NRMA South West Rocks Holiday Resort is a family-friendly holiday park with its own spectacular pirate ship waterpark located in South West Rocks, NSW, Australia. We spent ten fun-packed days at this holiday park enjoying all the family activities it had to offer.

When you choose to stay at NRMA South West Rocks Holiday Resort, you’ll find yourself holidaying in the midst of a beautiful, natural bush park land setting bursting with local wildlife.

Situated alongside a natural lagoon and Hat Head National Park, don’t be too surprised if you wake up to a kangaroo or two lazing outside of your door in the mornings! By the end of our stay we had become regular observers of our neighbourhood kangaroos, kookaburras and a pair of goannas!

A beautiful surf beach across the road

As if the amazing wildlife isn’t enough, you get a beach holiday too! Just across the road from NRMA South West Rocks you’ll find the beautiful, dog-friendly Trial Bay Beach which stretches from Trial Bay Gaol all the way around to the sleepy coastal township of South West Rocks. Swimming at the beach is a lot of fun, but one of the most exciting swimming options in the area is within the South West Rocks Holiday Resort itself – the pirate ship pool and waterpark, Shipwreck Island!

Resort fun activities and entertainment

From an amazing water play area, to a kids club, bouncing pillow and games arcade, NRMA South West Rocks will keep both kids and their parents happy with it’s great range of family fun!

Shipwreck Island Waterpark

Ahoy, me hearties! This fantastic resort swimming pool and waterpark is one of the main features of the holiday park. As far as holiday swimming pool areas go, this one is awfully hard to beat – because it has a full-sized pirate ship presiding over it!

Climb up to the skull waterfall cave, zoom down one of the three exciting water slides branching off of the ship’s full-size deck, swim in the large, waterfall surrounded resort swimming pool or dodge the massive dunking bucket downpour from it’s crows nest vantage point at the top of the pirate ship mast – your kids are never, ever going to want to leave Shipwreck Island!

There’s rigging to climb up the side of the boat if you don’t feel like walking up to the main deck, then choose your slide! A covered blue slide hurtles you down super-fast. Take the green slide for a more leisurely trip down, or you’ll need to be daring enough to walk the plank to ride the twisting sea-serpent slide down!

There’s fun for even the littlest first-mates on this pirate island, with a tiny slide for the little ones in its own pool area, in addition to the bigger ship slides. The fun is quite simply non-stop on Shipwreck Island!

No time to read? Watch our NRMA South West Rocks Holiday Resort Youtube video

The swimming pool and waterpark area is incredible, but there’s even more to do at this fun holiday park.

There’s a big jumping pillow and a children’s playground, both fully covered for the ultimate sunny or rainy day fun.

Next door you’ll find a mini golf course which you enter through a giant steel shark’s jaws!

A fun kid’s club operates on holidays and other allocated days with lots of fun organised activities.

Another popular activity in the park is the games arcade with several arcade games, a ping pong table, pool table, movie theatre and air hockey.

The roof-top half-court tennis court is another fun sport to play at NRMA South West Rocks – plus you get a great view of the park while you have a match! There’s also a volley ball net.

Don’t forget to take a turn around the park in a fun go cart! You can hire them from reception.

Oh, and don’t miss the gorgeous fairy garden that will have any little girl or boy swooning with delight, and makes for the cutest photos!

A dog friendly caravan park

Dogs are welcome at NRMA South West Rocks, so there’s no need to leave your best friend behind! There are pet-friendly cabins, tent sites, caravan sites and also dog-friendly ensuite sites! Dogs can be walked in the holiday park on a leash, and most of the beaches in the area – outside of the National Park – are dog-friendly, so you and your pooch will have a wonderful time together!

There are some pet exclusion times during peak booking periods such as school holidays, so you’ll need to book your stay directly with the holiday park by phone, rather than online.

A Holiday Park restaurant

The Full Circle eatery is an on site restaurant offering home cooked meals. It offers fare including some of the best fish and chips – plus burgers – in town! You’ll also find coffee, pastries and cake at this handy holiday park cafe – what more do you need on your next family holiday? The best part is no cooking – or washing up!

