With summer fading and a cool change in the air, now is the time to think about rugging up and heading out on the road for a new adventure.
The Easter long weekend, from April 2 to 5, is an excellent opportunity to pack up the caravan and camping gear and take a short break at some of Australia’s most scenic destinations. With school holidays also held over this period, for many families an Easter getaway is one of the few times of the year that several generations can come together to enjoy the holidays in the one location.
Couples without grandchildren can also indulge in the joys of travelling in autumn, with the temperatures cool enough to rug up at night and toast hot cross buns over the fire as many towns host special Easter festivals.
So whether you are travelling as part of a multi-generational Easter holiday, or if you prefer a quiet trip for two, there are plenty of options available for those looking to hit the road to swap the chilly autumn wind for sunnier skies.
Taste sensations
Whether or not you are travelling with young children, why not embrace Easter traditions of days gone by and enjoy the pleasures of being a child at heart.
In the Christian calendar, Lent traditionally begins on Ash Wednesday and consists of 40 days of fasting and prayer. In earlier years, faithful Christians would limit what they ate during this period and on the Tuesday before Lent, known as Shrove Tuesday, families would feast on the food that would not last the 40 days without perishing.
Pancakes became a favourite way to use up flour and dairy products and Shrove Tuesday soon also became known as Pancake Day. Many families still celebrate this day by tossing a few pancakes in the pan so why not keep this tradition alive while on the road. At MacDonnell Range Holiday Park in Alice Springs the work is already done for you, with freshly made pancakes served to guests every Sunday.
For those travellers cooking up their own breakfast, making a batch of pancakes on a portable stove, teamed with hot billy tea, is a fun and simple way to enjoy the season. Get back to basics and also throw in some true blue Aussie damper. It’s a great option for those travelling with grandchildren who will love the thrill of learning how to make these old favourites, and then getting to eat the fruits of their labour. Enjoying hot treats under a starry sky is undoubtedly something that can be enjoyed by travellers of all ages.
Of course, if you are travelling with young children over Easter, the most important item to remember is chocolate, and nothing could be more fun than an Easter egg hunt in the great outdoors.
Many caravan parks have playgrounds which can be a great way to keep the little ones amused, especially if the adults are looking for an opportunity to secretly hide a trail of brightly decorated chocolate eggs round the camp site. The shrieks of delight as the children discover the eggs on Easter Sunday morning will make all the effort worthwhile. These will undoubtedly be memories the whole family will cherish.
For those wanting to steer away from chocolate an alternative is to spend an afternoon with the kids painting empty eggshells in bright colours. These can also be hidden for an Easter egg hunt or simply enjoyed as Easter decorations.
Whether hiding chocolate or real eggs however there is always the chance that some will never be found no matter how hard the children search. Make sure an adult picks up any forgotten eggs and discarded rubbish once the game is over, to keep the campsite clean and tidy.
Seaside delights
For many Australians, Good Friday (April 2) is not only the start of a long weekend, but also a day to forgo meat. However going without doesn’t have to mean sacrificing a good meal. Travellers in seaside areas should make the most of Australia’s superb fresh seafood and head out for a catch.
One of the newest caravan parks in Australia is the BIG4 Bellarine Holiday Park in Victoria, located only five minutes from well-known fishing spots on Victoria’s Bellarine Peninsula.
The $7-million holiday park opened in September last year and is nestled between five tourist destinations, including the historic town of Queenscliff and popular seaside towns Point Lonsdale and Barwon Heads.
For fishing lovers, owner Tim Bone says the fishing village of Barwon Heads is a peaceful spot, while nearby Portarlington is famous for its mussels. “The mussels are absolutely beautiful, and it’s a great little historic fishing village,” he says.
Mr Bone says the recent upgrading of the Queenscliffe wharf has seen an increase in people travelling with boats to the region. The popularity of fishing in the area encouraged Mr Bone and his wife Sophie to add boat-washing facilities to the holiday park, as well as creating sites with enough room for a boat and trailer unit.
On the west coast, Mandalay Holiday Park and Resort is between the popular holiday towns – and well-known fishing spots – of Busselton and Dunsborough. With the holiday park just a stone’s throw from the beach, and only three hours south of Perth, it is a great spot for travellers looking for a short break over the Easter weekend.
