Australian Caravan Park Reports - NT Darwin and Environs

Australian Caravan Park Reports

FreeSpirit Resort, Berrimah
Hidden Valley Tourist Park, Berrimah
Coolalinga Caravan Tourist Resort, Howard Springs (DFP)
BIG4 Howard Springs Caravan Park, Howard Springs
Oasis Tourist Park, Howard Springs (DFP)
Lee Point Village Resort, Lee Point
KOA Caravan Park, Malak, Darwin (DFP)
Malak Caravan Park, Malak
Boomerang Motel and Caravan Park, Virginia
Shady Glen Caravan Park, Winnellie

FreeSpirit Resort, Berrimah 910 Stuart Highway. 17km south of Darwin city on right side of highway north of Palmerston Shopping Centre. Member FreeSpirt chain. Ph: 08 8935 0888. BIG4 member. No pets allowed.
Friendly staff, staff explained park layout and facilities. Price was as expected, good value for money ($35 2A 2C per night, powered, off-peak season). Amenity number was adequate to cope with the number of people, are close to most sites, were clean, condition is good, water pressure is good, there was adequate hot water, soap provided, dry change area, paper towels/dryer provided, exhaust fans/good ventilation. Adequate number of tourist sites, mostly level sites, good night lighting, small sites, concrete annex slabs to some sites, shade to most sites, hard to negotiate into site, adequate taps close by, adequate sullage close by. Good laundry, no rec room, good camp kitchen, kiosk, dump point, secure entry. Peaceful, claustrophobic park, plenty of shade, family/friendly atmosphere. Clean UC gas bbq (free), congenial bbq area atmosphere, bbq area lighting, seating provided at bbq. Good playground in good condition. Clean pool is open to sun, kid-safe pool area, tables and chairs provided. Suitable for month or longer, suitable for families, park is considered kid-safe.
Likes: Jumping Pillow for the kids, great bistro / tavern around main pool. 3 pools to choose from. Happy hour each night at tavern and free quiz night with cheap schnitzels every Thursday.
Dislikes: Very narrow roads, wiped out the corner of our fifth wheeler just getting around the park. Sites are very narrow and short. All large buses, fifth wheelers and vans struggled. Bar was booked out by locals on a lot of nights for footy finals so very rowdy when having dinner. Strong smell of sewerage down back of the park from sewerage plant. Supposed to be shutting down back section of park late 2009 to rectify.
Parking: At reception.
Date 09/2009. Park Rating 4:
Report submitted by The Nielsens.

This is a very nice park, approx 15 mins drive to centre of town. We checked most of the other parks out and this was the best. There are 3 swimming pools, and lots of ablution blocks. At the rear of the park are the newer ablutions which are excellent. In the front of the park there is road noise at night due to current road works, and at the rear there are occasionally slight smells from the in-house sewage plant, but this is scheduled for $1.9M upgrade in Nov 2009. We stayed near the front and had no problem with either roadwork or sewerage. The park is well cared for, with concrete slabs and grassed areas. Aircraft are really not a problem, we hardly heard more than 1 x plane per day, and this is only to be expected with the airport's vicinity in Darwin.
Date 08/2009. Park Rating 4:
Report submitted by Charmaine & Gus.

When we got to this park, they were having power outages 8 or 10 times every night. This was fixed after a week, and everyone who complained got their rate reduced to the unpowered rate for the applicable time. The park is right on the Stuart Highway, sites at the front of the park get the highway noise, at the back you get the sewerage treatment plant smell. We wouldn't stay here again but would go back to Hidden Valley or try Lee Point. Friendly staff, good staff response to complaints, staff offered tourist advice, staff explained park layout and facilities. Price was as expected, reasonable value for money ($265 2A per week, powered, peak season). Amenity number would not cope in peak times, are close to only some sites, were dirty, condition is good, water pressure is good, there was adequate hot water, soap provided, dry change area, paper towels/dryer provided, exhaust fans/good ventilation. Adequate number of tourist sites, mostly level sites, good night lighting, average sized sites, concrete annex slabs to most sites, shade to most sites, adequate taps close by, adequate sullage close by. Basic laundry, dump point, secure entry. Noisy, open & roomy park, plenty of shade, family/friendly atmosphere, no permanents. Clean UC gas bbq (free), bbq area lighting, seating provided at bbq. Clean pool is open to the sun, kid-safe pool area, tables and chairs provided. Suitable for a week or more, suitable for families, well maintained park, park is considered kid-safe.
Likes: Well designed shower, with lowered wet area, shower curtain and a shelf for shampoo and other supplies used during showering. Reasonable bistro/bar in main pool area.
Dislikes: Sites at front get highway noise, all sites get noise from planes from nearby airport. Sites at back get smell from sewerage treatment plant. Amenities were insufficient to cope when a bus load of kids were in, and should have been cleaned more than once a day for the amount of use they got. Grossly inadequate number of washing machines, which were expensive at $4 a load, and domestic sized instead of large ones seen at most parks. Light cycle onto highway meant long waits to exit park at peak times. Insufficient bbqs, so a long way from some sites.
Added Touches: Bus to Mindil Markets, but it was pretty pricey.
Date 07/2009. Park Rating 3:
Report submitted by Nicholstones.