South West Rocks Caravan Park & Other Accommodation Options

With so many different accommodation options, your biggest problem may be choosing how to stay at NRMA South West Rocks Holiday Park!

All kinds of private villas, glamping safari tents, powered and unpowered sites for your caravan, motorhome or tent are all available for you to book for your holiday. Plus there are numerous ensuite sites available too.

NRMA South West Rocks Holiday Park facilities

This holiday park is serious about your entertainment and comfort no matter where you are in the park – even the ladies amenities plays relaxing music to you! The toilets and showers in the two main amenities blocks are spotlessly clean, as are the laundries.

There are several camp kitchens for all your camp meal preparation needs.

The park also offers multiple rubbish stations and a dump point to empty your porta pottie or toilet cassettes.

The perfect South West Rocks base

Located on NSW Mid North Coast, NRMA South West Rocks Holiday Resort makes both an excellent Brisbane and Sydney family holiday destination, at around five hours drive from both cities.

The town of South West Rocks is a charming coastal town with beach front walking paths, side creeks with bridges and town beaches. South West Rocks is well serviced with Coles and IGL supermarkets, a petrol station and local boutiques, takeaways and restaurants. The closest large service town is the inland town of Kempsey, 38kms away.

Things to see in the South West Rocks area

NRMA South West Rocks makes the perfect base to explore the many tourist attractions of the area. Local attractions include the historic Trial Bay Gaol which is located only five minutes up the road at Arakoon. There are several beautiful picnic areas dotted around the jail too, including little bay where you will find mobs of kangaroos just passing the time of day!

If you enjoy bushwalking, we hiked the beautiful Monument Walk loop which starts near the Trial Bay Gaol. Only 3 kms long, it does include some steep inclines and narrow, windy paths – but also takes in some incredible coastal views along the way plus some interesting historic features.

Ten minutes drive away is the remarkable Smoky Cape Lighthouse. This lighthouse is situated at the top of a hill with a steep walk up to it, however because of its commanding position it also offers some of the best views in the region. If you’re not able to make the climb there is still the spectacular Captain Cook lookout at its base to enjoy with its own picnic area.

Way down on the beaches below the lighthouse you’ll find the Smoky Cape Beach, a 4WD access beach that hosts sea bird and sea turtle rookeries.

The small town of Hat Head is a 25 minute drive away with more beautiful beaches and coastal walks.

How to book your NRMA holiday parks holiday

NRMA South West Rocks Holiday Resort has all you need for the perfect family vacation to enjoy together – it’s family holidays made easy!

For more of our NRMA holiday park reviews, check our NRMA Holiday Parks list

Find out more or book your accommodation for NRMA South West Rocks Holiday Resort at the official website here.

How to get there

All information is correct as at March 2021 – please check the above website link for relevant, up to date information and accommodation prices.

The Let’s go Mum family are partnering with NRMA Holiday Parks, however all opinions remain firmly our own.

Like this blog? Pinterest pin it!

Have you ever visited South West Rocks? Tell us your activity ideas for families in the comments section below!

The post NRMA South West Rocks Holiday Park review appeared first on Let's go Mum.

NRMA Darlington Beach Holiday Resort is a beautiful holiday park located half an hour from Coffs Harbour, NSW, Australia.

We spent 10 wonderful days at Darlington Beach, a stunning eucalypt-studded holiday park bursting with wildlife, and fringed with a gorgeous sandy beach stretching for miles in either direction. Plus there’s more holiday fun, adventure and activities at this Coffs Harbour caravan park than you can poke a stick at!

A beautiful surf beach just down the path

The Arrawarra-Corindi Beach offers everything you could want from a coastal holiday. Swimming, surfing and fishing – even the family dog is allowed off-leash on the beach! In just a couple of minutes stroll you’re on the gorgeous white sandy beach and in holiday-relax mode whilst the children are shell-collecting and sand-castle building to their hearts content.