Owner Clive Johnson says the park is very family oriented, with activities organised for children over peak holiday periods. With the park situated in the famous Margaret River wine region, Clive says there are also plenty of activities available to keep travellers without children occupied.
“There are wineries, galleries, boutique shops, fishing spots, chocolate and cheese factories – you name it and it’s here,” he says.
Another great fishing spot is at Jordan’s Boating Centre & Holiday Park in Port Macquarie. Located on the scenic Hastings River, this venue offers guests a wide variety of water activities, with a leisurely day out on a barbeque boat a must for anyone seeking a relaxing afternoon.
Keen anglers can hire canopy fishing dinghies, while catamarans and kayaks are also available. Owners Mark and Dale Jordan are qualified sailing instructors and can organise sailing lessons, from beginners to experts.
In South Australia, BIG4 Adelaide Shores Caravan Park recently launched the first eco-tents in the state at the beachside holiday park. The park’s chief executive officer Gareth Smith says the new tents are an innovative and sustainable form of accommodation designed to allow guests to enjoy a greater connection with the natural environment, while providing maximum comfort.
“We are thrilled to be able to offer our guests camping with creature comforts, minus the tent pegs,” he says.
The tents utilise large window areas to maximise the effect of cooling breezes, and the shade from the overhanging roof can reduce the temperature within the tents by up to six degrees Celsius in summer.
Mr Smith says the final stage of the project will be to install solar panels on the adjacent amenity block to draw power for the tents, with the aim of achieving carbon neutral status.
Festive fun
Of course, hot cross buns and chocolate eggs are not the only things that travellers can enjoy over Easter. For many Australians, the four-day weekend is a great opportunity to enjoy some of the premier festivals across the country. Kick back in a range of accommodation available at local caravan parks to enjoy these events at affordable prices.
One of the major events of the year is the Sydney Royal Easter Show, which runs from April 1 to 14 this year. Featuring horticulture, livestock, competitions and displays, the show attracts hordes of people from rural and regional areas to show city slickers the best of country life. Meanwhile in Canberra, the nation’s capital becomes a hub for artists and folk enthusiasts over the Easter weekend with the National Folk Festival.
The fun isn’t limited to the city, with Bendigo in Victoria hosting an Easter festival each year. With the festival celebrating its 140th birthday in 2010, this year is sure to be bigger than ever.
In Queensland, the outback town of Roma comes alive over the long weekend with the Easter in the Country Festival. Highlights include “the country’s richest goat races”, drag racing, a night rodeo, bush poetry and markets.
Still in Queensland, Toowoomba holds two popular festivals over the Easter break with the community Christian organised Easterfest, while Easter Vintage Festival celebrates rural life in Australian pioneer days. Learn how to milk a cow, crack a whip or be a blacksmith over two days of nostalgic fun.
In New South Wales, the coastal town of Byron Bay is transformed into a Mecca for all things blues, reggae and roots related over five days for the annual Bluesfest.
Many of these events include camping options, but for caravan, motorhome and other recreational vehicle (RV) owners, it pays to book ahead. Caravan, RV & Accommodation Industry of Australia (CRVA) chief executive officer Ben Yates says Easter is one of the peak seasons for caravan parks and he suggests travellers plot their route and book sites well in advance.
“Easter is a great time to experience some of the premier regional events in Australia, but if you are on the road, expect increased traffic and take breaks at regular intervals,” he says. “Booking early is essential, however there are plenty of accommodation options to choose from at most parks, from basic camping sites to luxurious cabins.”
An alternative for travellers looking to avoid crowds is to plot a careful route away from major festivals and beachside destinations, which tend to fill up over the school holiday period, or to travel after the Easter break.
“There are plenty of travel options to consider such as smaller, regional destinations, which offer RV owners the chance to enjoy outback Australia away from bustling crowds,” Mr Yates says.
For more information about caravan and other RV products, destinations and tips for travellers, visit the CRVA website at www.welovethiscountry.com.au and sign up for the free VIP Club bimonthly e-newsletter.
Source: The Retiree Magazine