Exhibition Park in Canberra, Canberra
Eaglehawk Holiday Park, Eagle Hawk Hill
Canberra Motor Village, O'Conner
Crestview Tourist Park, Queanbeyan
Queanbeyan Riverside Tourist Park, Queanbeyan
Capital Country Holiday Village, Sutton
Canberra South Motor Park, Symonston
Canberra Carotel Motel, Watson

Entry to this park is confusing. It is within the Exhibition grounds seemingly plonked into a vacant area. There is no fence, security or boundary. We entered as suggested by a previous report - driving down the right side of the Caltex and right onto a ring road which eventually lead to a smattering of vans around the Amenities block. Speaking to a resident, it was necessary to turn left and follow the ring road until the booking office is seen. The site is exposed and open. The amenities were of poor quality and cleanliness. The resident indicated that the water was hot. Those with GPS should enter Flemington Road, Mitchell not Canberra. We did not stay.
Date 06/2008. Park Rating 1:
Report submitted by Jim - Willunga.

Located as part of the ACT showground complex. It is not open all year. It is closed during major events such as Summer Nats. We have stayed at most of the parks in the ACT over the past few years and this would rate as the best but it rates poorly in the wider tourism context. Sites are not particularly large and all are uneven. Cleanliness of sites is below average with broken glass on the site we were on. Amenities are barely adequate and poorly designed. Cleanliness is just adequate. Overall poor value for money but we would stay again in the absence of anything better in the ACT! Average management. Poor value for money.
Date 05/2008. Park Rating 2:
Report submitted by Vande.

Manager's name is Renae. This has to be the worst caravan Park I have ever stayed in. There attention to complaints is appalling, they blame you the customer. They don't care and there sites are just appalling. Their toilets backed up for over a week. Nothing was done to fix it. They only got better as people left. Very unfriendly staff, bad staff response to complaints. Price was higher than expected, poor value for money ($35 2A per night powered). Inadequate number of amenities, are close to only some sites, were dirty, condition is poor, water pressure is good, there was inadequate hot water. Adequate number of tourist sites, some level sites, good night lighting, small sites, drive-through sites, adequate taps close by, adequate sullage close by. Basic laundry, no rec room, late checkout allowed (up to noon). Quiet, claustrophobic park, not enough shade, no permanents. No pets allowed. Dirty gas bbq ($1), dismal bbq area atmosphere. Basic playground in average condition. Clean pool is open to the sun, pool area not considered kid-safe, toddlers catered for. Suitable for overnighter.
Dislikes: Staff, not shade, no dump point and the toilets were digusting. Pot holes everywhere
Local Information: The local attractions are awsome, Questacon a stand out.
Date 01/2009. Park Rating .5:
Report submitted by Chris.

Manager's name is Simon. $20 key deposit was refunded to another traveller so as their books balanced, refused to pay mine on return of key. Several other members of our large group had to argue to receive their deposits as well. Total lack of customer service, would not recommend this park to any traveller. Very unfriendly staff, bad staff response to complaints, staff explained park layout and facilities. Price was as expected, poor value for money ($30 2A per night powered). Inadequate number of amenities, are close to only some sites, cleanliness was average, condition is poor, water pressure is good, there was inadequate hot water, paper towels/dryer provided. Adequate number of tourist sites, mostly level sites, good night lighting, small sites, concrete annex slabs, drive-through sites, adequate taps close by, adequate sullage close by. Basic laundry. Quiet, claustrophobic park, not enough shade, no permanents. Suitable for overnighter.
Likes: Close proximity to shopping and town centre.
Dislikes: Cotton wool spider webs in amenities windows and occasional meetings with the inhabitants. Men's urinal blocked, (black spider they think), and overflowed closing men's amenities for a time.
Local Information: Football clubs have good facilities and do nice, reasonably priced meals.
Date 05/2008. Park Rating 1:
Report submitted by Jill & Barry, Port Augusta.

Unfriendly staff, bad staff response to complaints. Price was higher than expected, poor value for money ($30 2A per night powered). Amenity number would not cope in peak times, are close to most sites, cleanliness was average, condition is poor, water pressure is good, there was adequate hot water, soap provided, paper towels/dryer provided, exhaust fans/good ventilation. Inadequate number of tourist sites, mostly level sites, good night lighting, average sized sites, drive-through sites, adequate taps close by, adequate sullage close by. Good laundry, no rec room. Quiet, open & roomy park, not enough shade, family/friendly atmosphere. Good playground in average condition. Clean pool is open to sun, kid-safe pool area, toddlers catered for. Suitable for few days.
Dislikes: No lawns, all fine gravel. All sites are drive thru. No dump point. Poor staff attitude, poor amenities maintenance, limited shrubs or gardens.
Parking: Ample space at office for parking.
Local Information: Is close by to all tourist activities.
Roads: Very good bitumen.
Date 04/2008. Park Rating 2:
Report submitted by Peter & Elaine.

