AUSTRALIA'S newest holiday park has welcomed its first guests.
Overlooking Georges Bay and just minutes from the Bay of Fires in
Tasmania, the $10m NRMA St Helens Waterfront Holiday Park offers 26 cabins
and 45 powered ensuite and camping sites, a camp kitchen, recreation room,
BBQ, laundry and playground.
Managers Ryan and Sally Pendergast were excited to officially open their
doors to the public after years of hard work and long days.
"We're proud to be able to build a brand new park in a fantastic location
like St Helens," they said.
"It has been custom designed and built and we've made sure it is unique
and that it differentiates itself from the rest of the market."
The park's restaurant and function centre has been named Parkside,
recognising the fact that it stands on the site of the former Parkside
Caravan Park.
It is believed to be the first NRMA park in Australia to be both
independently owned and independently managed.
NRMA Parks and Resorts chief executive Paul Davies said the company hoped
to bring more tourism dollars to the small communities supporting the
parks.
"Australia has some of the world's best tourist destinations so it's a
no-brainer that we want to encourage more people to holiday locally," he
said.
"Regional tourism is at the heart of our business, particularly our
holiday parks. We do well when regional areas like St Helens thrive."
Mr Davies said tourism was not just about the traveller.
"It's about the communities they visit," he explained.
"Regional communities offer unique experiences for domestic and
international travellers. Tourism produces flow on benefits for these
communities."
The NRMA is now regarded as one of Australia’s largest tourism providers
with a portfolio valued at over $800 million.
It is also Australia's second-largest owner and operators of holiday parks
with a stable of 40 parks nationwide and further expansion expected in the
coming months.