A quality park with good shade and stylish facilities, let down by shared, unisex 'ensuites' ($43.20 with BIG4 discount), smell from on-site sewage treatment works and unresponsive management. We stayed 5 nights on a 'superior site so can't comment on amenities elsewhere. In future I'd use a standard site. Average management. Poor value for money. Very good sites, adequate number of tourist sites, sites were level. Laundry, good camp kitchen, security entry to park. Good atmosphere to park, shady park. Clean UC gas bbq (free), lit at night, with seating provided. Suitable for month or longer, the park was well maintained.
Likes: Very well maintained grounds, attractive outlook, great camper's kitchen, good sized grassy sites, tasteful new facilities.
Dislikes: A stink of septic pervaded the 'superior' area, traffic noise all night from the Stuart Hwy, insufficient taps to allow everyone on a 'superior' site to connect to mains water, staff sold us 'ensuite' sites when they were actually 10 shared unisex shower/toilets, there was no spot leaning so we often had to unlock and re-lock several bathrooms to find one not festooned with skid marks, litter and muddy footprints, only one laundered bath mat was provided for each 'superior' bathroom per day even though there were multiple users, water pressure in the showers was woeful, the internet cafe didn't offer Net 4 so guests have to buy time, laundry in the 'superior' area was non-functioning so 'superior' guests had to walk 500m to the nearest alternative, the washing machine prices were the highest of anywhere in our 5 month round-Australia trip-$4 a load, or 33% more than the common standard of $3 a load, no help was offered when I complained about disturbance caused by a 12 year old kicking a football around other people's sites all day for 3 days.
Local Information: The Hanuman restaurant is still the best in Darwin!
Date 06/2008. Park Rating 4:
Report submitted by Pat McCahey, Noosa.

This is reasonably well organised park despite having 300 sites, arranged in a herring bone fashion, most with concrete pads, and many suitable for large rigs. The first part of the park, adjacent to the reception, is newer and has a large pool, play area for children, modern cabins and a well designed kitchen but no cooker; hot plates only. Toilet facilities are upmarket. If you are booking, see if you can obtain a spot in this section of the park. Most caravan sites are situated to the right of this section and there you will find only adequate facilities. Some of the shower cubicles are small while those in other amenity areas are larger. There is one large kitchen area to cater for approximately 200 caravan sites here though there is a smaller one in the far corner of the park near the back pool. Laundry facilities are good, three scattered about in this older area but cost $4 per wash, dearer than usual. There were quite a few BBQs. In this older section, there are two pools. No pools in the park are solar heated, something unheard of in Qld and NT. Toilets were not adequately cleaned and nor were all toilet blocks supplied with electric driers or paper towels. You leave with dripping hands. There are shady trees but many sites were not adequately watered and consequently were dusty. Those sensitive to noise might find the Stuart Highway troublesome. Only one dump point for the entire park and consequently a long walk for most residents of the park. The cost is $38 per night, and the park requires 50% deposit if you book, not the usual $30 to $50. Considering the distance from the CBD, lack of green grass, dirty toilets, noisy highway and expensive sites, I would suggest looking for alternatives unless you can get into the newer section.
Date 08/2008. Park Rating 2.5:
Report submitted by Mushy.

Sites in this very large resort style park are level, of adequate size and most are shady. The park is in two parts, separated by the access road down the middle. The newer sites are on the left as you drive in, with cabins between them and the Highway. The section of the right is older and the trees there are more mature. We were in the older section near the back where the road noise was low. $25 2A less BIG4 discount on powered site with slab - no extra discount for week. We thought this was reasonable value for May in NT. Amenities blocks were reasonable. TV reception was fine. Bistro/bar at resort style pool.
Likes: Relaxing around resort style pool with tropical garden setting (Darwin is still hot in May).
Dislikes: Distance from Darwin city as we went in several times.
Local Information: Can easily spend a week in Darwin with many tourist attractions (for a cultural experience don't miss Mindil Beach markets at sunset). We would recommend this park but may try one closer to the city next time although some of the comparable caravan parks in Darwin are subject to aircraft noise.
Date 05/2006. Park Rating 4:
Report submitted by Brian & Gail, Mackay Qld.

