Australian Caravan Park Reports - Sydney and Environs NSW

Australian Caravan Park Reports
New South Wales
Sydney and Environs

The Palms at Avoca, Avoca Beach
Bass Hill Tourist Park, Bass Hill
Blackheath Caravan Park, Blackheath
Poplar Caravan Park, Camden
Colo Heights Caravan Park, Colo Heights
Dural Village Caravan Park, Dural
Nepean River Holiday Village, Emu Plains
Katoomba Falls Caravan Park, Katoomba
Town & Country Estate, Marsden Park
Sydney Lakeside Narrabeen, Narrabeen
Lane Cove River Tourist Park, North Ryde
Ourimbah Rest Area, Ourimbah (Rest Area)
Sydney Gateway Holiday Village, Parklea
Patonga Camping Area, Patonga
Sheralee Caravan Park, Rockdale
St Ives Showground, St Ives (DFP)
The Grand Pines, San Souci
Ocean Beach Holiday Park, Umina
A-Vina Van Village, Vineyard (DFP)
Woronora Caravan Park, Woronora
Del Rio Riverside Resort, Wisemans Ferry

The Palms at Avoca, Avoca Beach Ph: 02 4382 1227. No pets allowed.
UPDATED REPORT NEEDED

Bass Hill Tourist Park, Bass Hill From west, drive past the park turn right at traffic lights then do U turn at roundabout and turn left thru traffic lights then turn left into the park entrance. Ph: 02 9724 9670. Family Parks member. No pets allowed.
Manager Robyn Dunn. It is an old park but is being rejuvenated, Permanents have moved out, extra cabins being installed but same number of tourist van sites being retained. Friendly staff. Price was as expected, reasonable value for money ($25 2A per night powered). Amenity number was adequate to cope with the number of people, are close to most sites, were clean, condition is reasonable, water pressure is good, there was adequate hot water, dry change area, exhaust fans/good ventilation. Adequate number of tourist sites, mostly level sites, good night lighting, average sized sites, adequate taps close by, adequate sullage close by. Basic laundry, no rec room, car wash, secure entry. Noisy, claustrophobic park, not enough shade, no permanents. No bbqs, no playground, no pool.
Likes: Conveniently located west of Sydney.
Parking: Manager will raise boom gate to allow access while checking in, to make sure car and van are clear of highway traffic.
Local Information: Shopping centre close by, train station about 1.5 km.
Date 07/2006. Park Rating 3: Suitable for a week or more.
Report submitted by Liverpool Fred, Vic.

Blackheath Caravan Park, Blackheath Prince Edward Street. 1 km from the highway, opposite the swimming pool. Ph: 02 4787 8101. No pets allowed.
The park is generally well laid out with reasonable van space. The amenities are its biggest downfall, as it gets a lot of overnight tourist traffic from Sydney so they are always messy and dirty. Friendly staff. Price was as expected. Amenity number was adequate to cope with the number of people, are close to most sites, were dirty, condition is reasonable, water pressure is good, there was adequate hot water, disabled facilities, some level sites, good night lighting, average sized sites, concrete annex slabs. Quiet, open & roomy park, plenty of shade.
Likes: Locations to the Blue Mountains.
Dislikes: Dirty amenities.
Date 03/2008. Park Rating 2:
Report submitted by D Allen.

Manager's name is Merv & Christine Tregeagle. Late check out allowed but must pay for extra day. Friendly staff, staff offered tourist advice, staff explained park layout and facilities. Price was as expected, good value for money ($38.00 2A 2C per night). 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, separate bathroom, soap provided, paper towels/dryer provided, exhaust fans/good ventilation, disabled facilities. Adequate number of tourist sites, mostly level sites, good night lighting, large sites, concrete annex slabs. Good laundry, no rec room. Peaceful, open & roomy park, plenty of shade, family/friendly atmosphere, no permanents. No playground, no pool. Suitable for a week or more, well maintained park, park is considered kid-safe.
Likes: Quiet, peaceful and clean amenities.
Parking: Plenty of room to park.
Local Information: Blackheath is a lovely central town, a great base for the Blue Mountains.
Roads: Good.
Date 10/2007. Park Rating 3.5:
Report submitted by Sue, Lysterfield.