Kangaroos live at this holiday park

A big feature of Darling Beach holiday park is its local inhabitants – Kangaroos roam the park at will, peacefully co-existing with the park guests. It’s not unusual to wake up to a kangaroo gently nosing around under your caravan awning, or a mother with her joey still in the pouch grazing just outside. Kangaroos eat, sleep and play amongst the caravans and tents – watching them became our new favourite hobby! It’s like living in a wonderful wildlife documentary. (Check out our Let’s Go Mum Youtube Darlington Beach review video to see just how cute these new neighbours can be on your next family holiday!)

No time to read? Watch our NRMA Darlington Beach Holiday Resort Youtube video

NRMA Darlington Beach features and activities

Resort fun activities and entertainment

There are all kinds of holiday entertainments, activities and attractions to keep the family happy at Darlington Beach Holiday Park. From the most energetic kids and adults, to parents who may just prefer to relax and laze the days away – there’s something to keep everyone happy at Darlington Beach!

The central hub of Darlington Beach is a complex of food, fun and entertainment.

Two resort swimming pools

The swimming pools and water park at Darlington Beach are located next to each other, however a pool fence separates the two. This means parents can know that whilst watching their little ones playing in the water park, they aren’t going to suddenly run off towards the swimming pool area!

The best thing about having two large water play and swim areas in close proximity is that the big kids can play all day between the two areas and never get bored!

The two stunning resort swimming pools are separated by a bridge crossing, and feature twin waterslides in one large pool and a warm baby pool branching off the other. There is also a separate hot spa close by.

An exciting new waterpark

Darlington Beach already has so much for families to do together, but now you can add to it a brand new water park with two huge water slides, water-play fountains and a big tipping bucket!

There are lots of picnic tables surrounding the water park area, so families can settle down for lunch, a coffee from the café – or even for the day if they want to!

Other activities you’ll find in this central park area are the big jumping pillows, a children’s playground, a kids club and activity room to keep those busy crafters happy, plus a games room featuring arcade games and a ping pong table.

A holiday park with its own golf course!

Darlington Beach offers sports galore! Swimming, surfing and body surfing are just a stroll down the path at the beach. This park also boasts a full size lawn bowls green. If you love golfing holidays, this is the place to be – because there’s a complete 9 hole golf course at the other end of the park!

Then there’s a sports field, a tennis court, and even an archery range! You get the idea – you have options, and lots of them. Your holiday can be as relaxing or active as you like at Darlington Beach!

Pump Track and BMX track

One thing is for sure – kids love to bike and scoot in holiday parks, and with the 10km speed limit parents can relax a little more knowing the traffic is slow. But there’s also a dedicated area that keeps them off the roads and having fun! Darlington Park has a moulded plastic pump track for scooters and bikes, plus a dirt BMX track too.

Don’t worry if you forgot to put the kid’s scooters in the boot, or couldn’t bring your own bicycles – because go carts and bikes are available for hire from reception. You’re all set!

The Pet friendly holiday park that feels like a National Park!

Even though NRMA Darlington Beach Holiday Resort is chock-full of Australian native wildlife, dogs are allowed at this holiday park. You can still bring your pet along as long as you keep them on a leash when you’re walking around the park. There’s no need to rough it either – there are pet-friendly cabins, tent sites, caravan sites and even pet-friendly en-suite sites!

A dog friendly Coffs Harbour Coast beach

Best of all, this may be the happiest holiday park for dogs in Australia, as in addition to being allowed to be walked around the park on a lead itself, the beautiful Arrawarra Beach (accessed directly from the holiday park) is a dog-friendly off-leash beach! Our dog Sweetums thought she was in seventh-heaven with all the wonderful walks she took with us at Darlington Beach. (You can see all the fun she had at the beach in our Darlington Beach review video)

There are some pet exclusion times during peak booking periods such as school holidays, so you’ll need to book your holiday with dogs stay at Darlington Beach by phone.

A resort restaurant

The Flamingo Cafe/Restaurant offers all kinds of tasty treats from breakfast to dinner, with boards full of yummy meals. There are many indoor and outdoor seating options, including a large indoor space with a TV, and seating by the water park and toddler playground (yes parents of little ones – you may actually get to finish your meal or have that coffee from the cafe, undisturbed!). If the bigger kids finish dinner early, they only have to walk a few steps to be at the pool or water park too! A parent dinner in peace – ah!

