I Swore I’d Never Stay at a Holiday Park… Until Now

We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the Countries on which these adventures take place who have occupied and cared for these lands, waters, and their inhabitants for thousands of years. We pay our respects to them and recognise that sovereignty was never ceded.

I swore I’d never camp in a holiday park. I’ve always associated them with being sandwiched amongst wall-to-wall caravans on a glorified gravel car park in a small holiday town at Christmas. It never felt like ‘real’ camping to me, a firm believer you had to go bush to get in touch with nature and explore the outdoors. But after a recent NSW road trip with my Mum, it’s safe to say I’ve changed my tune!

Quick Mum! Selfie!

Over a few classically cold but sunny winter days, we visited Lake Burrinjuck, Wee Jasper, and Bermagui, each time staying at a nature-based Reflections Holiday Park. Mum and I are no strangers to camping holidays but it’s normally in a back-to-basics campground or national park. Naturally, we weren’t entirely sure what to expect from the Reflections Holiday Parks, but it didn’t take long to convince us that this is an epic way to experience the outdoors.

Here are four good reasons to consider basing your next outdoor adventure around a Reflections Holiday Park:

Outdoors for Everyone

I’d argue that most people like to experience the outdoors in some capacity. But I also think, that not everyone who likes the outdoors also likes camping. Maybe they never camped as a kid, maybe they don’t have the gear or the money to spend on it, maybe it’s not physically accessible to them or it’s too tricky with little kids in tow or they just don’t want to sleep outside. But that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t get to experience playing around in nature!

The first thought that struck me at Burrinjuck Waters, apart from ‘How bout that view?!’, was ‘This would be a great place to bring my family or a bunch of mates’.

It’s one of those places where you can imagine everyone having a great time – from a knitting nanna to an active kid to an adventure-loving parent. We had the dam right at our doorstep where we could fish or SUP or kayak. There was heaps of amazing wildlife all around and a world-class hiking trail directly off the side of our cabin.

When night fell, we braved the cold to check out the insane stars, before tucking back into the warmth of the cabin.

It made me think of all those times I’ve tried to organise group camping trips, only for it to fall through because of bad weather or a lack of camping confidence. Imagine the fun we could have had at a place like this?! The way I see it, staying in a holiday park is the perfect compromise to make the outdoors accessible to everyone you want on your holiday.

Read more: Remember to leave no trace

Parrots taking over our pad

Less Logistics More Adventures

If you’ve only got a night or two away from home for your adventure, staying in a cabin is a really good way to minimise camping logistics and maximise adventure time! You can get out there earlier, wear yourself out hiking and swimming and generally having a good time, knowing you’ve got somewhere easy to come back to for the night.

Can you see the Dark Emu?

There’s no need to worry about setting up tents and camp kitchens which can be a time zap, especially in winter when there’s less daylight and it gets bloody cold outside.

When we arrived in Bermagui it was already dark and cold, so we grabbed some takeaway and headed to the Reflections Holiday Park where the team had kindly left our key and some instructions for us. We were showered and eating dinner within in ten minutes.

I’d much rather be settled and comfortable after a long drive than setting up a tent in the dark! We didn’t think twice about hiking all arvo, swimming in the cold or staying out to watch the last rays of golden hour because we knew we could just head back inside and relax once night fell. Not a head torch in sight!

Creature Comforts

Now this one might not be an absolute necessity, and maybe we can live without them, but sometimes it’s nice to treat yourself right? Not all camping or outdoor trips need to be hardcore Type 2 fun in order to be worth it. If you can go out and adventure in the outdoors and be comfy cosy at the same time – why not?

Our camp at Micalong Creek Reserve in Wee Jasper was the perfect balance of adventure and comfort. We walked along Micalong Creek and swam at the base of a little waterfall before setting up by the fire to read and eventually watch the stars come out.

Then right before bed, we got to have blissful hot showers at the campground! It was such a treat to go to bed warm, toasty, and clean but still feel like we were out in nature.

Another unexpected bonus came in the form of a TV to watch the mighty Matildas in their World Cup semi-final on our first night away.

I’m usually the first to make fun of my boyfriend when he wants to schedule adventures around sport games but I’ll have to admit, watching the game after a hot shower with the heater on and a glass of wine on the couch was pretty deluxe considering we’d just finished up a day of hiking, swimming, and fishing.

Honestly, who even am I? A fan of sport and holiday parks now I suppose! *Sighs in green and gold*

Nature on the Doorstep

There’s a misconception that you’re somehow away from nature and adventure if you’re at a holiday park. I’ll be the first to admit I always thought they were just squishy gravel patches, jam-packed with caravans, and nothing much to do except sink beers and maybe swim in the pool. But these three Reflections Holiday Parks changed my mind completely.

Oh hey there beach

All three were so diverse in their set up and location, but the one thing they had in common was their proximity to nature. Perhaps that’s because all Reflections Holiday Parks are on Crown Lands which reinvests all of its profits back into the 43 reserves and 37 holiday parks it cares for.

Bermagui was perched on a picturesque headland in town with walking access to hikes, whale watching, swimming holes, and surfing. Not to mention the Bermagui River a couple minutes away by car.

Wee Jasper was totally nature-based, right on the peaceful Goodradigbee River where we soaked up the wintery weather by an open fire and swam in icy cold waterfalls.

And Burrinjuck was a huge, green, spacious park nestled between the Burrinjuck Lake and Burrinjuck Nature Reserve, full of wildlife and more activities than you could even attempt in a weekend.

Mum and I had a wonderful time away exploring places we wouldn’t normally go, in a way we wouldn’t normally consider. So when it’s next time to plan an adventure holiday, place the judgment and misconceptions aside and give Reflections Holiday Park a crack. If I can become a holiday park convert, maybe you can too!

Explore Reflections Holiday Parks