Travel GOULBURN RIVER CARAVAN PARK

Travel GOULBURN RIVER CARAVAN PARK
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Words and pics Andrew Harris
Goulburn River
Caravan Park at Seymour,
Vic, is perfect for a serene
city break, or for a good
rest on a longer trip.
Clockwise from main: The park’s
location, on a lush, wide bend of the river
from which it takes its name, is it’s main
attraction; Bernie Burke has overseen a
number of renovations since buying the
park almost four years ago; drive-through
sites are available; Bird the galah is the
park’s mascot.
The late-afternoon sun is bright and the
river is calm. A rack of canoes waits for
us, but there isn’t enough daylight left
for a proper paddle. Our drive-through
site faces the water anyway, so we can
properly enjoy our spot.
I’ve already met Cathy at reception and
I’ve become acquainted with Bird, the 15-
year-old galah. Later on, I also meet eightyear-old
Rocky the snuffling staffy, Ozzie the
18-month-old fox terrier, and a couple of
cats. The park is very pet-friendly.
As we settle in, two motorhomes pull
in next to us. Having already scoped the
place out, I’m not surprised Goulburn River
Caravan Park draws a crowd.
REFURBISHED
Bernie Burke bought the park three-and-ahalf
years ago. It’s a long, narrow property,
down a relatively steep drive from town, and
it’s consequently quiet and secluded.
Five acres of 78 powered sites, 16 cabins,
one unit, 10 permanents and four annuals
sit on a high river embankment; three
acres of 30 or so unpowered sites are on a
lower bank, right by the river. There are
two spotless amenities blocks, each with a
laundry. There’s a large recreation room
near the centre of the park that’s been
chopped in half and partially converted
into a two-bedroom unit. There’s still plenty
of space though, with a table-tennis table,
fridge, microwave, gas heater, cooktop, sink,
television, plenty of couches, and what looks
like a wooden bingo barrel.
Since he came onto the scene, Bernie’s
installed four brand-new Jayco cabins. He’s
also repainted the onsite house in which he
lives and given it verandahs; he’s built on
the kiosk and extended the reception area;
he’s covered and concreted the barbecue area
and added an extra barbecue; he’s turned a
large unpowered area into 20 more powered
sites.
“The park was pretty basic when I came
here,” he says. “I thought it needed work, but
not as much as it did need.”
Significant attention was paid to bringing
existing cabins up to scratch. Most cabins
have been completely refurbished, with
bedding and mattresses replaced. Only two
were air-conditioned when Bernie arrived,
and they’re now all kitted out. A few older
cabins have been fitted with verandahs.
Bernie’s a fitter by trade, so he’s as handy
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Travel GOULBURN RIVER CARAVAN PARK
GOULBURN RIVER
CARAVAN PARK
Goulburn River Caravan Park is a Top Tourist
Park rated at 3.5 stars. It’s on Progress Street
in Seymour, Vic, and is pet-friendly (enquire for
further details). For more information, phone
(03) 5792 1530, fax (03) 5799 1032, or visit
www.goulburnrivercp.com
as can be, and he’s always up for a homemade
solution – a camouflaged clothesline
was duly modified with a U-shaped wooden
enclosure.
“It’s always hard to know where to put a
clothesline in a caravan park, but they’re
a necessary thing,” he says. “People expect
them.”
RIVER FUN
As most visitors would agree, Goulburn
River Caravan Park’s main attraction is its
Clockwise from main: The park is
surrounded by trees on the banks of the
Goulburn River; canoes with which to
explore the river are available; take your
pick – there’s 78 powered sites to choose
from; view of the reception building.
stunning location on a lush, wide bend of
the river from which it takes its name. We
don’t end up canoeing because the following
day’s weather turns a little foul.
Apart from canoeing, there’s fishing to be
done, and a folding chair, a hot cuppa and
a newspaper are about all you need to set up
for some fulfilling time by the river. A small
DVD library at reception covers rainy days.
If you have a water craft in tow, there’s an
onsite boat ramp. At the time of my visit,
it was a gravel job, but some locals have
Seymour is 105km north of Melbourne, along the
Hume and Goulburn Valley highways. Attractions
in the area include a number of wineries, a railway
heritage centre, and of course boating and fishing
on the mighty Goulburn River. The army base at
Puckapunyal a short drive west of Seymour has
the Army Tank Museum, with over 70 armoured
vehicles as well as a good collection of Australian
Light Horse memorabilia.
secured a grant in anticipation of the annual
Tinnie Muster and plan to build a two-lane
concrete facility.
ARMY TRADE
Seymour is very close to the vast
Puckapunyal army base, so a large
contingent of soldiers’ visiting families and
friends stay at the caravan park.
“We get quite a lot of business from the
army,” Bernie says. He even advertises in
the base’s newspaper, The Boomerang. The
park also hosts the regular grey nomads
and the requisite young travellers.
It was only a month before our visit
that the park was admitted as a member
of the Top Tourist Parks group. Bernie was
recommended to join by the owner of the
River Breeze Top Tourist Park at Moira, in
NSW.
“We stayed there, I met him, and I told
him I owned the Goulburn River Caravan
Park,” Bernie says. “And he said, ‘Listen,
I’ve owned a few caravans parks, and you
must be in the (Top Tourist Parks) group.’”
So, when Bernie and Cathy returned
from Moira, they applied for membership.
Bernie takes me down to the water,
along the walking and cycle path from the
park, and it’s clear he takes great pride in
his work. He beams as I compliment the
view, but he’s not about to blow his own
trumpet. “If people say to us, ‘This is a
lovely park, it’s a quiet area, it’s on a river,
we like it,’ that’s good,” he says. “I’m the
park owner; I only create, other people
make the opinions.” n
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