We stayed twice for a fortnight each time. For a city park it is pretty good. It is almost invisible from the road and is literally in bushland although there are not many trees in the park itself. It is very well situated as, once you get your bearings it is easy to get to any of the tourist attractions. If you ask they will give a bit of a discount for a week stay. The office stays open until 10:30pm and most of the staff are very helpful (if a bit lead footed around the park). WiFi cards are available at reasonable rates (but buy the card, don't do it on the net itself because the time is continuous and once you start you have to use it in one hit.) Good management, friendly management, management responsive to comments, management was helpful. Good value for money. Average amenities, were clean, water pressure was okay, there was adequate hot water. Good sites, sites were level, 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. Park atmosphere was okay.
Likes: The position is good. There is a wide variety of shopping centres within a few minutes drive.
Dislikes: They get a lot of school groups staying in cabins and dormitory accommodation during the week. They can get a bit noisy at times but the buses are very good when they depart in the mornings.
Local Information: If you want to see the big attractions, Monday mornings seems to be best before school tour groups hit the town. Would suggest that the Canberra Exhibition should be an early port of call as it has an excellent diorama and explanation of the layout of the place and it really helps to give you a good feel for getting around if unfamiliar. Everyone is extremely helpful. Expect to pay for parking everywhere. Heaps to see but nothing seems to open before 10 so there is plenty of time for leisurely breakfasts.
Date 03/2008. Park Rating 3.5:
Report submitted by Not So Grays.

Basic park with good position close to town. Not much else going for it, but quiet and convenient place to stay while visiting Canberra. Friendly staff, staff explained park layout and facilities. Price was higher than expected, reasonable value for money ($29.50 2A per night powered). Amenity number would not cope in peak times, are close to only some sites, were clean, condition is reasonable, 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, average sized sites, drive-through sites, adequate taps close by, adequate sullage close by. Basic laundry, no rec room, dump point. Quiet, open & roomy park. Two clean electric bbqs (20c) but not near caravan sites. Good playground in good condition. Clean pool is open to sun, kid-safe pool area. Suitable for a week or more.
Likes: Good position close to town and bus service.
Dislikes: Annex slabs small and narrow.
Parking: Good parking bay outside office.
Date 02/2008. Park Rating 2.5:
Report submitted by Jim and Jan, Buderim.

All sites are constructed of tiered bitumen. Barbeque is some distance from caravan sites but close to grass camping sites. Motor Village is large and has numerous motel units and cabins as well. Very friendly staff, good staff response to complaints, staff offered tourist advice, staff explained park layout and facilities. Price was as expected, good value for money ($22 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, 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, large sites, drive-through sites, adequate taps close by, adequate sullage close by. Good laundry, good rec room, kiosk, car wash, dump point, van parking. Quiet, open & roomy park, plenty of shade, family/friendly atmosphere. Good playground in good condition. Clean pool is shaded, kid-safe pool area. Suitable for a week or more, well maintained park.
Likes: Very close to the city most locals don't know its there. Park surrounded by bushland can see tower from camp area. Can purchase internet hours at park.
Dislikes: Amenities are clean but are tired looking near to be updated.
Parking: Plenty or area to book in.
Date 11/2007. Park Rating 4:
Report submitted by P & E, Aberfoyle Park.

Canberra Motor Village is well located for exploring the city and surrounds. It is close to O'Connor shops and Belconnen shopping centre and markets. It is a large park with many cabins and units and a good number of powered sites and camping sites. Amenities are basic but clean and require a $20 key deposit. Sites are fine for visiting all that Canberra has to offer, but do not inspire just sitting around and relaxing - there are few trees and no grass. Good views of Telstra Tower. No pets allowed as park is set in nature reserve. Friendly staff. Price was as expected, reasonable value for money ($32 2A per day 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, separate bathroom, soap provided, paper towels/dryer provided. Adequate number of tourist sites, mostly 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. Quiet, open & roomy park, not enough shade, family/friendly atmosphere, no permanents. Clean electric bbq (pay). Clean pool, 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: Close proximity to the City and places of interest. Set in a nature reserve.
Dislikes: BBQ a long way from some sites. Price a bit high for the facilities offered, but we visited at peak time (Floriade). Given what we had heard about other parks in Canberra, we were more than happy with our stay.
Parking: Parking provided near Reception
Local Information: The national capitol has so many places to visit, particularly the War memorial, National Museum and Gallery. Lovely bike tracks around the city and Lake Burley Griffin. Hire bikes from "Mr Spokes" at Commonwealth Park by the Lake. Nice Italian Restaurant in O'Connor.
Date 10/2007. Park Rating 4:
Report submitted by P&K, Bairnsdale.

