General News
10 April, 2024
Water change campers head to Loddon River
MORE visitors to Loddon caravan parks are taking a water change, switching from the sea to local rivers. Bridgewater caravan park lessee Kristy Hourigan said there have been a noticeable jump in bookings from people living in Ballarat, the Surf...
MORE visitors to Loddon caravan parks are taking a water change, switching from the sea to local rivers.
Bridgewater caravan park lessee Kristy Hourigan said there have been a noticeable jump in bookings from people living in Ballarat, the Surf Coast and Mornington Peninsula.
She believes the Loddon’s warmer climate was aiding the increase in visitors to the popular river caravan park.
“And pricing too ... we’re more affordable than many locations along the coast,” she said.
“The Bridgewater park is also only a few minutes walk to the hotel or bakery while there are now not as many coastal caravan parks near these key shops.
“Bridgewater is certainly seeing campers wanting a water change. They like the warmer weather and less wind.”
Mrs Hourigan said the park was booked out over Easter.
“We’re also seeing a lot of bookings from Bendigo people who have discovered that Bridgewater and the park are in their back yard,” she said.
Bridgewater’s growing popularity has seen bookings increase 64 per cent since last year.
And the park is already at capacity for the March long weekend in 2025.
The story has been similar at Wedderburn, also managed by the Hourigans under a long-term contract with Loddon Shire.
For the first time, that park was booked out at Easter, reflecting overall booking growth of 42 per cent in the past year at Wedderburn.
Mrs Hourigan said large family groups - some booking up to eight sites - had helped Wedderburn to capacity over Easter.
Boort was also at capacity last weekend with overflow bookings allocated to near the fire brigade track.
Laanecoorie caravan park was another Easter weekend mecca with hundreds of campers arriving in the days before Good Friday. And river camp grounds at Laanecoorie and Newbridge also had large numbers of tents and vans.
Bookings are strong at caravan parks during the current school holidays.