GLOSSARY

Click your keyboard's BACKSPACE key to go back to your previous page.

2A
Where a price is given, the notation may appear in the format ($18 2A PN powered). This means $18 for 2 Adults per night on powered site. 2C would mean 2 Children, etc.

Adequacy of Amenities
Will the amenity cope with a large number of users? Certainly, most people use an amenity block in the morning, and in peak seasons the amenity may have people waiting to use it, while in the majority of time in off-peak there will be adequate facilities for the guests at the park.

Amenity/Amenities
Means the toilet/shower building.

Annex Slabs
These are usually concrete, but may be webbing/matting. Concrete slabs are usually raised, but some can be level with the ground. Matting is usually spiked out on the ground. Both offer some protection from getting dirt into the van.

Basic
A rating for a particular facility. Basic means that it provides the minimum requirements necessary for the facility. For example, an amenity block that has clean showers and toilets.

Cabins Only
Park has only cabins. No sites for vans, motorhomes or tents.

Campground
Not a recognised Caravan Park. Includes camping areas in national and state parks. They may be free, or charge a fee through prior booking or an honesty box system. The facilities are basic, or non-existent, and there may be powered sites, but not usually.  The campground may or may not be suitable for caravans so check the report.  Denoted by the symbol CG to the left in the park header of reports.

Caravan Park
A recognised Caravan Park, with the usual facilities of amenity block(s), laundry, office, on-site manager, etc. Denoted by the symbol CP to the left in the park header of reports.

CAW
Camps Australia Wide - a hardcopy publication that lists free and low-cost camping areas and rest-areas.  See the link of the Home Page to the CAW website.

Date of Stay
Date of stay at the park - Month/Year. Not the date the report was submitted. Reports are generally displayed for the previous 3 years plus the current year and old reports automatically "drop-off".

Dog Bond
A bond paid to the park when you check-in with a dog.  The amount of the bond is at the discretion of the park.  The bond is returned to you on checking-out if you have followed the rules of the park concerning your pet - eg, keep it on-leash, pick up after it, ensure it does not interfer with other park users.  The park will supply its specific rules to follow.

DFP
Dog Friendly Park. Although the park may be denoted as DFP, check the comments in the park report for any conditions. Also, a park may be dog friendly but I have not been informed of that fact. If unsure, contact the park beforehand. Most parks that are DFP will not allow pets in or with cabin accommodation; check the comments. Most parks have an "on-leash at all times" and "pick up after your pet" policy even if not stated.  Denoted by the symbol DFP to the left in the park header of reports.

Drive Thru/Through
Indicates that the park has sites that cater for overnight travellers who do not wish to unhitch the caravan from the tow vehicle. You drive onto the site from one direction, park, and the next day you simply drive off the site in the same direction - you do not need to reverse onto the site.

E
East - used in directions.

Excellent
A rating for a particular facility. Excellent means that it provides a top level of service or facility. For example, an amenity block that has clean large showers and toilets, plus quite a few added features such as hand dryers, soap dispensers, exhaust fans, is bright and airy, etc.

Good
A rating for a particular facility. Good means that it provides a high level of service or facility. For example, an amenity block that has clean showers and toilets, plus some added features such as hand dryers, etc.

ID
A unique identifier attached to each report.  It appears at the bottom-left of every report when displayed.

N
North - used in directions.

Nickname
The name by which a contributor has chosen to be known.  It appears in reports as
        Report By: Nickname (nn)
        where nn is the number of reports that person has submitted.
You can click on the Nickname to see the most recent ten reports by that contributor.

Number of Tourist Sites
It seems more and more parks, for economic reasons, are providing less caravanning tourist sites in favour of permanent vans and/or residents, or cabin accommodation. Park users determine if there are an adequate or inadequate number of tourist sites for the park - because it is deemed to affect the ambiance of a park.

Rating
The Rating in each report is made by the actual park users, and rates the park/campground from 0 (low standard) to 5 (high standard). It ignores the Star Rating which is awarded to the park by park associations or motoring organisations (eg. BIG4, RACV) through the AAA. Therefore, the amount (or lack) of amenities may not affect the Rating.
For example, a park which is suited to a one-night stop-over, but have basic amenities, may rate higher than a park which is more geared to longer stays and has more amenities - the one-nighter may have less services, but these are in excellent condition, whereas the longer-stay park may have more services, but they are not well kept or not clean and would spoil a long stay.  So, you can see that the Rating is more suited to picking the quality of a park, rather than just "stars" for more services. As with any rating system, read the reports and make up your own mind.

Permanent resident
Privately owned vans or cabins occupied by people permanently living in the park (with the usual flower gardens and little pokey fences).

Permanent vans
Privately owned vans or cabins permanently parked on a site, often used only during holidays by their owners.

Pet policy unknown
I cannot determine if pets are allowed or not. Assume no pets. As always, inquire when booking. Please inform me if you see this at a park listing and you know the correct pet policy (allowed or not allowed, and any conditions).

Pitch
This term is widely used in the UK to mean Site (see below). Pitch is not used in reports herein.

Playground Ratings
        Basic - maybe a swing or two;
        Good - a couple of swings, slides, and/or see-saw, etc;
        Excellent - lots of (but maybe not all) swings, slides, climbing frames, ropes, ladders, cubby, etc.

PN or P/N
Per night - used in pricing.

PO
Post office - used in directions.

Poor
A rating for a particular facility. Poor means that it does not provide the minimum requirements necessary for the facility. For example, an unclean amenity block that is small and does not cater for the number of users.

PW or P/W
Per week - used in pricing.

Quiet
No, or minimal, road noise, and no nuisance noise nearby, such as hotel, late-night shopping center, factories, etc. Does not include noisy fellow campers, as this usually does not reflect on the park itself, unless the owner/manager does not take action if the noise is excessive and complaints are made.

Rest Area
It is a free roadside rest area for day-time or overnight stopping only. Rest areas are not listed unless they exist in an RV friendly town which clearly allows 48-hours or more at the rest area.  Usually the only facility is a toilet block, but there may be more.  See the Camps Australia Wide link on the home page to obtain of copy of their book, which does include a list of rest areas.

Report By
This shows the Nickname of the contributor who added the report.  It appears in reports as
        Report By: Nickname (nn)
        where nn is the number of reports that person has submitted.
You can click on the Nickname to see the most recent ten reports by that contributor.

STAR Rating
A rating system owned by the AAA which is used to rate caravan parks (as well as other tourist accommodation types). This website does not use the STAR Rating - see Rating above.

Station Stay
Campgrounds or Caravan Parks which are operated by working cattle or sheep stations.  Includes those places calling themselves Farmstays.  The facilities can vary, so check the report or the Station's website.  Denoted by the symbol SS to the left in the park header of reports.

S
South - used in directions.

Site
The allocated spot to place your caravan, motorhome, or tent. In Europe it's called a pitch. Site size can be dependent on the park used. You may find that parks have some larger sites available to cater for large motorhomes or fifth-wheelers, so inquire if this is the case when booking in or booking ahead.

Van parking assistance
The park manager will position your van on the site for you if you wish.

W
West - used in directions.