Poplar Caravan Park, Camden Macarthur Road. Ph: 02 4658 0485. Before contemplating this park, note that the amenities block is one complete floor up, ascended by wooden steps. For anyone with mobility difficulties, this park is no-go.
UPDATED REPORT NEEDED

Colo Heights Caravan Park, Colo Heights Heading north from Windsor towards Singleton, cross bridge at Colo River and stop at service station.
UPDATED REPORT NEEDED

Park is divided into 2 levels. Top most is level but susceptible to road noise, with few powered sites. Lower section is mostly powered but uneven, with some sites likely to flood in heavy rain. Taps available only on a third of sites. No sullage or slabs on any sites. Had to ask permission to have the boom gate opened every time we wanted to go in/out as it did not operate properly. The real amenities is at back of service station. Fairly clean but needs some attention. Dim yellow lighting a problem though. There is a second separate amenities block in the park which should not only be avoided, but should be condemned! This one has broken light fittings, no hot water, and floor waste drains out the door. Mrs nearly cried when she thought she'd had to have a cold shower. Adults $10/night each, kids $5/night.
Lieke: Camp fires allowed in pre-existing fire places.
Dislikes: Were told that the small family dog was not welcome, but rule is not enforced. At least 3 dogs were roaming freely through the park over our 2 night stay. Water and drain hoses froze solid in mid August.
Park Rating 2.5: Not more than a few nights.
Report submitted by Owen & Loraine Draper-Roberts, NSW.

Dural Village Caravan Park, Dural Top Tourist member. Stayed 3 days $28.00 per night powered site with discount. We thought this was a little high, but we were in Sydney and close to everything. Reception was very friendly and we were allocated Site 36. We had difficulty parking and an employee came over and helped Leszek park. Not that it was a tight spot, just the road was a bit narrow and we just had a bit of a problem that day. Our site was a spacious level slab with grass and morning shade. The amenities block, which is central to the park, was large and spotless. Even though we have our own van toilet/shower, Leszek decided to use the spotless amenities and found the water pressure very good. The laundry was also spotless - they sure take pride in their cleaning. There are many permanents but their homes and gardens were beautifully maintained. The owner holds a contest each year and a prize given to the permanent with the best garden. And it shows! The swimming pool is clean, large and under shade cloth. Entry is via a boom gate and the kiosk also has internet facilities. The pub next door is great value, although can be a little loud on Friday night. We had two wonderful meals there - duck to die for, and delicious lamb shanks. If we had stayed longer we would have eaten there every night. We would highly recommend this park - it is spotless, friendly, central, bus at the door, and the wonderful pub next door. What more would we want - we would definitely stay again.
Date 02/2006. Park Rating 5:
Report submitted by Leszek and Jackie, Queanbeyan.

Nepean River Holiday Village, Emu Plains Mackellar Street, northern side of railway line, past Penrith end of the station. Ph: 02 4735 6301. Family Parks member. No pets allowed.
Friendly staff, good staff response to complaints. Price was as expected, good value for money. 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, dry change area, paper towels/dryer provided, exhaust fans/good ventilation, disabled facilities. Adequate number of tourist sites, mostly unlevel sites, good night lighting, large sites, concrete annex slabs, drive-through sites, adequate taps close by, adequate sullage close by. Good laundry, secure entry. Quiet, open & roomy park, family/friendly atmosphere. Clean UC gas bbq, congenial bbq area atmosphere, bbq area lighting, seating provided at bbq. Clean pool is open to sun, kid-safe pool area. Suitable for month or longer, suitable for families, well maintained park.
Likes: Easy to access from the old highway. Easy walk to the railway with many express trains to Sydney - pensioners & NSW seniors can access all government transport for $2.50
Date 04/2007. Park Rating 4:
Report submitted by Peter Davidson.