Sites are a decent size and private with shrubs between each site for privacy. Base is a red crushed gravel, but the roads throughout the park are all tarred. Some sites are level, others are slightly sloping. There are two amenities blocks, both in average condition. Somebody should show the cleaners how to clean the amenities properly and remind them that they need to restock the toilet rolls on a daily basis, not when there is none left at all. One block is better than the other because the showers have their own drainage, whereas the showers in the other block only have one drain between the four showers. We stayed clear of these showers as we did not consider them very hygienic. There is a small pool that is solar heated, and a basic playground in average condition. The park was quite busy as are most of them in this region as there are not enough parks for the Canberra/Queanbeyan region. There are quite a few workers staying in the cabins whilst they try to find rental properties, which are lacking in this area. Average staff friendliness, staff explained park layout and facilities. Price was as expected, reasonable value for money ($33 2A 2C powered). Amenity number was adequate to cope with the number of people, are close to all sites, cleanliness was average, condition is reasonable, water pressure is good, there was adequate hot water. Inadequate number of tourist sites, some level sites, good night lighting, average sized sites. Good laundry, no rec room. Peaceful, open & roomy park, no permanents. Basic playground in average condition. Pool is open to sun.
Likes: The layout of the sites. They were very private.
Dislikes: The amenities. The shower cubicles were very small and had only hooks to place clothes on.
Date 05/2006. Park Rating 2: Suitable for few days.
Report submitted by Pete, Deb, Jack & Lucy, NSW.

When we return to this area we will stay at this park again. There is a bike/walking trail right at the front gate that will take you all the way to Canberra (12ks). Friendly staff, staff offered tourist advice, staff helped us at the site, staff explained park layout and facilities. Price was as expected, good value for money ($22 2A per night powered). 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, 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, adequate taps close by, adequate sullage close by. Good laundry, no rec room, car wash, dump point. Open & roomy park, not enough shade, family/friendly atmosphere. Clean UC electric bbq (free), congenial bbq area atmosphere. No playground, no pool. Suitable for a week or more. The park may state no dogs but there were a lot of dogs at the park when we stayed. All dogs were kept leashed so were not a problem. It was the fact that dogs were there that I based that pet were at the managers discretion.
Likes: We liked its location close to shops, club, hotels and most other things Queanbeyan has to offer. There is a off road bike trail at front gate. Good showers and toilet block and even though the park was full there was not any waiting for a shower etc. Easy to get to from any direction.
Dislikes: It does have road noise in the evenings and in the mornings but seemed ok over night.
Date 09/2007. Park Rating 4:
Report submitted by Ed & Annette.

Very friendly staff, good staff response to 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 lower than expected, very good value for money ($35 2A C3 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, 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, drive-through sites, adequate taps close by, adequate sullage close by. Good laundry, no rec room, late checkout allowed (up to noon). Peaceful, open & roomy park, not enough shade, family/friendly atmosphere. Clean electric bbq (free), congenial bbq area atmosphere, bbq area lighting, seating provided at bbq. No playground, no pool. Suitable for month or longer, suitable for families, well maintained park
Likes: The staff were incredibly helpful and friendly and the amenities were very clean.
Dislikes: Due to the drought there was no grass therefore everything was a dust bowl.
Added Touches: This camp is very basic, but the showers amenities are very clean and quite pleasant.
Local Information: It is located right in township, and on the river (which contains Platypus). Only a short drive to Canberra.
Date 09/2007. Park Rating 3:
Report submitted by L Johnston, Everton Hills Qld.