Also located at the restaurant area you’ll find the resort gift shop and kiosk – I dare you to leave here without buying at least one of their gorgeous souvenirs on offer, which includes holiday clothes and all kinds of beautiful, shiny things! Plus if you’ve run out of any essentials, here is where you’ll find those too (I was very thankful to find an extra packet of pegs!).

Darlington Beach Caravan Park & Other Accommodation Options

From dog friendly cabins to private villas, glamping safari tents, powered and unpowered motorhome, bus and tent camping sites, to ensuite caravan sites and tent sites – NRMA Darlington Beach Holiday Resort has it all! The sites are spacious – really spacious. The feeling is a natural bush setting teaming with wildlife. Beautiful birdsong, grazing kangaroos – it’s a lovely place to stay.

We holidayed on one of Darlington Beach holiday park’s pet-friendly powered caravan sites, as we travel with our dog Sweetums. It’s the perfect way to take your pets on holiday and still have a great family holiday together.

NRMA Darlington Beach holiday park facilities

Darlington Beach facilities are modern, spotlessly clean – and there’s plenty of them for guests to use without feeling crowded.

From BBQs and a camp kitchen for all your camping needs, to multiple guest laundries and large amenities blocks with hot, strong showers. The focus is on easy, convenient options that minimise your time doing the essentials so that you can spend more time doing what you’re there for – relaxation and fun!

The park also offers multiple rubbish stations, plus dump points to empty your porta pottie or toilet cassettes.

Beach wheel chair accessibility

Beach accessibility can sometimes be an issue for disabled members of the family. Accessibility to the beach can be supported more easily at Darlington Beach with a special beach wheel chair available for hire from park reception. So now everyone can share the beach fun more easily!

The perfect Coffs Coast holiday park

Located on NSW North Coast, Darlington Beach is located only half and hour from Coffs Harbour holiday fun and attractions. Think the famous Big Banana, Dolphin Marine Conservation Park, the Coffs Harbour Jetty, shopping malls, even more great beaches…the local area is stunning.

Darlington Beach makes a great Queensland family holiday as it’s only three and a half hours drive from Brisbane. It also makes the perfect Sydney family holiday getaway, six hours drive up the Pacific Motorway.

How to book your NRMA holiday parks holiday

NRMA Darlington Beach Holiday Resort has your next Coffs Coast family holiday covered. A great location, surf beach front, local wildlife, modern facilities, pet friendly options, and lots of activities for both kids and adults. There’s everything you need to allow you to relax and unwind – or have an adventurous, high-energy family holiday so that you all have a great time together – it’s family holidays made easy!

For more of our NRMA holiday park reviews, check our NRMA Holiday Parks list

Find out more or book your accommodation for NRMA Darlington Beach Holiday Resort at the official website here.

How to get there

All information is correct as at February 2021 – please check the above website link for relevant, up to date information and accommodation prices.

The Let’s go Mum family are partnering with NRMA Holiday Parks, however all opinions remain firmly our own.

Like this blog? Pinterest pin it!

Have you ever visited the Coffs Coast? Tell us your activity ideas for families in the comments section below!

The post NRMA Darlington Beach Holiday Park review – near Coffs Harbour, NSW appeared first on Let's go Mum.

NRMA Treasure Island Holiday Resort is a beautiful holiday park in the heart of the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia.

Perfectly located close to both Surfers Paradise and the big Gold Coast theme parks, Treasure Island is designed especially so that your family has a great stay. Whilst the nearby attractions are fabulous, this stunning holiday park has such a wide range of entertainment options on-site that it will have you wondering why you would even need to venture outside of it!

Arr – welcome, Pirates all!

No time to read? Watch our NRMA Treasure Island Holiday Resort Youtube video

From the moment you pull up at the entrance of NRMA Treasure Island, it’s clear you’re in for a hearty good time! A shipwreck complete with parrot hanging from its crows nest embellish the Reception building. Pirate warnings and a skull in a treasure chest sitting atop the boom gate have the kids squealing from the get-go. This is no ordinary holiday park!