Katoomba Falls Caravan Park, Katoomba Opposite entry to Katoomba Falls walk. Ph: 02 4782 1835. No pets allowed.
UPDATED REPORT NEEDED

Town & Country Estate, Marsden Park Hollinsworth Road. Ph: 02 9628 4757.
We were charged $25 per night. Visiting relatives (Mt Druitt area) in Sydney and thought we would try this park as it is closer to their house. Previously we have stayed at Nepean River Holiday Village (Emu Plains) which is fine; just thought to try something different. Driving along Hollinsworth Road through the farms certainly does give a country feel to the area. The Caravan Park has some 240+ sites the vast majority of which are taken up by permanent's, either in old style vans with aluminium annexes or relocatable homes. There also seemed to be quite a few "long term" sites though not many "tourist" sites were marked on the park map in reception. In future I would book ahead to make sure of a site. Reception was very friendly and welcoming, particularly as we were not sure as to the length of our stay. We were asked if our van was less than 20' and then they rang one of the grounds people to check on the site. The entrance/exit is card boom gated and the internal roads, named after birds, are one-way. We were assigned site 44 near the amenity block and we were met at the site by a grounds person who asked if we needed assistance to park the van. On viewing the site we declined the offer, as it was no problem to back onto the unusually wide site. The park does run down a hill but there were two large level slabs and a driveway for the vehicle with nice lush grass around the site and between the van slabs and the driveway. Clearly the site was used for a permanent dwelling at some stage due to its size/layout plus power, water, sullage pipe remains, and a disconnected Foxtel dish were at the back of the site. Most of the sites that were empty appeared to be very similar to this. The park has a large number of trees providing shade throughout the park and some of the gardens around the relocatable homes in particular are just magnificent. There is a swimming pool, playground communal area, gas BBQ's etc somewhat off to the side of the general park area behind some relocatable homes in a delightful bush setting. The only rubbish/recycle bins are located in this area and you are asked to collect your rubbish and take them to these bins. However as this area is somewhat "offsite/open" the change-room/toilets near the pool appeared to be somewhat vandalised. The large very clean amenity block had 12 cubicles down one side and 12 showers down the other, plus a large wheelchair accessible toilet and shower heading each row. Three porcelain urinals, plus 8 hand basins with plenty of power points completed the "men's". Interestingly was the absence of "no smoking" signs and I saw some women taking advantage of this as they entered their toilets with freshly lit cigarettes. The Laundry had about 5 washing machines and 2 dryers (all $3 a load) plus there was plenty of cloths line space. On the second evening we experienced a tropical downpour including pea-sized hailstones. However the water ran down the hill, around our concrete slabs, and caused us no problems whatsoever, though some of the long term vans annex tent pegs, under the weight of the water on their awnings, pulled out of the very soft waterlogged ground. We did run into a number of staff during our stay and they were all very cheery, greeting us with a hello/chat etc, or a wave if they were driving past which they seemed to do quite often. The one problem with respect to the Park's location would be the Hollinsworth/Richmond Road intersection. If you wish to do a right-hand turn towards the M7/Rooty Hill North Road during Peak Hour it can be a trial. Richmond Road is a very very busy road between 8:00-9:00am, seemingly whenever we wanted to move. When we left to come home we went straight to the M7 and 30mins later we left Sydney, and its storms, behind. Yes we most certainly will stay there again, not only because it was close to our relatives (near Carlisle Av/Jersey Road corner, about 6km away) but we felt quite comfortable there, particularly as we were not squashed in like sardines. What we term that horrid "white wall view" was at least 10' away from our awning, not 10" as we find is often the case with caravan parks.
Date 12/2007. Park Rating 4:
Report submitted by Ron & Shirley.

Sydney Lakeside Narrabeen, Narrabeen 38 Lake Park Road, North Narrabeen. Off Pittwater Road at North Narrabeen intersection has a set of traffic lights with a turning arrow for those heading north on Pittwater Road. Ph: 02 9913 7845 or 1800 008 845. BIG4 member.
A BIG4 Park that is worth its 4 Stars. At $45 for a powered site for 2 adults in low season it is expensive, but you pay for the excellent facilities and the nearby beach. It has all the facilities you could require, and all are clean and well maintained. Access to everything except for the BBQ and playground is by a swipe card. Even the gate to the beach requires the card - although you can walk down to the river end of the park and there is no fence. A surf beach and sea water pool are a short walk away. The large open park has fairly level, large lawn sites with sullage, water & power close by - but no concrete slabs and little shade. There are several accessible dump sites for motorhomes. This is definitely a "holiday park" where you could relax for a few days, but it may get busy and noisy in holiday season. There is no kiosk and it is a good long walk to the shopping centre.
Date 08/2009. Park Rating 4:
Report submitted by geof.

