Kerry Bruty changed his career path from farming to caravan parks when he purchased Shady Acres in Ballarat in 1976.
Former caravan park owner Kerry Bruty is one of the original founders of the popular Big 4 Tourist Parks group, but he is now very much a grey nomad … and he’s absolutely loving life on the endless open road!
When 18-year-old Kerry Bruty left school with no formal qualifications to become a farmer, it’s a fair bet than none of his teachers predicted he would end up being instrumental in setting up one of Australia’s largest caravan park chains.
And it’s a fair bet that a young Kerry would have been delighted to know that, 65 years later, he would be happily retired and living the dream grey nomad lifestyle … as well as fulfilling his passion for restoring old cars, tractors and motorcycles when he’s taking a break from the open road.
The secret to Kerry’s success has, of course, been hard work. After school, Kerry started at the family farm and contracting business in Victoria’s Ballarat area. He married Anne Marie in 1969 when they were both 21 and the couple went on to have three children over the next seven years.
“Farming times were not good in the ’60s and ’70s in our region,” said Kerry. “But we survived and, in 1972, I developed a sand quarry on our farm and that supplemented our income.”
In 1976, the family sold the farm and Kerry took a leap of faith … he bought and developed the Shady Acres caravan park in Ballarat.
“We took Shady Acres on with no experience or training and learnt from our mistakes along the way,” said Kerry. “It was seven days a week, and we were on call 24 hours a day with no relief but that did not bother us … we were working together and always home for the children.”
The couple say they have always been basically ‘paid on performance’ and have never had paid holidays.
“We followed the idea that we were not in opposition to other caravan parks in the area but, rather, in competition,” said Kerry. “From this, we developed some combined advertising and this then developed into the formation of a group we named ‘Big 4 Tourist Parks’ which grew over the next few years to be the national chain it is today.”
After eight years and much development work on the park, the Brutys sold it in order to buy a five-acre block, and Kerry became a farm fencing contractor. This role grew and he basically became a self-taught Civil Contractor in Trenching and Directional Drilling for the next 28 years until retirement.
“I think the fact that I had no formal training in any specific career suited me down to the ground as I was able to pursue a career of occupations that I reckoned I could learn and carry out and importantly make money and enjoy,” said Kerry. “My priorities have always been wife, family, home, work – in that order, and we have been able to retire young enough to enjoy travel as an independent couple.”
And the pair have had their fair share of adventures.
“In Australia it’s been mainly in the Outback and we have caravanned, tented, and camper trailered in amongst work commitments ever since we were married … and we are still doing it,” said Kerry. “And, up until Covid, we’ve travelled overseas each year for the last 21 years, sometimes for just a week or 10 days as we were still working, but at least we did it!”
Since retirement, the couple has been able to take longer overseas trips … including several big ones to North America and Europe.
“As an example, on our last trip to the US we hired an SUV and drove from Los Angeles to Alaska and then on to Halifax on the east coast of Canada and then back to LA,” said Kerry. “It was 27,000 kilometres in 60 days and we didn’t book ahead … a cheap way to see a country and have some adventure.”
Well done Kerry and Anne Marie.
Hard work does pay off.
Enjoy your travels
Thanks and we look forward to our “lifestyle ” continuing……..
KB