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Bruce, Phillip, Alan and
Robert East in 1955 |
CLAIMED to be Australia's oldest caravan park, the family owned and
operated Easts Beach Holiday Park in NSW is celebrating its 75th
anniversary.
A member of the BIG4 chain, the park is built on a history rich with tales
of longstanding traditions, friendships spanning decades, and even a love
story.
The land on which the four-and-a-half star park stands has been in the
same family for almost 160 years, having been originally bought in 1852 as
a dairy farm.
Managing director Leanne Williams said it was acquired by her late
father’s great grandparents, Thomas and Elizabeth East.
"The property has been part of the East family for six generations,
including our children now. Thanks to the farm’s beachside setting, there
were many unofficial guests camping on the land before Easts Beach Holiday
Park was formally opened in 1935, including my grandfather Bruce’s future
wife, Bessie," she explained.
In 1932, Bessie and her family were one of the first families to stay with
the Easts.
Travelling from Sydney, Bessie's family broke down in the area and asked
the local dairy farmer if they could pitch a tent for the night.
Instead of moving on the following day, they fell in love with the
location and ended up staying for their entire holiday. They returned each
year after that ... and so the courtship between Leanne’s grandfather
Bruce and Bessie began.
Bruce was smitten and wasn't going to let the three-hour travelling time
from Sydney and Kiama come between him and Bessie, so he cleverly
befriended Dr Hayden who was a gliding instructor and flew tiger moth
planes, which he landed on a property near the Easts.
Bruce would "hitch a ride" to Sydney with Dr Hayden fortnightly so he
could visit Bessie and then catch the train home.
The rest, as they say, is history.
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Bessie, Bruce, Phillip,
Robert and Alan East in 1945 |
Their love for each other lasted a lifetime with Bessie passing away in
2006 aged 91, and Bruce three years later aged 95.
From 1935 to the 1970s, Bruce managed both the dairy farm and holiday
park, where guests were provided with free fresh milk, butter and ice. The
cost to stay was five shillings a week, or one shilling for the night.
Camping in the early days was rustic and very different to today’s camping
standards. There were no luxuries, just a big grass paddock with pit
toilets, cold showers and old boilers to wash clothes.
Of course, being a dairy farm there were cows roaming around, so campers
tell of putting fences around their tents to stop the cattle getting in.
Carrying on tradition, Bruce's son and Leanne's father, Robert East, took
over the helm from his father in the late 1970s and was heavily involved
in the camping and caravanning industry.
Easts Beach Holiday Park joined the BIG4 franchise group, and Robert
played a large part in recruiting other parks to the chain, often
travelling around the country to view them.
Robert was a prominent and respected figure in Kiama, serving as deputy
Mayor of the town between 2004 and 2006.
In 2006, he received an OAM for his community and charity work, which he
mainly did through Rotary International.
Robert was diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2001 and spent the remainder of
his life raising money for the cause.
Before he passed away in 2006, Robert had raised $80,000 for the Robert
East Memorial Fund, which provides funds for research into bowel cancer.
Over the past 75 years, the Easts have made long-lasting friendships with
the many families who visit the park each year.
"One family that we have grown particularly close to over the years is the
Breust family," explained Leanne. "They have been coming to the park every
year since 1957 and we have gotten to know three generations of Breusts.
"Allan Breust is 53-years-old and has been coming to the park every year
of his life. He now brings his children who are experiencing the same
holidays that Allan did as a child, which is absolutely fantastic."
So 75 years on, how has the holiday park industry changed and evolved and
how does Leanne keep their loyal clientele coming back?
"Obviously there have been major changes within the holiday park industry
over the past 75 years, with camping and accommodation standards rising
dramatically," Leanne said.
"We have started adding facilities that are fast becoming the norm, such
as a 25m resort-style pool, heated spa, children's wading pool and onsite
café.
"We are constantly changing and refurbishing the park and accommodation,
ensuring that we stay top of today's standards."
Easts Beach Holiday Park now boasts nearly 600 sites and is one of the
largest parks at 35 acres.
"We have maintained some traditional elements in a bid to stay true to our
rustic beginnings, such as keeping the more natural feel of grass rather
than concrete slabs," Leanne added.
The Easts will celebrate the 75th anniversary with an invitation-only
celebration this month, with about 110 family members attending an Easts
family reunion at the same time.
