Caravanning and camping remains an incredibly popular pastime, with 85 percent of the Australian population having gone caravanning or camping at one point in their lifetime

It is important that state tourism bodies recognise caravan holiday parks as integral tourism providers, continuing the tradition of the great Aussie caravan holiday park experience.

Not only was the caravanning industry represented in their category awards, but also in other award categories.

Brad Illich won the Queensland Tourism Young Achiever of the year for his work developing Newbook, a reservation management system for caravan holiday parks.

Capricorn Caves, a spectacular attraction with its own caravan and holiday park accommodation, took out the Gold Award for Tourist Attractions from Queensland Tourism Industry Council.

Caravan Industry Association of Australia CEO Stuart Lamont congratulated the parks that won recognition this year, saying caravan holiday parks were consistently improving their standing and their range of services to Australians.

"There are numerous brilliant parks and park managers out there, and it’s great to see that quality represented on awards nights," he said.

Mr Lamont went on to say he was sure there was now nowhere to go but up for caravan holiday parks.

"This year we saw two caravan parks make it into Trip Advisors Traveller’s Choice ‘Top Ten Places to Stay in Australia’.

"These parks were competing against luxury resorts and international hotel chains. That’s something that really shows the strength and potential of this industry.

"Australians like holidays in all shapes and sizes, and they can now get all those holidays in a caravan holiday park around the country, whether that be no-frills or five-star luxury. "

Winning caravan holiday parks were:

Tourist and Caravan Parks

Gold: Cairns Coconut Holiday Resort Silver: BIG4 Adventure Whitsunday Resort Bronze: Straddie Camping

Tourist and Caravan Parks

Gold: BIG4 Peppermint Park

Tourist and Caravan Parks

Winner: BIG4 Renmark Riverfront Holiday Park

Gold: BIG4 Adelaide Shores Caravan Park

Silver: Edithburgh Caravan Park

Bronze: Wallaroo North Beach Tourist Park

Tourist and Caravan Parks

Gold: BIG4 St Helens Holiday Park

Tourist and Caravan Parks

Winner: BIG4 Beacon Resort

Finalist: RACV Cobram Resort

Tourist and Caravan Parks

Winner: Big 4 MacDonnell Range Holiday Park,

Tourist and Caravan Parks

Gold: BIG4 Deniliquin Holiday Park,

Silver: Halifax Holiday Park,

Bronze: Sydney Lakeside Holiday