We were given a site backing onto the adjacent river, and there was a sharp bank down to the river - would be dangerous for young kids. Also, the road and site angles made backing in and unhooking difficult for these sites. Friendly staff, staff explained park layout and facilities. Price was as expected, reasonable value for money ($22 2A 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 bad, there was adequate hot water, separate bathroom, paper towels/dryer provided. Adequate number of tourist sites, some level sites, good night lighting, average sized sites, concrete annex slabs, adequate taps close by, adequate sullage close by. Basic laundry, dump point. Quiet, plenty of shade, family/friendly atmosphere. Clean electric UC bbq (free), congenial bbq area atmosphere, bbq area lighting. No playground, no pool. Suitable for a few days.
Dislikes: No shower screen or barrier to keep spray away from 'change' area, shower points straight at the area.
Parking: Limited space available.
Date 06/2007. Park Rating 3:
Report submitted by Ian_G.

I booked three nights in a cabin. The cabin was spotless and well maintained. The park is just across the road from the shopping centre, which includes Target and many food stores. Although the traffic is heavy during the day, it was very quiet at night. I enjoyed it so much I stayed an extra night. The only problem I encountered was that the manager informed me when booking that I needed to bring bedding, I mistakenly just brought sheets and towels. You must also bring blankets and a doona - it gets very cold at night! Very friendly staff, staff offered tourist advice. Price was as expected, very good value for money ($65 2A per night for a cabin). Peaceful, open & roomy park, plenty of shade, family/friendly atmosphere, no pool. A well maintained park.
Likes: Friendliness of the manager and other holiday makers.
Date 10/2006. Park Rating 4: Suitable for a week or more.
Report submitted by Diane Anderson, Abbotsford NSW.

Friendly staff. Price was higher than expected ($27.00 2A 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, soap provided, paper towels/dryer provided, exhaust fans/good ventilation. Adequate number of tourist sites, mostly level sites, poor night lighting, average sized sites, shade to most sites, drive-through sites, adequate taps close by, adequate sullage close by. Basic laundry, good camp kitchen, dump point. Noisy, open & roomy park, plenty of shade. No pool. Suitable for few days.
Likes: Mostly drive through sites, sealed bitumen, easy to park.
Dislikes: Park is catering for school visits to Canberra making it at times extremely noisy, particularly near the jumping pillow. Drive through sites are bordered by bushes giving insufficient room for the awning - trimming these bushes could improve the situation. Ceilings in amenity building consists of wooden slats with large gaps between them giving view into the roof space which is full of spider webs. Gives good ventilation but could do with a good cleaning. Permanents are situated at the back of the park behind the caravan area. The road between the parked caravans and sports area (Jumping Pillow, Tennis Court) is used as their access. This creates a lot of noise from cars passing through.
Date 04/2009. Park Rating 3:
Report submitted by Wolli.

Nice family park, we stayed in summer. Cabins would be better than camping in Canberra's cold winters. Quite a lot of permanent sites and many cabins available but over the other side from where we were so no problem to us. Also accommodation for groups but no one there whilst we stayed. Great playground, jumping pillow, mini golf (fee) and tennis (fee), as well as the pool. Friendly staff, good staff response to complaints, staff offered tourist advice, staff explained park layout and facilities. Price was higher than expected, reasonable value for money ($64 2A C4 per night powered). 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, paper towels/dryer provided. Adequate number of tourist sites, mostly level sites, poor night lighting, small sites, average sized sites, concrete annex slabs, drive-through sites, adequate taps close by, adequate sullage close by. Good laundry, good camp kitchen, kiosk, dump point. Peaceful, open & roomy park, not enough shade, family/friendly atmosphere. Clean UC gas bbq, congenial bbq area atmosphere, bbq area lighting, seating provided at bbq. Excellent playground in good condition. Clean pool is open to sun, kid-safe pool area, tables and chairs provided. Suitable for a week or more, well maintained park.
Likes: It was off season in NSW and the park was very quiet, which we appreciated. There are good facilities here. We camped on a grassy site which was lovely. The jumping pillow was a hit with the kids as well as the pool. Undercover bbq and kitchen area. Kangaroos roam around in the mornings and at dusk certainly a hit for the kids.
Dislikes: Probably because of off season but the games room was locked the whole week we were there.
Added Touches: Lake area near entrance, kids can feed ducks.
Local Information: 14 km to Canberra, which was a straight forward trip into town, good freeway. We tended to stay in town throughout the day and come back in the afternoon.
Date 12/2007. Park Rating 4:
Report submitted by Doug and Jo and family.

