Camping in Australia during long weekends and public holidays.

 

Lovely Suzana rang me yesterday with the question "when can we start booking for Easter 2014?" We luckily had 1 powered campsite left and about 6 unpowered.

This question got me thinking ....

Before Rohan and I bought Halls Gap Lakeside Tourist Park we lived in Lorne for 13 years. Every summer our friends booked the same site at the same foreshore caravan park (in Lorne) for the last 30 years. It absolutely blew me away. I was intrigued. It was not only them, the park was full of people with the same story. They all knew eachother, their children spend every summer holiday together, it was like a little village within a little village! Only when somebodies health would not allow them to come any longer, they would release their site to make it available for the next generation of campers  for the next 30 years or so.

So when we bought Halls Gap Lakeside Tourist Park I said to myself, I am not going to do that, I believed it was just unfair for all the people who would like to camp one day at our gorgeous park during these very special occasions like Easter, Australia Day, Melbourne Cup weekend etc. I was going to give everybody a fair chance! Me being the naive migrant from Holland! I soon worked out that that was NOT going to happen. What was I thinking? Changing the Australian culture!?

Australians love their public holidays, their routines, their gatherings with friends or family, their campfires! They know that if they have a spot it is worth gold, because to get another spot in a different park in a different town is close to impossible. It does mean that  motorhomes (mostely Europeans) often get stranded on these public holidays.

So here to all Europeans travelling to Australia. Check out the public holidays for the state you are travelling to and ring ahead! (or check availability online and book at least for the public holidays) We do always keep a few unpowered spots spare because it is just too sad to see a stranded European family with some very tired kids who have been driving all day hopeful of a spot to rest their heads for the night.

I collected the following information form the migration office, just to inform migrants and travellers. Please be aware that each state celebrates different public holidays. The ones below are for Victoria. 

 

"Australians hold certain days each year as special days of national meaning. We may recognise the day with a holiday for everyone or we can celebrate the day as a nation with special events. Most states and territories observe some of the public holidays on the same date. They have others on different dates or have some days that only their state or territory celebrates. In larger cities, most shops, restaurants and public transport continue to operate on public holidays. In smaller towns, most shops and restaurants close. "

Christmas and Easter are two of the main public holidays. Some other important national dates are:

Australia Day

Australia Day, January 26, is the day we as a people and place celebrate our nationhood. The day is a public holiday. The day marks the founding of the first settlement in our nation by European people.

Anzac Day

Anzac Day is on April 25 the day the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) landed at Gallipoli in Turkey in 1915 during World War 1. This day is set apart to hold dear the memory of those who fought for our nation and those who lost their life to war. The day is a public holiday. We remember with ceremonies, wreath laying and military parades.

Melbourne Cup Day

Melbourne Cup Day happens on the first Tuesday of November each year. The cup is a world famous horse race. Most people whether at work, school or home, stop and watch the race on television. It is a public holiday in metropolitan Melbourne. In other places and mainly in the workplace, many people have a lunch or party to celebrate Melbourne Cup.

For those who like to score a spot!!!

When we are fully booked for a particular long weekend or event we allow our guests to rebook their site or cabin up to 10 days after they leave. On day 11 anybody can book the unconfirmed/available sites. Cancellations are posted on our facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/hallsgaplakeside
We do not keep waiting lists!

If you are keen to read more about the history of camping in Australia, Bill Garner is publishing his book "born in a tent, how camping makes us Australian" in October 2013. Have a read on his blogpost if you are interested!

http://wheelercentre.com/dailies/post/c5c2a08b6632/

In October we will have a copy available for our guests, just give me a chance to read it first!

Cheers

Josephina

Sweet memories ... school holidays

We didn't go on holidays much as a child and if we did we used to go in a so called "vouw wagen" know as the camper trailer in Australia. My dad used to be a policeman, and a holiday was a very special event. We would set up camp in Renesse, a coastal town in Holland, about an hour and a half from where we lived. My older brother Bart and I often went rabbit watching, thousands of rabbits would hide in the dunes! My mum used to make a calendar before we left. We ended up with a long strip (14 to be exact) of guldens, which we could cut off on a daily basis or save. My brother Bart would use it daily on ice creams whilst I would save it until I had enough money to buy a toy from the camping reception. Hours and hours would I spend gazing at all the toys. It is funny to discover what little things made impact on you as a child which you never forget. With the school holidays fast approaching I wander what the kids take home from Halls Gap Lakeside. Will it be feeding the cockatoos, seeing the kangaroos,  swimming in the hot outdoor pool whilst it is winter, playing with Bubbles and Ruffles, climbing the Pinnacles, or buying lollies from reception?

High Rise ~ Man Made versus Nature

Where have I been?

I just noticed that it is over 1 year ago I posted my last post!

I have been here, at Halls Gap Lakeside Tourist Park.

I would have never known that a human body and mind was capable of what we have been doing in the last year, but I now know ... it is.