Very friendly staff, good staff response to complaints, staff explained park layout and facilities. Price was as expected, good value for money ($45.00 2A per night powered, off-peak period). 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, paper towels/dryer provided, disabled facilities. Adequate number of tourist sites, mostly level sites, large sites, no sites with concrete annex slabs, very few sites are shaded, drive-through sites, adequate taps close by, adequate sullage close by. Good laundry, good rec room, good camp kitchen, disabled facilities, dump point, secure entry. Peaceful, open & roomy park, not enough shade, family/friendly atmosphere. Clean UC gas bbq, bbq area lighting, seating provided at bbq. Basic playground in good condition. No pool. Suitable for a week or more, suitable for families, well maintained park.
Likes: An open grassy park, well maintained. On the side of Narrabeen Lake. Bus directly outside the park for transport to Manly to ferry to Circular Quay. The Pittwater RSL bus picks and drops off in the park, but do ring and book regardless of what you are told at reception.
Parking: Good long lane to pull into when booking into park.
Date 02/2009. Park Rating 4.5:
Report submitted by Kedron308.

Lane Cove River Tourist Park, North Ryde Plassey Road off Delhi Road near M2off Lane Cove River Road, Macquarie Park (Lane Cove). 1�km from the Delhi�Road intersection. Part of Lane Cove National Park. Entrance to Park is included in site fee. If booking in advance park will send out printed directions. No pets allowed. Ph: 02 9888 9133 or 1300 729 133.

Very friendly staff, staff offered tourist advice, staff explained park layout and facilities. Price was as expected. Amenity number was adequate to cope with the number of people, are close to most sites, were clean, condition is reasonable, water pressure is good, there was adequate hot water. Basic laundry. Peaceful. Clean bbq. Clean pool is shaded, tables and chairs provided. Suitable for a week or more, well maintained park.
Likes: Will be a return guest, love the location, bird life, great to see that they have put in irons, ironing boards and a few extra touches to cabins. Staff friendly.
Dislikes: No privacy curtains, curtains very old, cobwebs, cabins need some basic maintenance done.
Added Touches: Have bike hire, and night walks very informative.
Roads: good
Date 05/2009. Park Rating 3.5:
Report submitted by Ken & Pam.

We have been awarded the best Tourist & Caravan Park in Australia at the National Tourism Awards in Melbourne the other week. The amenities near the office has been completely refurbished, there is a very large flat screen TV in the TV room now, and at the moment we have about a dozen baby brush turkeys running around near the office.
Date 03/2009.
Update submitted by Keith, Lane Cover River Tourist Park.

Manager's name is Andrew Daff. 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, there was adequate hot water. Average sites, adequate number of tourist sites, sites were level, annexe slabs were available. Good atmosphere to park, quiet, open and roomy park, family-friendly park. Good playground, condition okay. Suitable for a few days, suitable for families.
Likes: We got there with 10 mins. to spare before the office shut. Needless to say I was a little on edge. The staff were really helpful and had a real calm about them.
Dislikes: It had been raining for days when we arrived at Lane Cove so it was very wet and muddy under foot. The ramp to the amenities was a little slippery due to the rain and the fact that the shrubs overhung the path.
Date 06/2008. Park Rating 3.5:
Report submitted by The Hamiltons.