Hidden Valley Tourist Park, Berrimah 25 Hidden Valley Road. 10 minutes drive south of Darwin CBD. Coming from Katherine on Stuart Highway, turn left at Harvey Norman Store into Hidden Valley Road. 600m down Hidden Valley Road. Ph: 08 8984 2888 or 1300 727 937. Member FreeSpirt chain. No pets allowed.
Managers Gina & Noel Lyell (ex managers of Channel Country Caravan Park, Quilpie Qld).
We had an ensuite site, the ensuite was pretty basic with no separate shower cubicle or even a curtain, so you had to mop up after your shower. There was no rubbish bin, but a reasonable shelf to unpack toiletries onto, and a good secure alcove area outside the actual bathroom with a laundry tub, that you could use to store stuff such as chairs. All ensuite sites had a concrete slab, but not powered sites. Ensuite sites were very small, with vans squeezed close together and cars mostly parked on the roadway. Park is well grassed, with watering done every day. Prices were on the high side even for Darwin, and went into the stratosphere during V8 weekend, although they did provide around-the-clock security during this weekend. There were always queues for the washing machines, which at $4 a load were quite expensive. The ensuite bathrooms had a private clothes line attached, which was very convenient. We wanted to book for 9 weeks but they would only take a booking for 4. Very friendly staff, good staff response to complaints, staff offered tourist advice, staff explained park layout and facilities. Price was as expected, reasonable value for money ($300 2A per week, ensuite, peak season). Water pressure is good, there was adequate hot water. Inadequate number of tourist sites, mostly unlevel sites, good night lighting, small sites, concrete annex slabs to some sites, shade to some sites, adequate taps close by, adequate sullage close by. Basic laundry, kiosk, dump point, secure entry. Noisy, claustrophobic park, plenty of shade, family/friendly atmosphere, no permanents. Clean UC gas bbq (free), bbq area lighting, seating provided at bbq. Clean pool is shaded, kid-safe pool area, tables and chairs provided, toddlers catered for. Suitable for month or longer, suitable for families, well maintained park, park is considered kid-safe.
Likes: Clothes line at back of ensuite. Close to Darwin city.
Dislikes: Under flight path from nearby airport, so at times it sounded like planes were about to land on the roof. Inadequate number of washing machines. Small sites so you were very close to the neighbours.
Added Touches: 'Happy Hour' several nights a week - byo chair and drink, they provide entertainment, often just a chat about Darwin or NT from the hosts, sometimes things like a crocodile man or buffalo hunter. Also on-site bistro did cheap and reasonable meals, breakfast, lunch and dinner. Walking group several mornings a week, $2 included morning tea afterwards.
Date 06/2009. Park Rating 3.5:
Report submitted by Nicholstones.

Stayed for 4 weeks and found it a reasonable park for this period of time. Parking was on sealed roads in front of van in most cases. Green grass sites with no water restrictions. Cars and vans can be washed on site. Ground and office staff friendly and were conscious of security at the park whilst the V8's were on at the nearby Hidden Valley track. Only negative apart from midges and car parking was the number of people we met in the park that were told they could not check in before 2pm as the sites were not ready. This was not correct as caravanners given sites adjacent to us that were prepared and ready days before were told to come back the next day or after 2 when nothing took place on the sites in the time they were delayed. Management should not only be more flexible but honest as well! Friendly staff, average staff response to complaints, staff offered tourist advice. Price was higher than expected, reasonable value for money ($42 2A powered). Amenities were clean, condition is good, water pressure is good, there was adequate hot water, mostly level sites, good night lighting, average sized sites, concrete annex slabs, adequate taps close by, adequate sullage close by. Basic laundry, no rec room, dump point. Quiet, not enough shade, family/friendly atmosphere. Clean bbq. Clean pool is shaded, tables and chairs provided. Suitable for a week or more.
Likes: Small but well located close to Darwin City and Palmerston and Casuarina shopping centres.
Dislikes: Plenty of midges. Eaten alive the first night till we prepared ourselves with repellent and long trousers and slacks.
Parking: Parking OK at entrance and reception.
Date 06/2008. Park Rating 3.5:
Report submitted by Ian & Shirl.

Coolalinga Caravan Tourist Resort, Howard Springs Situated in behind the Mobil Service Station on the west side of the Stuart Highway, 26 kms south of Darwin. Ph: 08 8983 1026.
No longer Family Park member. Stayed 7 nights $209.00 per week which included $2.00 per day for our dog. But we were not disappointed. Blain was on reception, and because it was so hot I asked him for a shady site with en-suite. Only one ensuite site was available, due to cancellation, so he told me to go and have a look. He does not charge extra for an en-suite because they are old (1970's) but are clean. He also offered us another shady site (site 59) and told us to check both out and let him know which we preferred. We chose site 59, right at the back of the park, backing onto the Manager's residence. This site was under enormous trees, lots of shade and lots of leaves, with a long concrete slab. It was quite close to the clean amenities block. Laundry was busy all day and most of the evening because park was full. The back of this park has lots of grassed and slab sites, mostly under shade and suitable for long rigs. Night lighting is adequate. Good shaded swimming pool. The front of this park is newer, lots of dusty sites, no night lighting at all, and the trees will provide lots of shade in a few years time. The en-suite sites (2 rows) are at the front of the park behind the office, quite close to each other, with lots of shade and look quite untidy. They are very close to the Stuart Highway and Petrol station with grog shop, so very noisy. Coolalinga shopping centre is within walking distance and includes a Woolworths store. Because of the lovely large trees we did have some possum noise in the night but this was part of the "fun". We would have loved to stay another week but had to head towards home because of commitments. We would definitely stay here again and I would again ask for Site 59.
Date 07/2009. Park Rating 4.0:
Report submitted by Leszek and Jackie, Malua Bay, NSW.

One of the few dog friendly parks. Cost was $25 per day and FPA discount available. Charge of $2 per day for dog. Lots of space available. Camp kitchen and pool. Room for large rigs. Basic showers and toilets, but ample during the busy season. Can catch bus at office into town. Nearby easy walk to newsagent and Woolies. We thought this park was good value for a capital city. We would stay again.
Date 06/2007. Park Rating 3:
Report submitted by Richard and Maureen, Bungendore, NSW.