Unfriendly staff, bad staff response to complaints. Price was as expected, poor value for money ($30.00 2A 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, soap provided, paper towels/dryer provided. Adequate number of tourist sites, some level sites, good night lighting, average sized sites, concrete annex slabs, drive-through sites, adequate taps close by. Good laundry, no rec room. Quiet, open & roomy park, not enough shade. No pets allowed. Dirty UC electric bbq (pay), dismal bbq area atmosphere, seating provided at bbq. Basic playground in average condition. Dirty pool is open to sun, pool area not considered kid-safe. Suitable for overnighter.
Likes: Water pressure and heat in showers was great and no pay.
Dislikes: Bookings had to be altered as concrete slabs that had been requested were not supplied. Had a number of very large ducks from man made lake which were not only aggressive but left dropping everywhere, you needed a tarp to erect your annex or tent on top of or you would take the poop home with you. Walked it inside all the time as it was just all over the place, couldn't avoid it, which would turn me off going there again.
Added Touches: BBQ's provided did not work. When office asked to take a look, we were told to go find another one. As it was rainy it made for very unpleasant meals.
Local Information: Canberra is very close and has plenty to do. Local shop was very expensive.
Roads: Roads were good.
Date 09/2007. Park Rating 2:
Report submitted by 10 old farts.

Poor value for money ($28 2A). A few minutes north of the ACT border. Good park management, helped with queries, but not at the site. Level sites, some drive-through gravel sites (narrow). Park caters for large tour groups accommodated in cabins (mainly from schools). We stayed two weeks and every day was woken early by the noise of the tour buses warming up for long periods very early in the morning. The permanents do not have their own entry/exit at this stage and there was a continuous stream of cars along the road in the park. Jumping castle, mini-golf (fee), fenced pool. Kiosk. Dump point poorly sited, located very close to the BBQ area which made it very awkward the morning we were leaving when we emptied the cassette nearby to a large group enjoying a BBQ breakfast. Kangaroos keep the lawns trimmed. Amenities clean but worn. Laundry, also worn. Camp kitchen. Bore water, but separate drinking water available. Sullage outlet a bit pongy, we were given some drain pellets to put in the hole to improve things. Suitable for a week or more. Good for families, however we would look elsewhere if we visit the Canberra region again.
Likes: Country outlook
Dislikes: Tour bus noise, dump point location. Is a long way from Canberra attractions.
Date 11/2006. Park Rating 3:
Report submitted by Higgi & Bomber.

Manager B&M Tilden. Well laid out park set on 20 acres with ornamental lake with about 27 different kinds of birdlife with kangaroos on adjoining bush good for kids with jumping pillow, putt putt golf (fee), tennis (fee), good for large caravans and motor homes, fuel onsite. Busy at Easter and school holidays. Very friendly staff, staff offered tourist advice, staff explained park layout and facilities. Price was as expected, good value for money ($37.50 A4 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, paper towels/dryer provided, exhaust fans/good ventilation, disabled facilities. Adequate number of tourist sites, mostly level sites, poor night lighting, large sites, drive-through sites, adequate taps close by, adequate sullage close by. Good laundry, good rec room, good camp kitchen, kiosk, disabled facilities, car wash, dump point, van parking. Quiet, open & roomy park, plenty of shade, family/friendly atmosphere, no permanents. Clean 20c gas bbq in congenial UC area, seating provided. 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, park is considered kid-safe.
Likes: reasonably quiet for a large park, kids are off the roads at dark, plenty of room to move about.
Date 04/2006. Park Rating 3.5: Suitable for a week or more.
Report submitted by Chris Dircks, Revesby NSW.

A mixed bag of motel, cabins, powered and unpowered sites. I stayed in a cabin here in the late 70s and little appears to have been done to the park in the years since. It is messy, old and badly in need of a lot of TLC. Given what is happening in the area around the park one is left with the impression that there is no investment in the park with the owners waiting for a developer. Powered sites are uneven, small and generally poorly kept. We were in Canberra at the same time as a major car rally and park was full. Vans were on top of each other and it was impossible to put awnings out and barely enough room for a car on site. There is rubbish everywhere including broken glass (this was before the large group came in). Amenities are large but proved inadequate in this peak period. They were kept reasonable clean, although the main cleaning tool was a hose. Staff are friendly, welcoming and helpful. We would stay again in the absence of anything better in the ACT. When compared to other park options in the area it is reasonable value for money.
Dislikes: We visit Canberra for family reunion purposes. The poor standard of this type of accommodation is a constant disappointment.
Date 12/2006. Park Rating 2:
Report submitted by Vande, Bald Hills Qld.

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