Caravan World Issue 617

If things are going as planned, we are out of lockdown, and many of us will be on the road somewhere. We are heading to the north coast of New South Wales. But with so many cases in Victoria, it's bound to be an uncertain prospect travelling in that state even if the potential for freedom has finally been achieved. While Victoria and New South Wales are finally open, our northern neighbour is locked up tight. Held back by slow vaccine uptake, have a thought for our fellow Queensland caravanners stuck in New South Wales who cannot cross the border to get home. It’s a sorry state in more ways than one, and you have to wonder where compassion and mateship have gone. In this issue, we ask readers what they think…

With a new management, BelgraviaPRO, Lake Calembeen Creswick Caravan Park is now known as Creswick Holiday Park with significant upgrades underway. New cabins, installation of boom gates, an upgraded camp kitchen and amenities block and a new children’s playground will be added to the Park. The Park, located in the former mining town of Creswick in west-central Victoria, approximately two hours away from Melbourne, is adjacent to Calembeen Lake and is a serene destination for holiday makers, fishing and swimming. The site is surrounded by forestry and the surrounding areas have plenty of trails for walking and hiking for outdoor travellers. Karen Golden, BelgraviaPro General Manager of Tourism and Wellness, said the Park is committed to providing guests with a unique and welcoming experience. “Through our future plans for upgrades to the Park, our goal…

Jayco has released ‘A Guide to your Jayco RV’ series on its Jayco Australia YouTube channel, aimed to teach travellers how to make the most of their trip. The online educational series will guide travellers on a range of ‘how-to’ topics, from connecting gas bottles to managing RV water tanks, effectively using the control panel, plus more. Chris Hoover, Jayco’s caravanning expert with over 19 years of experience in the RV industry, will feature in the videos. “We were finding that both new and seasoned RV enthusiasts had a strong demand for a dedicated online resource centre to help simplify things that they were unfamiliar with,” he said. With a video uploaded each week, the series is free to watch and can be revisited whenever travellers need refreshers, with new topics and products mentioned…

Epson has announced the results of its Climate Reality Barometer, showing the potentially damaging gap between climate reality and people’s understanding of its catastrophic effects. In August 2021, the IPCC reported that, even with massive emissions reductions, some climate change events could take millennia to reverse. Despite this, 46 per cent of all respondents are ‘very’ or ‘somewhat’ optimistic about humanity’s ability to avert a climate crisis within their lifetimes, compared to 27 per cent who expressed ‘very’ or ‘somewhat’ pessimistic. Of this optimism, 32 per cent said this was due to growing public awareness, 28 per cent due to the ability of science and technology to provide solutions and 19 per cent due to the move towards renewable energies. The top three events most associated with climate change in Australia were higher temperatures,…

The Blue Mountains is preparing for a surge in tourism now that lockdown has been lifted in Sydney. Jason Cronshaw, Blue Mountains Tourism president, said businesses are excited after the quiet the region has experienced in the recent years. “Everything’s still here — all the incredible landscapes, the fantastic experiences and the great food and wine, the charming guesthouses and grand hotels,” he said. “In fact, they’re probably even better because everyone has used the lockdown to mousse and spruce their properties, develop new menus and create new experiences.” Visitors are asked to plan ahead and prebook as travellers begin to flock to the region, or try to visit outside of popular times, either by visiting midweek or dining earlier than normal. With QR check-ins expected to stay, holidaymakers are also asked to be patient…

BIG4 St Helens Holiday Park is giving away 958 free nights to Tasmanians this November. The promotion is for 900 site nights and 58 accommodation nights for stay during November 2021. Peter Robinson, whose family has owned BIG4 St Helens for seven years, said Tasmanians deserve a break, with the giveaway inspired by the messaging of the recent RUOK? campaign. “This was the only thing I could think of and given accommodation is what we do, it seemed like a good fit,” he said. Angus Strachan, Director Business Services, BDO, who create the Caravan Industry of Australia’s Economic Benefit Report, said holiday parks are an enormous contributor to their regions. “Together with the well-established significant financial and employment contribution, they are also the reference point for holidaymakers to launch into exploring the region and surrounds,…