This super-fun pirate theme is brilliantly incorporated right across the holiday park. From the main swimming pool with it’s ship and water cannons, to skulls and crossbones at the spas and waterparks  -and life-size pirate figures keeping a salty eye upon it all – NRMA Treasure Island Holiday Resort is a family delight.

A dog friendly Gold Coast holiday park!

As we are travelling with our fourth family member – our adorable (and a little salty herself, at times) Sweetums the Miniature Schnauzer, we needed to find a pet-friendly caravan park. I was thrilled to discover that NRMA Treasure Island welcomes dogs, cats and even birds. A game changer, this means you can still have your Queensland holiday with no need to leave your beloved pets at home (or for the added holiday expense of a boarding kennel!).

Treasure Island offers pet friendly cabins, camping, motorhome and caravan sites. Plus there’s even the luxurious option of an en-suite site, which was our choice. Holidaying with dogs never felt so good!

NRMA Treasure Island features and activities

Resort fun activities and entertainment

From several separate swimming pool areas and a water park, to the big jumping pillow and year-round kids club and outdoor activities, children will never get bored at Treasure Island!

Kids Club entertainment program

Treasure Island offers an excellent kids club program year-round with a weekly schedule. All kinds of kid-appropriate sporting fun, games, arts and crafts can be found on the entertainment program handed to you upon check in.

Many of the family activities are free of charge, with some paid activities on offer too. These can include fun options such as hair braiding, jewellery making or T-shirt painting. From the under-5s right up to teenagers, there’s something for every child at Treasure Island!

NRMA Treasure Island swimming pools

There are four swimming pools at NRMA Treasure Island. All of them have surrounding quality lounges, shade – and of course a good supply of pool noodles and pool floaties!

The first pool we visited was the Riverside Pool, which as the name suggests, is located adjacent to the lovely Biggera Creek canal – complete with houseboats! Townhouse Riverside Villas are located around one side of this quiet, picturesque swimming pool. A peaceful oasis, this is where you go for a relaxing sun lounge or swim.

Pool number two that we visited was the Lagoon Pool, complete with gorgeous palms and a cascading waterfall. This pool area also plays host to two waterfall spas! Surrounded by beautiful Lagoon Deluxe Villas, this is a gorgeous pool to lounge by to the dulcet sounds of a waterfall.

Last but not least is the beautiful resort main pool. This huge area is actually two more large heated pools in one area plus a canal snaking from a slide pool.

Nobody is overlooked at Treasure Island Resort, with an additional baby pool for the tinies too.

A fun waterslide tips its riders down a slope and into the main pool, which also has a sloped beach-style access inwards, making it especially accessible. A pirate ship juts out between the two big pools housing squirting water cannons for the kids to shoot each other with.

Whilst we visited all the swimming pools more than once, the main pool complex was our favourite, especially in the evenings when the pool is lit up a vibrant blue!

Resort Water Park

Yep – this Gold Coast holiday park has it’s own water play park included! Shipwreck Shores Waterpark is pirate themed of course (aaaar!) and a whole lot of fun. The kids will love this large water feature with tons of squirty, water splashing fountains of fun!

Dodge through the fountain tunnels, get thoroughly soaked under the spouting dragon and get ready for the big skull and crossbones bucket – it’s a huge dunk that will have the kids screaming with laughter!

A jumping pillow and tennis court

In addition to all the organised free fun there are plenty more activities to do anytime during the day, such as the big, shaded bouncy pillow. My girls gave this jumping pillow a big thumbs up for both bounciness – and a view of the movie screen!

There’s a full-sized court for sports such as tennis and basketball too, which is also incorporated in to the activity program.

There’s even a ping pong table, plus a pool table inside the Bistro!

Playgrounds galore

From the dedicated toddler and pre-schooler playground located near the main pool, to playgrounds big enough for my teenagers, the park playgrounds are a lot of fun – and help burn off some of that boundless kid holiday energy!

My kid’s loved the big slide next to the jumping pillow. There’s another playground located outside of an amenities and laundry area.

The Tiny Tots playground is absolutely adorable, with tiny hedge paths revealing plastic play gyms and little slides – good luck getting your toddler out of this one!

