With grey nomads being joined on the road by growing numbers of families and short-term, holidaymakers, revenue at caravan parks has surged.
New data from accountants and advisory firm, BDO, show the revenue taken per park across over Australia through the summer months rose from $572,532 in 2023 to $641,315 in 2024.
Across the same time, occupancy rates grew from 47% to 49%.
Occupancy rates over Easter remained at 76% for both 2023 and 2024, but average park revenue grew from $51,687 to $56,168.
BDO Business Services Partner, Angus Strachan, said Covid had forced people to explore their own backyard and it was clear that many liked what they found.
More and more people are enjoying the caravanning lifestyle. PIC: Adrian Paul
“Data just in suggests that holiday parks remain a very attractive option for people to get away for some down time, particularly as household budgets are tested,” he said. “People continue to flock to parks, which are largely in regional areas, which allow them to continue to support regional economic and employment opportunities.”
And he said there were some changes in what caravan parks were offering.
“Thanks to the internal product diversification, recent investment in facilities accelerated by tax incentives and activities so often provided by park managers/owners, parks appear to be increasing in popularity,” he said.
Interestingly, the data showed a slight shift away from cabins towards camping sites both over the summer and over Easter.
“With the weather really turning it on in a lot of parts of the country, camping saw a significant bump with unpowered sites up 2%,” said Mr Strachan. “With recent research from the Caravan Industry Association of Australia demonstrating the significant mental health benefits associated with camping, this is a pleasing thing to see while there is a significant amount of strain on households.”
Lovn a Cabin dont have to clean ,or maitain or regester no more caravan it too stressfull on the roads too many bad drivers
Try to stay off grid as much as possible with self powered self contained showers and toilet
Not interested in caravan parks that cater to children and families
And charging upwards of 70 dollars a day
Yep, that’s it, I don’t know how families can do it. I love off grid. I can’t see how van parks need to be that greedy, I don’t mind paying my way but object to being ripped off.
Wow.
We just a trip from Sydney via east coast to Lakes Entrance in Vic then back up through the Victorian high country and back home the cost per motels cabins just under $8000 For the same time in van parks $1800.00 missed meeting follow vans owners now looking for a new van
I am sick to death of the price gouging when it comes to long weekends and school holidays. Discovery, Kui, Big 4 & G’day Parks put a blanket price rise on during these times. A Royal Commission needs to be put in place to stop these corporations stealing our hard earned pensions from us Grey Nomads
We top up our Gas and other things we need at Bunnings, shop at the road stalls, and stay in the bush or free camp sights. Great life and many farmers become a friends, that is what I see the Aussie way of life to be. After the Kids are free, and work is finished it’s time to travel and see.
Pat it’s called supply and demand. Long weekends also involve penalty wages to be paid. Pea times are dearer to pay to keep the business afloat during the quiet months so it’s still there for you to enjoy.
We spend 99% of our time camped in the bush mostly by ourselves.
Every now & again we stay in a caravan park on a powered site, fill our tank/bottles with water, buy fuel, fill gas bottles & do a food shop.
We then head for the bush again after staying ONE night.
There’s nothing in a caravan park that interests us.
And still the parks want the camps closed wherever possible. Absolute greed and anti social and anti competitive. I won’t go near them!!!
How long before mainstream retailers agitate for the closure of Op-shops and Libraries because they compete with the retailers?
Is this Australia?
No I prefer the Powered Caravan / Camping Sites in Caravan / Holiday Parks & now at my Age, I, prefer to have a Powered Site with its own Ensuite Facility as we do not have an ENSUITE in Our Caravan.
For long Trips where there is a great distance between Caravan / Holiday Parks requiring us to make a FREE CAMP STOP over ( on Safety Grounds ).
we carry our Camping Porta LOO with its Own Camping Ensuite Tent. In which we can also use our 12Volt Portable Shower, we have a10Litre [ Clean Water Bucket ? { Warm Water of Course,} for a Very Quick Freshen up Shower ] [ with a Large rectangular, Bucket in which we stand to Shower & collect the Grey Water from the Shower,] and disperse this water after each person has showered by pouring it around a Tree near by our Camp, and so by recycling the Water Used. The Porta LOO we empty at the next DUMP point available.
So in this way we do not have any unpleasant odours inside our Caravan.
If it is only a Quick Roadside Stop for a Quick Rest Stop, then we simply take turns waiting outside, while either of us need to make use of the Porta LOO, in the Caravan { with the Roof Vent &Windows Open } { and any necessary Curtains Drawn. } without needing to set up the ENSUITE TENT.
[ P.S. the Ensuite Tent only takes around 5 Minutes to set up & Pack Up. ] as long as there is somewhere to set it up.
We do not regularly FREE CAMP on the Side of the Roads for SAAFTY Reasons, unless it is a designated FREE CAMPING GROUND and there are plenty of other people camping there.
Well I wish all those Camping Travelers out there a safe journey and God’s Speed.
Cheers Robert S
We use a porta loo & a 12v shower in an ensuite tent all the time when we bush camp.
It works well.
We free or low cost camp regularly. When in a CP we consider the difference in cost of power/no power, if we consider the difference reasonable we go power. We like to use BBQ or camp kitchen as you meet more people.
Am reasonably self contained so it doesn’t matter too much whether it’s powered or unpowered – prefer to choose whichever is the the best site.