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Top 10 picks | Ultimate caravan parks around Australia

Written by: Catherine Best

May 16, 2024

Day spas, waterparks, nature retreats — the humble caravan park has come of age, writes Catherine Best.

Not all caravan parks are created equal. While some are simply a great place to unhitch for the night, recharge the batteries and top up with water, others are drawcards in their own right. Bells-and-whistles ‘destination parks’ with facilities to rival a five-star resort. Think waterslides, swim-up pool bars, alfresco dining, theme park-style experiences and even day spas.

On the flip side, some caravan parks are coveted not for their facilities but for their locale. Parks that have a monopoly on a bucket-list attraction by virtue of their proximity to it. Ayers Rock Campground, for example, books out weeks ahead in the winter high season, not because the facilities are anything special, but because it’s the only park within cooee of Uluru. This doesn’t diminish the experience of staying here. That you can wake in the morning, enjoy a short walk up Naninga Lookout and watch the sun rise over Uluru makes this one of Australia’s most memorable caravan park experiences.

While free and low-cost camping are gaining popularity as caravans become increasingly self-sufficient, caravan parks remain the first preference for many holidaymakers. Figures from the Caravan Industry Association of Australia (CIAA) show 62.8 million nights were booked at holiday parks in the 12 months to June 2023, a 20 per cent increase on the previous year.

“Since COVID the sector has demonstrated remarkable resilience, standing up to be the backbone of domestic tourism, with annual visitor expenditure now sitting at over $11.3 billion,” CIAA CEO Stuart Lamont said.

Not only are more people spending more nights at caravan parks, but they’re also getting more bang for their buck. “One of the most notable trends in the past decade has been the confidence to invest heavily in capital investment within the sector,” Lamont said, adding that this trend has matured the industry, leading to more diverse accommodation options.

Rise of the resorts

If you’ve ever slept in a glamping tent with a king-size bed and a claw-foot bath on the deck, you’ll appreciate how the caravan park offering has changed in recent years. Where once power, water, sullage and a clean amenities block were the benchmark, today’s most extravagant holiday parks now boast restaurants, water parks, kids’ clubs, arcade rooms and a whole raft of other facilities to cater for every caravanning demographic.

Sean Jenner, CEO of BIG4 Holiday Parks, which encompasses more than 250 member and affiliate parks across Australia, says guests are increasingly looking for connection and experiential offerings in a holiday park stay.

“A key driving factor we’ve seen is the demand for unique and diverse experiences. Resort-style caravan parks offer a mix of outdoor adventure and luxury amenities, providing a different and appealing travel option,” he said.

Here’s our pick of 10 of the best destination parks to elevate your next caravan park stay.

RAC Monkey Mia Dolphin Resort, Shark Bay, WA

Monkey Mia ticks all the boxes for a destination caravan park. Not only does the park have a monopoly on the daily wild dolphin feeding experience — which takes place off the beach right out front — but the resort is also packed with facilities. Sure, the park is expensive and touristy, and many caravanners opt to visit as a day trip and stay in Denham, a short drive (20 minutes) away on the opposite side of the peninsula. But then you’re missing out on seeing dolphins on the quiet at sunrise and enjoying the ambience of the park, which was redeveloped in 2018 and has all the trimmings of an upscale hotel.

Embrace the resort experience and once the dolphin-feeding crowds have eased, hire a kayak, enjoy a sunset cruise and settle in for a twilight tipple at the waterfront bar. The resort has a whole gamut of accommodation options, including premium beachfront and ensuite sites, as well as two restaurants, two swimming pools, a pirate-themed playground, tennis courts, recreation room and a beachfront lawn area frequented by emus.

BIG4 Sandstone Point Holiday Resort, Qld

BIG4 Holiday Parks are known for delivering the goods when it comes to facilities, especially for kids, and Sandstone Point is one of the best for a family holiday. Situated on the waterfront at the gateway to Bribie Island/Yarun, the park has the natural wonders of Pumistone Passage at its doorstep and a dizzying array of features within the park itself.

The just-launched overwater villas are a taster of what you can expect at this elaborate resort village, hemmed by bushland an hour north of Brisbane. And it’s not just the kids who are enraptured. The park boasts a swim-up bar and poolside cabanas, so you can order via a QR code and have calamari and cocktails delivered straight to your beach towel. Completing the package are a restaurant, water park, 500sqm heated pool (one of three), spa, go karts, arcade room, pump track, mini golf, and even a croquet lawn.

Mataranka Homestead, NT

Mataranka Homestead is synonymous with the palm-fringed thermal pools that have been attracting Top End tourists for generations. While you can visit for free as a day-tripper, staying on site (the pools are accessed directly from the caravan park) is a rite of passage for any caravanner touring the Red Centre. Not only will you get to escape the tourist hordes by bathing at the springs at dawn or dusk, you can also enjoy the outback hospitality at on-site Malukas Bar, famous for its hair-raising nightly whip-cracking performance by Nathan ‘Whippy’ Griggs. The park facilities are basic, there are no bookings and the best spots fill up fast during peak season, but the real attraction here is the proximity to the natural pools, heated to a constant 34 degrees Celsius.

