As we announced last issue, NRMA has purchased four more holiday parks in NSW. Located in different regions, each has its own appeal. So, to help you decide which offers the best holiday activities for you, follow our guide … and enjoy our coupons. By Jackson London.
Darlington Beach Holiday Park, Coffs CoastCoffs Coast should be called the Family Coast because there’s so much for families to do. For example, there’s the iconic Big Banana, just north of Coffs. Take the short climb up to the Big Banana Skywalk for great views of the banana plantation and the Coffs Coast, and take the kids on a 500-metre toboggan ride or for a skate around the Big Banana Ice Rink. |
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You can also head to the amazing Butterfly House in Bonville and wander through the maze. Or hire a go-kart at the Raleigh International Raceway. Next day take the kids to Coffs Harbour Zoo at Moonee Beach where they can breakfast with the koalas before enjoying a show at the Pet Porpoise Pool back in Coffs. Surfers can check out the Malibu surfboards, panel vans and other surfing memorabilia at the Legends Surf Museum at Sapphire Beach and pose on the giant wave for a photo.
From June, whales head north past the Coffs Coast, give birth and, with their calves, head back south in the months close to November. You can see them at the Solitary Islands Marine Park, or you can spot them along the Coffs Coast, from lookouts and viewing platforms in Coffs Harbour, Woolgoolga, Scotts Head, Nambucca and Hungry Head.
But nothing beats watching whales up close on board one of the whale-watching cruises that leave the Coffs Harbour Marina daily.
This is also the time of year when arts flourish in the Coffs area. In August, the Bellingen Jazz and Blues Festival is a big favourite, running for three days and featuring Australian and international musicians.
But don’t worry if you miss the festival. Throughout August and September the area hosts great entertainment, including theatre productions, film festivals, poetry readings and art exhibitions; there is something on almost every weekend.
For more details on what to see and do visit Coff's Coast.
| Darlington Beach Holiday Park has the best of both worlds. It sits on 45 hectares of bushland and has a 6km beachfront, with 34 cabins and 280 caravan and camping sites, plus heaps of great activities for the kids. For more details, visit Ocean Beach Holiday Park. |
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Umina’s long sandy beach is great for surfing and swimming, and you’ll love its peaceful laid-back environment. For lunch, head to nearby Pearl Beach with its quirky eateries and coffee shops. A little further up the coast is the fishing village of Woy Woy.
Nothing beats getting about on the ferry network around Woy Woy and the Hawkesbury that links the water wonderland of islands, inlets and lakes with the ocean. There are plenty of day trip options, or drop a line and catch your evening meal before heading off to the Peninsula Theatre for a show. |
For 40,000-year-old culture visit the Bulgandry Aboriginal Engraving Site
in the Brisbane Water National Park. Renown for its wildflowers, the park conserves more than 12,000 hectares of rugged sandstone and has rock engravings made by the Guringai people. Also close by is the award-winning Australian Reptile Park, which has daily live shows, nature trails and, if you’re up for it, you can even handle snakes!
The Australian Walkabout Wildlife Park is in the area, too. It’s a wildlife sanctuary where you can learn bush tucker skills, while the Australian Rainforest Sanctuary at Ourimbah is home to hundreds of species of rainforest flora and native birds.
For plants of a different kind, stroll through the Edogawa Commemorative Japanese Gardens in Gosford, wander among the herb and scented plants at The Fragrant Gardens in Erina or walk past the feature gardens and cascading waterways of Mt Penang Gardens.
If you’re after some action, you can hire a human-powered pedal boat from Aquamuse at Avoca Lake, waterski on Wyong River, snorkel at Maitland Bay Beach or, for something different, go for a camel ride along the beach with Hollywood Camel Rides in Wyong.
For more information, visit Central Coast Tourism.
| Ocean Beach Holiday Park has accommodation ranging from luxury five-star villas to lodges, cottages and cabins, so take your pick. Make sure you set aside a few days to enjoy the resort-style pool, heated spa and mini-theatre, while the kids get active in the playground. For more details visit Ocean Beach Holiday Park. |
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Wildlife means different things to different people. In Western Sydney, it’s the sound that gives it away. If the call of the wild means motor sports, try Wednesday nights for off-street drag racing at the Western Sydney International Dragway. Get in early because it packs out. And the crowds are never disappointed. Over the quarter mile, these machines hit over 500km/h, which puts them among the fastest accelerating vehicles on Earth. As they take off, the g-forces are incredible, often lifting the front wheels so they leave the track and need parachutes to stop them from running off at the other end. |
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| Sydney Gateway Holiday Park has it all. Cabin, caravan and camping sites, plus two swimming pools (one with spa), a games room, a hairdresser and a bird aviary complete with a weekend feeding program the kids will love. For more details visit Resort Parks Australia. |
Raceway, you can do a bit of racing yourself in a safe and controlled environment during an open track race day for registered cars and bikes. And superbike enthusiasts should check out the Australian Superbike Championships in August.
You’re also within cooee of Sydney Olympic Park, so you can watch a footy match during the day at Telstra Stadium or a concert at night at ACER Arena. And, for a bit of respite from all this action, spend a day browsing the multitude of stalls at bustling Parklea Markets before heading off to view the other types of wildlife at Featherdale Wildlife Park in Doonside, which boasts Australia’s largest collection of native animals.
If you think the best things in life are free, then Merimbula is the place for you. Any water sport you care to mention happens in this Sapphire Coast town and there are walking tracks and national parks aplenty to explore for landlubbers.
Merimbula and its surrounds has a beach for everyone: gentle beaches, perfect for kids – around the lake foreshores – and surfing beaches with great waves for board and body surfers. Short Point Beach is particularly popular with board surfers.
At Short Point Beach, snorkel by the boatshed and you’re likely to spot octopus, butterfly fish, tangs and neon damsels. On a windy day, Main Beach and Short Point Beach are the go for windsurfers and kiteboarders, but if you’re looking for a relaxing swim with the family, check out Mitchies Jetty or Spencer Park Beach, which has a great playground close by for the kids and a BBQ. And, if you just want to fish, you can hire a boat, or wet a line off the Merimbula wharf for deep-sea fishing without the boat.
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Spring is whale watching season and the Sapphire Coast becomes a major feeding ground for these great ocean beasts during their migration south, while November sees kite- and windsurfers battle it out at the Mambo Merimbula Wave Classic.
Drive inland from town to the beautiful Bournda National Park and walk through ancient forests in the foothills of the South Coast. There’s loads of walking tracks of varying difficulty in the many national parks in the area – it’s all down to your fitness level and sense of adventure. |
Travel through local small country towns such as Candelo (artisans’ craftwork a specialty), Kameruka and Wyndham, where you can learn about the area’s pioneering history. And when you’re eating out, don’t forget the oysters are local and are best washed down with a pint of Guinness.
For more details visit Merimbula Tourism.
| Merimbula Beach Holiday Park is a must for water lovers – a whopping 90% of the accommodation has ocean views. The options are endless: anything from powered sites and cabins to 4.5-star ocean front villas. For more details visit Ocean Beach Holiday Park. |
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