked:- Lazy Managers. Partners - he in his 60s and she 25 yrs younger with 3 little kids. She does most of the work in Park and takes all the bookings. Works hard and very friendly. He stays away from guests, hardly ever see him and does little or nothing. We stayed a week and in that time the male toilets/showers were not cleaned at all - urine marks on floor, bits of (clean toilet paper) everywhere and showers dirty.
Parking:- Park outside office
Local Information:- Typical small WA town. Many shops closed down, others open and close when they feel like it. OK evening meals at newer of the 2 pubs (owned by same licensee). Supermarket is poorly stocked, fresh produce is sad and tired, very hot inside and extremely rude staff - no "hello", "please" or "thank you". A mining town where the mining company is not liked by locals (doesn't provide any funding at all to local projects) and the company does not welcome visitors at all - you will be made most unwelcome on their holdings. BP servo has cheaper fuel and other servo has good quality food ( is a major truck stop at western end of town). Historical sites are a waste of time - just some holes in ground and lots of broken beer bottles. Great local museum. This is so, so professional and we spent about 3 hours in it (made the museum in Perth city and Kalgoorlie look like it was run by bunnies).
Road Conditions:- Roads generally good - constant stream on road trains. Don't stop at front of caravan park if you're a light sleeper). Plenty of rest stops. Graveled or dirt roads mainly well maintained.

WA, Karratha, Karratha Caravan Park

Date of Stay: October 2014 Rating: 5
Very friendly staff, no complaints. Very good value for money $190 for 2A PW, powered, off-peak season. Amenities are close to only some sites, were clean, condition is very good, water pressure is good, there was adequate hot water, soap provided, paper towels/dryer provided. Inadequate number of tourist sites, some level sites, good night lighting, sites will accommodate medium to large vans, no sites with annex slabs, shade to most sites, hard to negotiate into site, adequate taps close by, adequate sullage close by. Good laundry, no camp kitchen, dump point, secure entry, no wireless internet available, you can use your mobile wireless carrier used was Telstra. Quiet, open & roomy park, adequate shade, many permanent/annual vans. No BBQs. No pool. Suitable for a week or more.
Liked:- Cheapest in Karratha. In industrial area but you wouldn't know it by noise levels - other than Army camp on one side and listening to S/M drilling the part-timers on a Sunday morning from 8am.
Disliked:- Not set up for visitors. This is full of full-timers in their 'vans. There were only 2 sites for casuals. There are 3 C/Ps in Karratha. The other two owned by the same company, but one closed to tourists now and used solely by miners.
Parking:- Plenty of parking outside.
Local Information:- A busy city with all the facilities you could want. Mainly boat fishing, some beach fishing out of town.
Road Conditions:- Generally good. This part of the H/Way (from Perth - the major H/W north) is narrow and carries a lot of road trains and over width vehicles. In some places, trucks going the opposite direction will leave only about a metre between your van and his trailers (and truck over to far left). This part of road from Exmouth northwards is not for the nervous lol. Good rest areas at regular intervals. Shoulders are sometimes wide and flat and other times - non-existant