As the saying goes, the thrill of the journey is as great as the destination – and this was just the approach we took to our trip down the East Coast. The aim was to carelessly cruise without too much prior planning and let the days be our guide to where we would stop and stay each night.
We would use Wiki camps, Instagram and Facebook to find recommendations nearby to the places we chose to stop and try a relaxed, nomadic approach to this Caravanning with Kids adventure!
Newcastle has always been on our list of destinations to check out but we had no idea where we might stay. Our very own Facebook community soon set us straight and we were flooded with recommendations before we could say, “Do you have vacancy!?”
The drive in from north of Newcastle, across the Stockton Bridge is breathtaking. We had never before seen the Coal and Steel ports and we were all amazed at the size and scale of them – a truly fabulous sight to behold! Over the water we headed into the small town of Stockton, a quaint beachside vista on the Hunter River Peninsula. Stockton Beach Holiday Park is located literally right on the beach and only a stones’ throw from a little ferry station that takes you across to the Newcastle CBD.
On arrival our greeting by Lisa was friendly, warm & helpful. Her professional approach on the phone had assured that reception would be open late and they would be waiting for us – it was like being welcomed to the home of good friends. What a perfect start to the stay!
Stockton Beach Holiday Park is a neatly presented park that oozes love and care. We set ourselves up in a large site close to the clean amenities and camp kitchen and then we then went exploring. Daughter Ashlee was first to ask ‘where the pool was?’ Oh sweetheart (this comes from the mouth of a child that lives in Central Victoria and is experiencing the beach for the first time!) the beach is your pool! Lucky for us only 50 metres from our site was glorious Stockton Beach, 32 kilometres of pure delight! Thoughts of a pool were soon forgotten and we set the alarm for sunrise!
The Stockton Beach Holiday Park has everything you could need, without the flash, wiz bang extras. The absence of the ‘extras’ allows the beach to be the true hero of this location – and with such a spectacular coastline those extras are definitely not missed! There is a small playground for the kids and practical kiosk in reception. Stockton Beach Holiday Park offers all you need from a park that is in a world-class location and nothing more.
For us? This was a great stay! We would definitely go back. We loved the location, the service, the generous sites and the beach. The days were beautiful and the absence of some of the flashier mod cons saw us enjoy more sunshine, adventure and outdoor fun.
For you? Check it out if you love the coast, simple pleasures and warm, caring staff. If you are looking for a park with lots of activities for the kids (pool, playroom and all the mod cons etc.) then this may not be the best choice for you.
THANK YOU to Lisa and her team at Stockton Beach Holiday Park. The customer service was outstanding and made our stay a pleasurable few days with the confidence that we were being looked after by a family that genuinely cared about our needs and loved the region they lived in.