Very friendly staff. Price was as expected, good value for money ($23.00 2A powered). Amenity number was adequate to cope with the number of people, are close to most sites, cleanliness was average, condition is reasonable, water pressure is good, hot water was usually adequate but not when busy, soap provided, paper towels/dryer provided. Adequate number of tourist sites, mostly level sites, poor night lighting, average sized sites, adequate taps close by, adequate sullage close by. Basic laundry, good rec room, good camp kitchen. Peaceful, open & roomy park, plenty of shade, family/friendly atmosphere. Clean UC electric bbq ($1), congenial bbq area atmosphere. Clean pool is shaded, tables and chairs provided. Suitable for month or longer, well maintained park.
Likes: This is a dog friendly park and every dog got on very well. Major shopping centre along with fuel, fishing tackle supplies are all next door.
Dislikes: Lighting is a little poor but is to be upgraded. Also one area of the park is new and lacks shade because trees as yet small. Power supply inadequate but management helpful with this problem.
Added Touches: Slide shows, information nights etc.
Date 06/2006. Park Rating 3.5:
Report submitted by Allott family travelling.

BIG4 Howard Springs Holiday Park, Howard Springs 170 Whitewood Road. 23 kms south of Darwin. Turn off at Howard Springs signs, then turn off at first road on right. Just past BP Servo. Ph: 08 8983 1169 or 1800 831 169. BIG4 member. No pets allowed.
Stayed before in off season. This time in peak. Very different. The park was packed and could not cope. Average staff friendliness, average staff response to complaints, staff helped us at the site. Inadequate number of amenities, are close to only some sites, were dirty, condition is poor, water pressure is bad, there was inadequate hot water. Inadequate number of tourist sites, some unlevel sites, good night lighting, small sites, very few concrete annex slabs, shade to some sites, hard to negotiate into site, adequate taps close by, adequate sullage close by. Basic laundry, basic rec room, kiosk. Quiet, claustrophobic park, plenty of shade. Clean bbq. No playground. Clean pool is shaded, kid-safe pool area, tables and chairs provided. Suitable for few days.
Dislikes: Large vans on small sites. Terrible water pressure. Not enough for a good shower in our van. Amenities that were always crowded and in the newer area the doors were continually falling off.
Parking: Only room for one van. Then it is park on the street which is narrow and dangerous.
Date 07/2009. Park Rating 2.5:
Report submitted by Ann and John.

Very small sites with little room to put out annex, car had to be parked on road. Levellers required under wheels as site nowhere near level. Ensuite site booked for 26 foot van, but found out on arrival that van had no chance of fitting, only suitable for camper trailer or swan. Very average handling of the situation by staff. Amenities always dirty and not of adequate number. Park is not at BIG4 Standard Average staff friendliness, average staff response to complaints, van parking assistance provided by staff, staff explained park layout and facilities. Price was as expected, poor value for money ($36.00 2A 1C per night, peak season). Inadequate number of amenities, are close to only some sites, were dirty, condition is reasonable, water pressure is good, there was adequate hot water, paper towels/dryer provided. Inadequate number of tourist sites, some level sites, poor night lighting, small sites, no sites with concrete annex slabs, shade to some sites, hard to negotiate into site. Basic laundry, good rec room. Noisy, claustrophobic park, plenty of shade. UC gas bbq (free), congenial bbq area atmosphere. Basic playground. Clean pool is shaded, kid-safe pool area. Suitable for overnighter, suitable for families.
Likes: 23 kms from Darwin
Dislikes: Grossly over crowded, clearly out to make as much money as possible and forgo quality for this purpose. Not anywhere near BIG4 standard. Wireless internet does not cover the back half of the park, only the front half.
Parking: Park in driveway, blocking park entry
Added Touches: Bus to markets on Thursday for a fee
Date 07/2009. Park Rating 2:
Report submitted by Darrell & Julie.

Manager's name is Ross & Viv Lavender. This is a lovely park, the staff are really friendly and working constantly to keep the park in excellent condition. The bbq's are gas and electric. A bus goes to Mindl market every Thursday night $10 per person which saves driving but if you want to spend longer at the market it would be better to take your own transport. You are allowed to wash your car and caravan but only on your site so that you water the grass. There are two squash courts but only one is used for playing squash, the other one is used as the rec room with a pool table and a billiard table on the court and two pin ball machines outside. The craft club meet every Wednesday upstairs in the squash complex. For the standard of the park the camp kitchen is very basic. The two swimming pools are beautifully maintained, one is bigger than the other but both have shady areas and are kid safe. Very friendly staff, no complaints, staff offered tourist advice, van parking assistance provided by staff, staff helped us at the site, staff explained park layout and facilities. Price was as expected, reasonable value for money ($27 2A per night, powered, peak season). Amenity number would not cope in peak times, are close to most sites, were clean, condition is good, water pressure is good, there was adequate hot water, soap provided, dry change area, paper towels/dryer provided, exhaust fans/good ventilation. Adequate number of tourist sites, all level sites, good night lighting, average sized sites, concrete annex slabs, drive-through sites, adequate taps close by, adequate sullage close by. Good laundry, basic rec room, kiosk, car wash, dump point, secure entry. Quiet, open and roomy, not enough shade, family/friendly atmosphere, too many permanents. Clean UC bbq (free), bbq area lighting. Good playground in good condition. Clean pool, kid-safe pool area, tables and chairs provided, toddlers catered for. Suitable for month or longer, suitable for families, well maintained park, park is considered kid-safe.
Likes: Quiet, peaceful and one of the few parks that have staff show you to your site and assist you with van parking. The staff are never to busy to answer questions and give tourist advice and willing to find out information for you.
Parking: Outside reception
Added Touches: Monday nights - tour slide show, Tuesday nights - Didgeridoo making and playing, Tuesday & Thursday mornings aqua aerobics and on Saturdays the local scout group comes in to wash cars for $10.
Local Information: Berry Springs National Park, Gunn Point, Howard Springs National Park, and all that Darwin has to offer just 35 kms down the road.
Roads: Good
Date 06/2009. Park Rating 4: Would definitely stay again.
Report submitted by Fran & Trevor (Shaka Zulu) Melbourne.