Managed by NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service. Friendly staff, staff offered tourist advice, staff explained park layout and facilities. Price was as expected, reasonable value for money ($36 2A per night powered). Amenity number was adequate to cope with the number of people, are close to most sites, were clean, condition is poor, water pressure is good, there was adequate hot water, soap provided, paper towels/dryer provided, exhaust fans/good ventilation, disabled facilities. Inadequate number of tourist sites, some level sites, poor night lighting, average sized sites, concrete annex slabs, adequate taps close by, adequate sullage close by. Good laundry, basic rec room, good camp kitchen, disabled facilities, dump point, secure entry. Peaceful, open & roomy park, plenty of shade, family/friendly atmosphere. Congenial bbq area atmosphere, bbq area lighting, seating provided at bbq. Clean pool is open to sun, kid-safe pool area. Suitable for a week or more.
Likes: Seniors discount offered, handy to M2 and Ryde commercial centre and public transport to city.
Dislikes: Messy, roads not swept, waste bins very dirty and bin area badly lit.
Parking: Van parking lane outside reception good for 2 or 3 units
Added Touches: Free courtesy bus to Ryde RSL Club arranged by reception staff
Local Information: Close to city by train and bus
Date 03/2008. Park Rating 2.5:
Report submitted by Peter & Elaine.

Ourimbah Rest Area, Ourimbah On west side the Sydney-Newcastle Freeway, 34 kms north of the Hawkesbury River, 70 kms south of start of freeway (from Newcastle end). Well signposted. Access from both sides of freeway. Day/overnight use only.
UPDATED REPORT NEEDED

Clean toilet block, ample parking in street-type parking, but set-up to allow caravan rigs. Playground, UC BBQs.
Campground Rating 2:
Report submitted by Badger.

Sydney Gateway Holiday Village, Parklea Also known as Parklea Village Resort Park. 30 Majestic Drive. Travel North on Sunnyholt Road from Blacktown City Centre, about 5 km on left. Easy to find, directly opposite Parklea Markets. Ph: 02 4379 9422 or 1800 080 117 or 02 8814 4299. BIG4 member. No pets allowed.
If using a GPS be careful as the street address may not show as being in Parklea. 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 ($47 A3 per night, ensuite, peak season). Amenity number was adequate to cope with the number of people, are close to all sites, were clean, condition is very good, water pressure is good, there was adequate hot water. Adequate number of tourist sites, mostly level sites, good night lighting, sites will accommodate medium to large vans, concrete annex slabs to most sites, shade to some sites, adequate taps close by, adequate sullage close by. Good laundry, good rec room, good camp kitchen, kiosk. Peaceful, open & roomy park, plenty of 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 shaded, kid-safe pool area, tables and chairs provided. Suitable for a week or more, well maintained park.
Likes: This is a great park, close to the main roads in Western Sydney and yet not far from the RiverCat to get to the city
Dislikes: Traffic noise, but then again we live in the bush.
Local Information: This is a good base when visiting Sydney, it's very easy to get to and once settled in you can drive with ease to the attractions of Sydney. Once your visit is over then it's almost next to the major motorways leading north, west or south. You have next to no city traffic to negotiate with your van
Date 01/2010. Park Rating 5:
Report submitted by Malcolm and Maya.

At $43 per night for 2A in ensuite it's worth it for a well maintained and run park. Friendly management, management responsive to comments, management was helpful. Very good value for money. Very good amenities, were clean, were in good condition, water pressure was okay, there was adequate hot water. Very good sites, adequate number of tourist sites, lighting at night was adequate, the site size was okay, annexe slabs were available, drive-through sites were available, adequate taps close by, adequate sullage close by. Laundry, rec room, kiosk, disabled facilities, dump point, security entry to park. Good atmosphere to park, family-friendly park. UC bbq. Good playground. Good clean pool, kid-safe pool area, seating around the pool was provided. Suitable for a week or more, suitable for families, the park was well maintained.
Likes: Good size ensuite. Well maintained park.
Dislikes: Finding it on GPS. When we arrived information sheet given then said enter "Stanhope Gardens" on GPS.
Local Information: Lots of local information supplied.
Date 10/2008. Park Rating 5:
Report submitted by Don & Jenni, Lithgow.