Outdoor Gym

Don’t worry, us adults are catered for too – our playground is an outdoor gym! That’s if you’ve got any energy left from the jumping pillow (or all those margaritas by the pool!)

Movies Under The Stars

One of our favourite things to do at Treasure Island was watch Movies Under The Stars. Screening several times a week, this outdoor cinema is a real hit. All the latest family movie hits are played – we saw Scoob, Onward, Disney’s Frozen 2 and Mulan during our stay. Many families take a picnic blanket or camp chairs to settle down in the deliciously balmy Queensland weather to watch the movie. For added fun, my kids would sometimes choose to watch it whilst they were bouncing on the Jumping Pillow!

Go Kart hire and Mini Golf Course

As if that isn’t enough things for families to do together at Treasure Island, other popular paid activities include Go-Karts (helmets are provided) to peddle around the park and a 18-hole Holey Moley Mini Golf course at just $4 per person. There’s DVD and Chess hire too.

NRMA members pay half price

Many paid resort activities are discounted by 50% if you are an NRMA Blue Member! That’s a great holiday money saver for the family budget.

Bistro and bar

With the on-site licensed Galleons Bistro and bar, there’s no need to even step out of NRMA Treasure Island to go in search of a family meal! This a-la-carte menu restaurant with family favourites and daily specials is a sure holiday winner.

The elegant timber-vaulted airy design of the Bistro and its expansive outdoor dining areas offer a lovely dining atmosphere.

With the Water Park located opposite, you may have some difficulty keeping the kids at the table after their meal, though!

Accommodation Options

From pet friendly cabins to deluxe poolside villas, powered and unpowered motorhome, bus and tent camping sites, to ensuite caravan sites and tent sites – NRMA Treasure Island Holiday Resort has you covered!

Our stay was on a pet-friendly powered en-suite caravan site, as we are currently travelling with our dog, but Treasure Island also offer a huge range of accommodation alternatives to camping and caravanning – from apartments by the lagoon pool, to peaceful riverside deluxe cabins.

Different en-suite options include riverside en-suite sites, and dog-friendly en-suite sites.

Our pet-friendly ensuite site was very convenient. Treasure island ensuites are very modern and elegant. Although we have our own bathroom in our caravan, we all wanted to use the Treasure Island ensuite!

Our en-suite featured a large double-sized shower, toilet and vanity with complimentary toiletries.

When it comes time to set up your caravan, motorhome or tent, connections are a breeze with close and simple fittings.

I’d highly recommend booking a Treasure Island en-suite site for the height of caravanning and camping luxury!

Take a look around our caravan ensuite site on our video here…

NRMA Treasure Island park facilities

Every necessary and useful holiday park facility can be found at Treasure Island.

There’s a Reception, a basics shop that also sells ice creams (the ultimate holiday essential!) and a great Bistro for easy no-washing-up family meals that every mum and dad needs!

The park itself is a tropical delight with extensive gardens and connecting pathways, all kept immaculately. A cast of what seems like thousands of staff circulate to ensure everything is ship-shape (aaar, me hearties!) and in order. This is a holiday that is seamless, easy and fuss-free for holiday makers.

Two laundries on site

Tired at queueing at holiday park laundries? At Treasure Island there’s not one laundry but two! Both guest laundries feature several machines ($4 a wash, takes $1 gold coins – $4 drying cycle), washing lines, plus the Riverside Laundry has large dryers. Spending half your life waiting or watching for a washing machine on your holiday whilst your kids have fun without you isn’t an issue at this holiday park!

Camp Kitchens

There are well fitted-out Camp Kitchens with dining tables both inside and out, plus several covered BBQ areas with dining tables dotted around the park too.

There are two large communal toilet and shower amenities, and both are spacious, modern, spotlessly clean and well-maintained. Accessible amenities are also on site.

The park also offers Dump Points to empty your porta pottie, motorhome or caravan toilet cassettes.

The perfect Gold Coast holiday base

There’s no doubt about it – the NRMA Treasure Island Holiday Resort makes a fantastic Queensland holiday base, with all the big Gold Coast attractions just minutes away.