Manager's name is Ross & Viv Lavender. Very dusty park, especially at front of park. Amenities are always dirty. Very poor atmosphere in park. Managers don't seem to care about it. Lots of complaints. No allocation of sites which causes headaches. Although has playground it is not very child friendly. We a travelling with 2 kids and in 5 months of travelling this is the worst park we have stayed at. Definitely not BIG4 standard. Average staff friendliness, bad staff response to complaints. Price was as expected, reasonable value for money. Inadequate number of amenities, are close to most sites, were dirty, condition is reasonable, water pressure is bad, there was adequate hot water. Adequate number of tourist sites, mostly level sites, good night lighting, average sized sites. Poor laundry, basic rec room, dump point, secure entry. Peaceful, open & roomy park, plenty of shade, family/friendly atmosphere. Clean UC gas bbq (free), congenial bbq area atmosphere. Basic playground in average condition. Clean pool is open to sun, kid-safe pool area. Suitable for few days.
Likes: Quiet, good sized sites.
Dislikes: Dusty, dirty, filthy ablutions. Owners put sign on urinal saying it is OUR responsibility to keep amenities clean, and not theirs! No organisation of sites and site numbers.
Date 07/2008. Park Rating 2.5:
Report submitted by Jodi and Cam.

A large park in 2 parts, newer area with variable shade but still ok. Plenty of older and newer facilities - e.g. laundries, amenities, swimming pools etc. 25k from Darwin and about 5 min from huge shopping centre at Palmerston. Other campers considered this park the best in Darwin, and we have stayed at two other Darwin parks and looked at a few others, they may well be right. Some permanents in their own area. Campers and vans mostly mixed. Very friendly staff, no complaints, staff offered tourist advice, van parking assistance provided by staff, staff helped us at the site, staff explained park layout and facilities. Price was as expected, very good value for money. Amenity number would not cope in peak times, 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. Mostly level sites, poor night lighting, small sites, hard to negotiate into site, adequate taps close by. Good laundry, good rec room, good camp kitchen, kiosk, dump point, secure entry. Quiet, open and roomy, not enough shade, family/friendly atmosphere. Clean UC electric bbq (free), congenial bbq area atmosphere, bbq area lighting, seating provided at bbq. Good playground in good condition. Clean pool is open to sun, kid-safe pool area, tables and chairs provided, toddlers catered for. Suitable for month or longer, suitable for families, well maintained park, park is considered kid-safe.
Likes: Telephone boxes, pools open but smaller is well shaded, entertainment 6 evenings (good ), other activities, free bus to Casino daily, Bus to Mindle market @ $8 each (weekly). Internet available ($2.50 for 15 min). Wireless internet. Good TV reception. Squash court (not seen). Plenty of BBQs in older section. All sites well grassed.
Dislikes: Lack of sullage outlets - running sullage onto ground among close-parked vans cannot be healthy. Early closing of amenities blocks (not all) for cleaning at 9AM. Aircraft take-off noise may annoy some. Only a few slabs. No shade at all in parts of newer section. No BBQs in newer section.
Parking: Keep left to avoid blocking entry/exit by others
Added Touches: Many extras.
Local Information: The swimming lagoon at Howard Springs was closed as it had gone stagnant. As this was the main reason we were attracted to Howard Springs it was annoying not to be informed of this when we mentioned it when booking. Hotel/Tavern, and small shopping centre only 800 metres away is useful. Adjacent service station.
Date 06/2007. Park Rating 4:
Report submitted by Jim, Willunga.

Manager Ron and Viv Lavender. The park has two separate sections; a shaded older part and a more open newer section. Both are nice, and there is a "bush" feel to the park. Very friendly staff, staff offered tourist advice, van parking assistance provided by staff, staff helped us at the site, staff explained park layout and facilities. Price was as expected, reasonable value for money ($151 2A per week). Amenity number was adequate to cope with the number of people, are close to most sites, were clean, condition is very good, water pressure is bad. Adequate number of tourist sites, mostly level sites, good night lighting, average sized sites, concrete annex slabs, drive-through sites, adequate taps close by. Good laundry, late checkout allowed (up to noon), good camp kitchen, kiosk, dump point, secure entry. Peaceful, open & roomy park, plenty of shade, family/friendly atmosphere. Clean free gas bbq , congenial UC bbq area. Good playground in good condition. Clean pool is open to sun, kid-safe pool area, tables and chairs provided. Suitable for families, well maintained park.
Likes: Spacious sites; rural setting; well maintained gardens
Dislikes: Water pressure was a bit of a problem in newer section.
Added Touches: There is a variety of amusement, such as free slide nights (Mondays) sausage sizzle and singer (Wednesdays) and didgeridoo making on Tuesdays. A bus takes people to Mindil beach markets on Thursdays in season, and daily to the Casino.
Local Information: Nearby is Howard Springs Nature Reserve, Palmerston Shopping centre. A small village centre is 1 km away, with supermarket and bakery etc. Tavern for great meals.
Date 08/2006. Park Rating 4: Suitable for month or longer.
Report submitted by Chris Martins.