One of the few parks we have visited with a high AAA rating that actually lives up to the rating. 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 ($30 2A per night). Amenity number was adequate to cope with the number of people, are close to all sites, were clean, condition is very good, water pressure is good, there was adequate hot water, separate bathroom, soap provided, dry change area, paper towels/dryer provided, exhaust fans/good ventilation, disabled facilities. Adequate number of tourist sites, mostly level sites, good night lighting, average sized sites, concrete annex slabs, adequate taps close by, adequate sullage close by. Good laundry, good rec room, late checkout allowed (up to noon), good camp kitchen, kiosk, disabled facilities, dump point, secure entry. Quiet, open & roomy park, plenty of shade, family/friendly atmosphere. Clean free electric bbq, UC congenial area, lit with seats. No playground. Clean pool is shaded, kid-safe pool area, tables and chairs provided. A well maintained park, park is considered kid-safe.
Likes: Well maintained, close to all amenities, willingness of staff to be of assistance, welcoming handout of literature and local "what to do".
Local Information: Parklea Markets directly opposite.
Date 05/2006. Park Rating 4.5: Suitable for any length stay.
Report submitted by Barry and Jo Konemann, Bathurst NSW.

Patonga Camping Area, Patonga The park is located at the end of Bay Street (end of the road) on the confluence of the bay and the creek. Ph: 02 4325 8222. No pets allowed.
Patonga camp ground is owned by Gosford City Council. For bookings ring between 9.00 am and 5.00pm Monday to Friday. The ranger is about the park most of the day but the office is only open from 1.00pm and check in time is 1.00pm. The park seems to be quiet through the week in the off season, but it is almost impossible to get a booking over the weekends when the park packs out with locals. I believe the park is very noisy on weekends when the park is full but during the week it is very peaceful. Amenities are accessed via a pin number. Very friendly staff, good staff response to complaints, staff explained park layout and facilities. Price was as expected, reasonable value for money ($27.002A per night, off-peak period). 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, exhaust fans/good ventilation, disabled facilities. Adequate number of tourist sites, mostly level sites, good night lighting, average sized sites, no sites with concrete annex slabs , shade to some sites, adequate taps close by. Basic laundry, no rec room. Peaceful, open & roomy park, not enough shade, family/friendly atmosphere, no permanents. Excellent playground in good condition. No pool. Suitable for few days.
Likes: There is a boat ramp at the park.
Dislikes: Park grounds are very well used and there is not a lot of grass on the sites, this is simply because of over use.
Parking: There is not any real check in parking area and if you arrive before the 1.00pm check in time it is not easy to park a caravan and wait till the office opens. The easiest is to park out in the street and walk in to see if you can find the ranger who runs the park.
Local Information: The local pub has great restaurant quality meals. There is a tennis court for hire at the park. A small general store for supplies but larger shops are only about 10km away.
Date 02/2009. Park Rating 4:
Report submitted by Kedron308.

Sheralee Caravan Park, Rockdale 88 Bryant Street. Ph: 02 9567 7161. No card facilities, cash only. Member of CCIA. Pets at manager's discretion.
Manager's name is Ann Mogford. Very friendly staff, van parking assistance provided by staff. Price was as expected, reasonable value for money ($35 2A per night powered, off-peak period). 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. Adequate number of tourist sites, average sized sites, no sites with concrete annex slabs, shade to some sites, drive-through sites, adequate taps close by, adequate sullage close by. Basic laundry, dump point. Quiet, open & roomy park, plenty of shade, a few permanents. No pool. Suitable for few days, well maintained park.
Date 02/2009. Park Rating 4:
Report submitted by Gordon Wright.

Manager's name is Ann Mogford. Friendly staff, staff helped us at the site, staff explained park layout and facilities. Price was higher than expected, poor value for money ($33.00 2A per night). Inadequate number of amenities, are close to only some sites, were dirty, condition is poor, water pressure is good, soap provided, exhaust fans/good ventilation, disabled facilities. Inadequate number of tourist sites, some level sites, poor night lighting, hard to negotiate into site, adequate taps close by, adequate sullage close by. Quiet, claustrophobic park, plenty of shade, too many permanents. Dirty gas bbq (free), dismal bbq area atmosphere. No playground, no pool. Suitable for overnighter.
Dislikes: Would not stay again, too run down and shabby - totally lacks tourist atmosphere.
Parking: No - had to reverse out onto street to allow a van to leave before I could be directed to site.
Local Information: Close to CBD of Rockdale and south eastern beaches of Sydney, easy rail commute to city.
Roads: Good roads and easy to find.
Date 04/2008. Park Rating 1:
Report submitted by Peter & Elaine.