Last July we were living on a generator, installing new reception and new amenities. We were trying to get our heads around "how to run a park" and at the same time cleaning cabins, designing new ones, buying furniture online, cleaning amenities, renovating cabins, yes and of course cooking dinner every night. Not just for us, but also for family, friends and sometimes backpackers who were there to help us set up! Kids were trying to settle into their new school and bless for all the lovely people in Halls Gap who  made us feel so welcome and assisted us in running kids to cricket, dance and Auskick. As a mother there is nothing more soul warming then knowing that the household is running smooth and kids are having a childhood they can look back onto with a big smile on their face. I often say we worked 8 days a week, without having day 9 off! Fortunately the phones kept ringing, friendly faces kept coming through the doors and business went well.

So after 16 months of working straight it was time for us to take a break and we decided to visit friends and family back home (Holland) and take the kids to LEGOLAND in Denmark. We had a wonderful time reconnecting, enjoying each others company, seeing friends and family and watching BIG smiles on the kids faces. LEGOLAND was an absolute highlight!

Where do we start?
Paddy and Keira studying the Lego Land map.

On the way back we decided  to have a 2 night stopover in Dubai, to break up the trip a little. As you may all well know, the minute you are home, you are home. I fact all cars of the people who made sure the park ran whilst we were away were parked ready for departure when we arrived! (for fun of course!)

    













Staff ready for "take off"

So off to Dubai we went! Our 8 year old son had a big sleep on the plane and Rohan and I were so pleased! At least we would finish our holiday on a good note ... A nice dinner somewhere in Dubai, Wild Wadi, a world famous waterpark, some time at the resort and maybe even a night tour through the city! But no! Poor Paddy threw up the minute he woke up on the plane. In the plane, at the airport in the taxi and the next 12 hours in the hotel room. So our Dubai stopover turned into an indoor air conditioned (bless, it was 45 degrees outside)) gorgeous hotel room experience, with room service (after all we couldn't just leave Paddy behind) and taking it in turns enjoying the hotel pool with Keira.

                                                      

Keira and I enjoying "our turn"

 

Coming home was amazing. It was so nice to see our gorgeous two Border Collies "Bubbles" and "Ruffles", the park looked amazing, our house was sparkling (thanks to Di, our friend who took full responsibility for cooking and amenities whilst we were away!) my favourite mother in law (gorgeous Veronica) told me how much she loved me and missed me and Michaël our Belgium Backpacker told us he had enjoyed the responsibilities that much that he had decided to take on the job of manager (which we had offered him before we left).

 

Lucky I had asked Michael to put on staff in the reception for the 3 days after arrival, so we could acclimatise, unpack and slowly ease into it. Rohan and I had decided although we love working hard, it was important to take some time off and enjoy our own backyard. So more then a week back today we went for a lovely walk to Chatauqua Peak via Clematis Falls.

 

                                                       

Clematis Falls starting at the oval.



                                               

Views from "Chatauqua Peak"

 

It is soo good to be home!

 

And although it was delightful to float in the Indian Ocean watching the high rises in Dubai, I know which high rises I prefer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Power OFF!

Some experiences certainly strenghten you! Since we moved to Halls Gap on 23 March we have lived in many different circumstances with my latest one really testing me.
Living in a 2 bedroom cabin, with all belongings still packed in a shipping container, female hormones flowing through my body, 2 weeks of shool holidays, rain, a one hour conversation with Telstra, a kettle on the floor and a generator roaring in my ears.
You know what the worse thing was.... the only thing I really didnt cope with was not having the abilty to vacuum. So today, after all 3 buildings were demolished all lights turned on! HOORAH
But it is a sad discovery to see how dependent we've got on electricity and the luxury of modern days!
For now I am looking forward to new buildings arriving next week, I just might have to go online !!!! and buy some candles!
Sweet dreams,
Josephina

Halls Gap ... it is not just a place, it is the feeling you get when you visit this place!

Halls Gap based in the heart of the Grampians is rather MAGIC! It is one of these places where the minute you arrive, all your troubles fall away! Just about everyone who has visited Halls Gap as a child will return with their families. The crispy fresh air, the Australian wildlife, the stunning walks, waterfalls, lookouts and rocks, wildflowers, smells and what about the STARS. The many art galleries, a quirky barn, yammie lattes, the zoo and not to forget the adventure golf. Many lakes around to catch a fish. The perfect place to get away. 7 hours from Adelaide on the way to Melbourne, 1.5 hours from Ballarat, 1 hour from Hamilton, 3 hours from Lorne on the Great Ocean Road, close to Bendigo, 3 hours from Melbourne and only 40 minutes from Dunkeld. When I arrived here as a Dutch backpacker in 1999 my Australian boyfriend took me here. In March 2000 we got married ...YES, in Halls Gap! 12 years later we purchased Halls Gap Lakeside Tourist Park. Go with the flow and follow your dreams! Josephina