Very friendly greeting on arrival. Shown to site, good advice on backing into spacious spot. Site a bit bare on grass due to park being very full - super car racing on in Darwin. Quite a large park, facilities coped well even when full. Amenities very clean. Good swimming pool.
Date 07/2006. Park Rating 4.5:
Report submitted by Joan & Sam, Clifton Park WA.

An excellent park with lots of space and shade. well grassed. Amenities are very good. All staff were very friendly however one person did speak in a direct manner which could be taken the wrong way by some people. Garbage was removed daily. Excellent Wireless Internet access in park. Friendly staff, staff offered tourist advice, van parking assistance provided by staff, staff helped us at the site, staff explained park layout and facilities. Price was as expected, good value for money ($24 2A per night powered). Amenity number was adequate to cope with the number of people, are close to all sites, were clean, condition is good, water pressure is good, there was adequate hot water, soap provided, dry change area, exhaust fans/good ventilation. Adequate number of tourist sites, all level sites, good night lighting, large sites, adequate taps close by, adequate sullage close by. Good laundry, kiosk, dump point, secure entry. Peaceful, open and roomy, plenty of shade, family/friendly atmosphere. No permanents. Clean UC electric bbq (free), congenial bbq area atmosphere, bbq area lighting, seating provided at bbq. Good playground in good condition. Clean pool is open to sun, kid-safe pool area, tables and chairs provided, toddlers catered for. Suitable for a week or more, well maintained park, park is considered kid-safe.
Likes: One of the best parks we have found with lots of space and good facilities.
Dislikes: No toilet brushes in amenities.
Added Touches: Various activities are available on two or three nights of the week.
Local Information: Cheap meals at nearby Palmerston Centre. Good Tourist information at Kiosk.
Roads: Good road conditions.
Date 06/2006. Park Rating 4.5:
Report submitted by J&K Melbourne.

Oasis Tourist Park, Howard Springs On Stuart Highway 23Km south of Darwin City Centre, between City of Palmerston and Coolalinga both with good shopping centres and fuel services. On Morgan Road, turn left on way north towards Darwin. Ph: 08 8983 1048. Dogs on leash.
This is a nice shady park but means lots of leaves and bird droppings so this is a trade off. Gardens maintained daily. Very good management, friendly management, management responsive to comments, management was helpful. Good value for money. Average amenities, adequate number to cater for tourists, close to sites, were clean, were in good condition, water pressure was okay, there was adequate hot water. Adequate number of tourist sites, sites were level, the site size was okay, annexe slabs were available, drive-through sites were available, adequate taps close by. Laundry, good camp kitchen, kiosk, dump point, security entry to park. Good atmosphere to park, open and roomy park, shady park, family-friendly park. Clean bbq. Good playground. Good clean pool, pool area is shaded, kid-safe pool area, seating around the pool was provided. Suitable for month or longer, suitable for families, the park was well maintained, the park can be considered kid-safe.
Likes: Friendly atmosphere; great staff; off main highway; nice pool area.
Added Touches: Tours can be booked at office
Local Information: Croc Cruise, Litchfield National Park Tour from Eco Tours $120 great value. 25 mins to Darwin and 5 mins to Palmerston.
Date 10/2008. Park Rating 4:
Report submitted by Tilly.

Nice park, pet friendly, owners very friendly and helpful. Free bus to the casino every day departs 9am returns 3pm. Very good management, friendly management, management responsive to comments, management was helpful. Good value for money. Good amenities, adequate number to cater for tourists, were clean, water pressure was okay, there was adequate hot water. Good sites, sites were level, adequate taps close by. Laundry, dump point. Good atmosphere to park, quiet, open and roomy park, family-friendly park. Clean gas bbq (free), Good pool rating, clean pool, pool area is shaded, seating around the pool was provided. Suitable for a week or more, the park was well maintained.
Likes: Friendly park, clean pool, two ablution blocks, green grass around bays, boom gates to get in/out of park, not far from Palmerston shopping center.
Dislikes: Signs everywhere. Wherever you look you see signs in what you can and can not do.
Parking: Very tight. Best to leave car/van outside
Added Touches: Had band on Friday night, very good atmosphere
Date 08/2008. Park Rating 4.5:
Report submitted by Aussie-Camper.

Manager's name is Gary & Rose Petty. Lovely pet friendly park excellent vet over road and only 20 min to Darwin city. Very friendly staff, staff offered tourist advice, van parking assistance provided by staff, staff helped us at the site, staff explained park layout and facilities. Price was as expected, good value for money ($164.50 2A per week cabin). Amenity number was adequate to cope with the number of people, are close to most sites, were clean, condition is very good, water pressure is good, there was adequate hot water, soap provided, dry change area, exhaust fans/good ventilation. Adequate number of tourist sites, some level sites, poor night lighting, average sized sites, concrete annex slabs, drive-through sites, adequate taps close by. Good laundry, good rec room, good camp kitchen, kiosk, dump point, secure entry. Peaceful, open & roomy park, plenty of shade, family/friendly atmosphere Clean UC bbq (free), congenial bbq area atmosphere, bbq area lighting, seating provided at bbq. No playground. Clean pool is shaded, kid-safe pool area, tables and chairs provided. Suitable for month or longer, well maintained park, park is considered kid-safe.
Likes: Green, clean, management/owners lovely, and park really nice and still being improved.
Added Touches: Free bus to casino.
Date 07/2008. Park Rating 4.5:
Report submitted by Bardarka1.