St Ives Showground, St Ives Mona Vale Road. This showground is a few kms north east of the St Ives shops, heading for Mona Vale. Dogs allowed under control.
Finally, a place in Sydney that will take campers with dogs. Large, bush setting. Fairly quiet (for Sydney), good security, friendly rangers. Remember, this is a showground so don't expect luxury - just tidy, basic amenity blocks with plenty of water. Walking tracks at the rear of the showground. These facilities are regularly used by sports groups etc, which we found very good. Friendly management. Very good value for money. Average amenities, adequate number to cater for tourists, there was adequate hot water. Average sites, adequate number of tourist sites, the site size was okay. Good atmosphere to park, quiet, open and roomy park, shady park, family-friendly park.
Likes: The rangers were happy to stop by every day for a chat. Ranger lives on site and is very fussy about security. We always felt secure and comfortable. Lots of local walks. Convenient to northern beaches. Very clean.
Dislikes: Not near any public transport. We were told you could drive to St Ives shops and catch buses if required
Parking: Drive in and find a site near the grandstand. The ranger will find you.
Date 06/2006. Park Rating 3:
Report submitted by Bungendore.

The Grand Pines, San Souci 289 The Grand Parade. No entry to park from this road. Entry to park is 112 Alfred St (street behind The Grand Parade). Ph: 02 9529 7329.
UPDATED REPORT NEEDED

Ocean Beach Holiday Park, Umina Through Woy Woy to Umina, at the end of Sydney Avenue adjacent to surf club. Ph: 02 4379 9444 or 1800 611522. BIG4 member. No pets allowed.
A difficult park to find - no signs till actually at the park, even though Umina is only small, the park is hidden behind the surf club, down a long unkempt road. It is a large park, right on the beach, with many, many cabins and holiday permanents. The tourist sites seem to be located where there is a space, so no congenial atmosphere for travellers. Amenities were cleaned twice a day (what a refreshing change that is) and were sparkling. There is a large tent area beside the creek, which looked very pleasant. The swimming pool is very kid friendly, there is also a playground and jumping pillow. Be aware that TV reception is very poor, but "premium" sites are available (no doubt at a premium price), where an aerial is provided, but none of those sites were big enough for our 25' van. BBQs were situated more for the cabins. There is a caf� near the pool. Reception had no reaction to our complaint about lack of signage, otherwise they were friendly enough and offered tourist advice. We weren't offered assistance or shown to site, but didn't ask if that service was available. Umina is a good place to be based to tour the Central Coast - a ferry can be taken from Ettalong to Palm Beach, then buses to Manly or Sydney city. Terrigal is a good place for lunch and there is a lovely drive around MacMasters Beach and Copacobana.
Likes: The continuing effort in keeping the park clean and rubbish free.
Dislikes: The worst toilet paper ever, anywhere.
Date 04/2009. Park Rating 4: Would certainly stay again.
Report submitted by Fnj Sunshine Coast.

Friendly staff, average staff response to complaints, van parking assistance provided by staff, staff explained park layout and facilities. Price was much higher than expected, poor value for money ($100.00 2A 2C per night powered). Amenity number would not cope in peak times, are close to most sites, cleanliness was average, condition is reasonable, water pressure is good, there was adequate hot water, separate bathroom. Adequate number of tourist sites, mostly level sites, good night lighting, average sized sites, concrete annex slabs, adequate sullage close by. Basic laundry, basic rec room, good camp kitchen. Peaceful, claustrophobic park, plenty of shade, family/friendly atmosphere. Clean UC electric bbq ($1), congenial bbq area atmosphere. Good playground in good condition. Clean pool is shaded, kid-safe pool area, tables and chairs provided, toddlers catered for, Suitable for few days, well maintained park.
Likes: Kids friendly
Dislikes: The cost far too expensive. Amenities could do with a spruce up if you are charging fees of that magnitude. Dump Master too far from caravan sites.
Added Touches: Free kids activities during the day
Date 01/2007. Park Rating 3:
Report submitted by RK, Bentleigh East Vic.