North Star Holiday Resort, Tweed Coast, NSW

Why should kids have all the fun on holidays? North Star Holiday Resort, near Byron Bay, is a playground for adults, too. Here, you can escape to an adults-only sanctuary for a peaceful swim, sans splashing, in the Seascape Leisure Centre. The centre also features a gym, sauna and day spa where you can indulge in a massage or even get your hair done. For travelling families, there’s a kids’ club to take care of the offspring while Mum and Dad are having a break. Kids are well catered for too, with a splash park, waterslides and playground, while the licensed cafe and marine museum keep the whole family entertained.

BIG4 Yarra Valley Park Lane Holiday Park, Healesville, Vic

More boutique hotel than humble caravan park, the amenities at Yarra Valley Park Lane aren’t ones you’ll soon forget. Think heated floors, rain showerheads, subway tiles and matt-black tapware. The park — just east of Melbourne — underwent a $5 million expansion in 2020 and the facilities speak for themselves. I can’t say I’ve ever before patronised a camp kitchen pimped out with chesterfield lounges, cafe-style benches and pendant lights. Even better, these spaces play host to wine and gin-tasting events during peak times. For non-caravanners, the top accommodation choice is the converted heritage tram villas with private wood-fired hot tubs. All guests can enjoy the abundant facilities, which include two pools, a playground, pump track, basketball/tennis court, jumping pillow and lake. And it's convenient location makes it a great spot for weekend escapes or a basecamp for your next caravan trip.

Huon Valley Caravan Park, Huonville, Tas

There aren’t many caravan parks that can claim to have a Tasmanian devil in residence. But this family-owned farm stay does, along with cows, goats, sheep, ducks and chickens. Set on 10 hectares of luxuriant river frontage, the park runs free daily farm shows in an idyllic setting. You can nurse a chick, be on the squirting end of a cow’s udder, swim in the river from the sandy beach and spot platypus. The sites here are big, grassy and flat, and some prized riverfront spots come with concrete slabs. Bubble machine parties are a weekly highlight in summer, on Christmas Eve Santa arrives by jet boat, while the Easter Bunny swoops in on a helicopter. What’s more, you can have a campfire and bring your dog (there’s even an off-lead pooch run).

Discovery Resorts – Undara, Qld

Who knew volcano tourism was a thing in Australia? At Undara, 3.5 hours southwest of Cairns, you can explore the oldest — and one of the longest — lava tube systems on the planet (October–March). The caravan park is a stone’s throw from Undara Volcanic National Park and operates guided tours of the tubes, formed by ancient rivers of lava almost 200,000 years ago. Walk through gargantuan underground caves, see snakes wrestle microbats at sunset, and retreat to a heritage train booth for a drink and counter meal in the evening. The park has generous powered and unpowered sites and a range of fixed accommodation options, including in converted train carriages. The barbecue Bush Breakfast at Ringers’ camp is not to be missed.

Beachcomber Holiday Park, Potato Point, NSW

Nestled between the sea and spotted gum forest in Eurobodalla National Park, Beachcomber is a laid-back nature retreat with a campground vibe but the comforts of a caravan park. Beachfront sites, campfires and natural beauty are what this hideaway, just north of Narooma, is all about. The biggest selling point is the wildlife — scores of kangaroos and red necked wallabies — and sites so close to the beach you can check the surf conditions from bed. Swim, surf, fish and stroll along the beach to Tuross Inlet, and in the evening cook up a storm in the wood-fired pizza oven, with fresh dough available from reception.

El Questro Station, East Kimberley, WA

If you’re not game to chance your caravan on the infamous Gibb River Road, at least venture as far as El Questro, 110km west of Kununurra. The 2.8 million hectare former cattle station is a springboard to staggering sandstone ranges, gorges and waterfalls. Book well ahead in the tourist season (April–October) and fill your days gorge hiking, swimming beneath waterfalls and exploring the Pentecost River. The caravan park has powered and unpowered sites, a croc-safe swimming hole, bar and bistro, and operates horse-riding jaunts, 4WD safaris, river cruises and scenic helicopter flights.

BIG4 Renmark Riverfront Holiday Park, SA

Now here’s a park that will really float your boat. Renmark Riverfront occupies 1km of water frontage on the mighty Murray River, accommodating all manner of towables — including recreational vessels. Unhitch in a riverfront site where you can moor your boat at your doorstep and get set for long days of water skiing, fishing and wakeboarding. If you don’t have a boat, no problem, canoes and stand-up paddleboards are available for hire. The park also has facilities galore, including a splash park, swimming pool and spa, gym, yoga studio, playground, tennis court, outdoor cinema, and a special sensory room for kids on the autism spectrum.

Catherine Best is the author of Ultimate Caravan Trips: Australia