Lee Point Village Resort, Lee Point A northern suburb of Darwin. Lee Point Road. Off Stuart Highway, turn into Bagot going away from town, turn right into McMillan, follow McMillan Road for several kms, and into Lee Point Road. Ph: 08 8945 0535.
Stayed at this park after staying at Shady Glen Tourist Park. This park was quieter with no aircraft flying over, but at the time we were there large trucks were going past all day with soil for the new golf course that is being built nearby. Another large park with grass and bitumen roads. There are lots of ensuite sites, same price as normal powered sites except you have to pay extra for the electricity you use. We chose not to have an ensuite. There are numerous amenity blocks throughout the park with washing machines in only some. The amenities were clean, no soap or paper towels. There are 2 nice clean pools, one covered. The beach is only 500 metres from the caravan park. The park also has a small kiosk and a tour booking office. The powered sites were $30 per night with 7th night free. The only gripe is that they clean the amenities at 7.30am in the morning when everyone is getting up and wanting to use the toilets and showers, no commonsense.
Date 08/2008. Park Rating 3.5:
Report submitted by Morris & Carolyn, Brisbane.

Average management. Poor value for money. Poor amenities, adequate number to cater for tourists, close to sites, water pressure was okay, there was adequate hot water. Adequate number of tourist sites, sites were level, hard to negotiate in to/out of site, poor water quality, adequate taps close by. Laundry, van parking by management. Park atmosphere was okay, open and roomy park. Gas bbq. Good pool rating. Clean pool, kid-safe pool area.
Dislikes: Scruffy, uncared for, obviously deteriorated as had good write-up and points. Poor ablution blocks and laundry facilities. No place for sullage emptying, so people emptied it down the toilet and washed the receptacles in the laundry troughs. Noisy, right alongside busy road, with no attempt to put in shrubs or trees to break noise or protect from dust. Only one power point access. Water quality poor.
Added Touches: The van sites had en-suite access.
Local Information: Darwin city, harbour, town highlights, beach markets, harbour cruises
Roads: Sealed roads.
Date 07/2006. Park Rating 2.5: Suitable for a few days.
Report submitted by Peter and Robin S.

KOA Caravan Park, Malak Darwin McMillians Road (adjacent to airport). Ph: 08 8927 2651. Dogs on leash.
Apart from road noise and no hot water in your private ensuite this park could be considered (could be, not should be). Unfriendly staff, bad staff response to complaints. Price was as expected, poor value for money. Water pressure is good. Adequate number of tourist sites, mostly level sites, poor night lighting, average sized sites, concrete annex slabs to most sites, shade to some sites, adequate taps close by. Basic laundry. Noisy, open & roomy park, plenty of shade, a few permanents. No bbqs. Clean pool. Suitable for a week or more, suitable for families, well maintained park.
Likes: Good sized sites that you can only reverse into, bitumen for the van with a concrete annex pad. There is a splade kerb on the pad so you need park your van wheel right next to it if you rely on an external step or stool for van access. The ensuite (just post 1974 era) has a loo, wall basin, mirror if you are lucky, shower rose that won't stay up or that shoots water like a cannon straight to the door over your head, there was no shower curtain or rod to hang one on. There is also a laundry tub and washing machine tap & alcove, this proved to be a great storage area. Rubbish is collected from your site 3 times a week. Semi permanents in park were very friendly and their sites were very neat - clearly park proud people. Check laundry notice board for in-park services by those whom stay there. Dog noise not an issue.
Dislikes: Road noise started before 6am and was still going at midnight with hoons. Plenty of shade but that hides the solar hot water panels - no hot water - choose your site with shade or hot water; you can't have both as ensuites do not have electric boosters. Do not rely on advice from park office staff about this, go and check your potential site for hot water so that you are not disappointed, or you are not told by office staff to move to another site after you have travelled for hours and hours and then spent the last of your strength setting up, or told by office staff to find someone staying within the park with a ladder and climb it yourself to clean your solar panels to see if that helps (expect no hot water if you don't check then you won't be disappointed). Aircraft noise from the adjacent airport was not really an issue but could concern some. No camp kitchen. No bbq that could be found. Park charges for power - about $3.00 per day extra without air con be used
Parking: bitumen parking nose or tail in front of your van
Local Information: Try to visit Parap Markets on Saturday morning (no dogs allowed so park opposite under trees in church owned yard for a gold coin donation) and the Mindil markets on either Thursday or Sunday arvo (no dogs allowed but plenty of shade to park under as evening falls, no fee). Dog sitters at airport well worth the money if needed, very clean, safe & friendly.
Date 08/2009. Park Rating 2:
Report submitted by Penny & Clova, Sunshine Coast.