A-Vina Van Village, Vineyard The park is located in Commercial Road Vineyard on the Northern side of Windsor Road about 6 kilometres east of Windsor, 48km north west of Sydney. Windsor Road carries traffic between the Hills District (Baulkham Hills) and Windsor. Ph: 02 9627 1847. Pets at manager's discretion.
UPDATED REPORT NEEDED

Nice little park on outskirts of Sydney. Good value for money considering availability and area. Pet friendly. Friendly staff, staff explained park layout and facilities. Price was as expected, reasonable value for money ($180.00 2A per week powered). Amenity number was adequate to cope with the number of people, are close to most sites, were clean, condition is reasonable, water pressure is good, there was adequate hot water. Adequate number of tourist sites, mostly unlevel sites, good night lighting, average sized sites. Basic laundry, kiosk, secure entry. Quiet, open & roomy park, plenty of shade, family/friendly atmosphere. Clean pool is open to sun, kid-safe pool area. Suitable for a week or more, well maintained park.
Likes: Good access for large van, friendly staff, lots of grass.
Dislikes: Unlevel sites.
Local Information: Close to Windsor for all facilities, public transport available to Sydney, good choice of local golf courses.
Roads: Windsor Road general 4 lane road with some sections still being worked on. Roads from Windsor Road to park are all bitumen two lane country roads.
Park Rating 4:
Report submitted by Stu & Deb, Rockingham WA.

Del Rio Riverside Resort, Wisemans Ferry From Sydney, take Webbs Creek ferry not Wisemans ferry. Ph: 02 4566 4330. No pets allowed.
Friendly staff. Price was lower than expected, very good value for money ($28 2A C1 per night). Amenity number would not cope in peak times, are close to most sites, were clean, condition is reasonable, water pressure is good, there was adequate hot water, paper towels/dryer provided. Adequate number of tourist sites, mostly level sites, good night lighting, large sites. Good laundry, basic rec room, late checkout allowed (up to noon), good camp kitchen, kiosk, disabled facilities, secure entry, van parking. Peaceful, open & roomy park, plenty of shade, family/friendly atmosphere. Clean gas bbq in UC area, 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 families, well maintained park, park is considered kid-safe.
Likes: as this was our first camping trip we didn't want to stray too far from home so we chose this park as it was just an hour's drive. The good wife was a bit sceptical but once we got inside the park, the peaceful atmosphere and general contentment of all the other campers calmed our nerves and before we knew it the tent was up and we were in the pool taking a refreshing swim as I think it was 33 degrees that day. They had a great golf course on one side, the river on the other and a high hill on the other - this came in handy around 7pm when the sun became blocked out and cooled the place down. The wife now loves camping and we will be back there again next time we feel like taking a break. Nearly every activity imaginable - tennis, golf, bike riding, water skiing, swimming, volleyball, kids park - this is THE place.
Dislikes: just a suggestion is to place more shade closer to the pool. When you are supervising kids swimming in the water you are fully exposed to the sun.
Parking: visitors car park first then proceed to site after booking/checking in
Added Touches: they had free kids activities (times were printed on a sheet and given at check-in), free movies on a big screen, a small, clean club offering delicious meals
Local Information: great region - rivers, bushland, hills, natural flora & fauna, peaceful serene area
Date 01/2006. Park Rating 5: suitable for any length stay.
Report submitted by Mark, Quakers Hill NSW.

Woronora Caravan Park, Woronora 1.2 km west of Sutherland Railway station in centre of Woronora. Ph: 02 9521 2291.
This park is now only permanents and do not accept any tourists vans / motor homes or tents as all sites are now occupied by permanents. After a difficult, steep drive in with no parking we were unable to stay. This may save someone the same bother.
Date 04/2008.
Report submitted by Peter & Elaine.

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