Malak Caravan Park, Malak Located McMillans Road. Turn into McMillans Road from Stuart Highway, signposted to airport. Malak is approximately 6 km on left. Ph: 08 8927 3500.
Large spaciously arranged park next door to sister park, KOA. Sealed access roads, generous level sites with concrete pad and well-grassed surrounds. Established trees, some sites shadier than others. Power, water sullage close. Every site has its own large "en-suite" - basic, but functional, concrete construction bathroom with shower/toilet/basin, clothesline, laundry tub plumbed for washing machine, power points, space for fridge or storage. Ensuites in blocks 2 x 2 back to back. Downside: in our case, the bathroom belonging to the next site was very close to our windows. Heard everything! Large clean pool with grassy surrounds. Coin laundry at KOA. Approx 1/3 each tourist sites, long term campers and permanents; both the latter take pride in gardens and watered lawns. Nearby airport land and busy road caused no noise disturbance. Well situated for accessing Darwin centre and suburbs. Shopping centres, golf club within walking distance. Shady bike path goes for miles in both directions. Park has "no bookings" policy but helpful staff can give an idea the day before if there are likely to be sites available. It was clearly possible to make prior arrangements (long term stayers? return business?) but we didn't discover what it was. Suitable for any length of stay. At $30 (2A powered) good value for money. Better rates available for long stays.
Date 08/2007. Park Rating 4.5:
Report submitted by E & AC, NSW.

Motel and Caravan Park, Virginia 30 Virginia Road, just off Stuart Highway east of Palmerston and about 25 minute drive to Darwin CBD. Top Tourist member. Ph: 08 8983 1202 or 1300 657 228.
Reception friendly, help given for parking. Very shady park with big trees. Average sized level sites, concrete pads and grassy surrounds; neighbours close at rear. Most sites for tourists, some of whom stay for months. Some permanents with well kept gardens. Two amenities blocks. The one we used had 4 (only) individual bathrooms with toilet, shower and basin. Numbers stretched at peak showering times. Extra toilets both there and in second smaller toilet block. Very clean but a bit worn and with strange shower jets. Large laundry and line space. Night lighting at amenities only. Internet, shady pool, undercover picnic tables and free gas bbqs. Mini-mart and tavern adjacent. Bus to/from Mindil Beach Sunset markets organised for guests $8 pp. Communal bbq and slide evening on Sundays. Attractive pleasant park, suitable for any length of stay, reasonable value at $26 (2A, powered) but just a bit too far out of Darwin to be convenient or economical for the short term sightseer.
Date 08/2007. Park Rating 3.5:
Report submitted by E & AC, NSW.

Very busy - booked to capacity. Lot of road noise. No portable toilet dump point. Friendly staff. Price was as expected, reasonable value for money ($26 2A per night powered). Amenity number was adequate to cope with the number of people, are close to all sites, were clean, condition is reasonable, water pressure is good, there was adequate hot water, mostly level sites, good night lighting, small sites, adequate taps close by. Noisy, claustrophobic park, plenty of shade. No pets allowed. Good playground in average condition. Suitable for few days.
Local Information: Next to tavern - meals available.
Date 07/2007. Park Rating 3:
Report submitted by John.

Shady Glen Caravan Park, Winnellie Corner Stuart Highway and Farrell Crescent. 10 kms south of Darwin CBD. Ph: 08 8984 3330 or 1800 66 2253. Top Tourist member.
I guess we hit Darwin at a bad time in that all the accommodation in the city itself was taken, so we had to find a camp for a few nights. Having driven past this park on the way into the city, it's name "Shady Glen" made it sound attractive. We were wrong! A number of things disappointed us: too crowded (I know it was peak time) and our site, despite the name, had no shade whatsoever; too noisy due to civilian and military aircraft (nothing they can do about that I guess); too many midgies - this they could do something about. They were due to the ground being perhaps excessively watered when a site was unoccupied. I realise the need to keep the grass as lush as possible but perhaps some thought should be given to the better management of this. In fact the midgie bites made the experience disappointing in some ways and lasted for some weeks after our time in Darwin. A couple in the party still ripping their skin well after our return to Melbourne. I wouldn't stay at this park again unless it was the only one left with a site in Darwin (or beyond)! Friendly staff, staff explained park layout and facilities. Price was as expected, reasonable value for money. Amenity number was adequate to cope with the number of people, are close to most sites, cleanliness was average, condition is good. Adequate number of tourist sites, mostly level sites, small sites, shade to some sites. Basic laundry, no rec room, kiosk, secure entry. Noisy, claustrophobic park, not enough shade. Clean bbq. Clean pool is open to the sun, kid-safe pool area, tables and chairs provided. Suitable for overnighter.
Date 07/2008. Park Rating 2:
Report submitted by Specster.

We were not completely happy with this park. Very large park, with little grass and dirt roads throughout which made it very dusty. Amenities were clean with good water pressure and plenty of hot water. Good laundry $4/load. The park has a shop with tourist information. They also have a very small pool for the size of the park and not as clean as it could be. Too many people for the size of the pool. This park is very noisy with the fly over of all aircraft, civilian and air force. At the time we were there they were also excavating across the road of the park which also contributed to more noise. After a week we decided to go to hopefully a more quiet park with less dust. Would not stay at this park again.
Date 08/2008. Park Rating 3.5:
Report submitted by Morris & Carolyn, Brisbane.

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