Located at Biggera Waters near Labrador in Queensland, NRMA Treasure Island is around half an hour from the NSW-Queensland border at Tweed Heads. It’s approximately 35 minutes taxi or Uber ride from the Gold Coast Airport, 9 hours drive up the Pacific Highway and M1 motorway from Sydney, and around an hour’s drive to Brisbane (slightly longer in peak-hour traffic).

This makes Treasure Island the perfect Brisbane weekend retreat or Gold Coast family holiday choice.

Local tourist attractions and Gold Coast day trips

Just 15 minute down the road from the holiday park you’ll find the world-famous Surfers Paradise, with its pristine white beaches and bustling holiday entertainment.

Gold Coast theme parks

Treasure Island is just twenty minutes drive to the theme parks Movie World, Dreamworld and Whitewater World, and fifteen minutes to Sea World.

Don’t miss the beautiful Gold Coast Hinterland too. Mount Tamborine is forty minutes drive, and Springbrook National Park – home of the amazing Natural Bridge – is just under an hour.

If you’re really motivated, you can even do a day trip up to Bindi and Bob Irwin’s home, Australia Zoo, at around 2 hours drive away (146kms)!

Gold Coast Theme Park discount tickets

If you’re heading up to one of the Gold Coast theme parks, or other great attractions you can purchase discounted tickets at park reception, including tickets to Warner Bros Movie World, Sea World, Wet’n’Wild Gold Coast, Australian Outback Spectacular, Dreamworld , Whitewater World and Wildlife Currumbin Sanctuary.

Gold Coast shopping malls

Don’t miss out of the famous Gold Coast shopping during your visit. The Harbour Town designer outlet centre (you can even take your dog to the outside areas there) is just down the road from Treasure Island, or a two minute drive, as is Australia Fair. It’s twenty minutes to the massive Pacific Fair shopping mall and the second-largest shopping centre, the Robina Town Centre.

Book your Queensland holiday now!

NRMA Treasure Island has your next Gold Coast family holiday covered. A great location, modern facilities, pet friendly options, masses of activities for the kids and family entertainment. There’s everything you need to allow you to relax and unwind – or rev-up the family fun so that you all have a great time together – it’s family holidays made easy!

Find out more or book your accommodation for NRMA Treasure Island Holiday Resort at the official website here.

How to get there

All information is correct as at February 2021 – please check the above website link for relevant, up to date information and accommodation prices.

The Let’s go Mum family are partnering with NRMA Holiday Parks, however all opinions remain firmly our own.

Like this blog? Pinterest pin it!

Have you ever visited the Gold Coast? Tell us your activity ideas for families in the comments section below!

The post NRMA Treasure Island Holiday Park Resort, Gold Coast review appeared first on Let's go Mum.

Grab a copy of today’s Daily Telegraph (NSW), Herald Sun (Victoria), Courier Mail (QLD) or The Advertiser (SA) to see our latest media feature on the hottest new camping gear for 2021.

We’re currently caravanning throughout different areas of our gorgeous country and we were excited to be featured, and asked by Newscorp journalist Patrick Tadros to give our recommendations on what’s hot in family camping gear for this year.

Caravanning and camping with kids is fun!

Exploring with the family caravan like us, or packing up a tent and going camping is a holiday they’ll never forget. Summer is such a fantastic time to get out there and have some fun in the surf, and maybe a bushwalk to a hidden waterfall in the hinterland too. Or perhaps explore a road less travelled inland – exciting family adventures together are all waiting for you. What better way to experience it all, than to sleep out amongst the wildlife and get back to nature with the kids?

Some camping planning before you go

Before you go, there’s some planning to be done to ensure that everyone is well-fed, clean and comfortable – so that your family weekend or holiday trip away is remembered for all the right reasons. That’s where the new 2021 camping gear guide comes in. From cosy sleeping bags to nifty kitchen sets, you’ll be sorted in no time!

To see what essential 2021 camping items you can get right now, buy your state’s News Corp newspaper at your local newsagent to read the new article. Or you can read the article here – or if you have a subscription, view it online in many Newscorp publications in NSW, Victoria, Queensland and South Australia.

Grab your gear, load up the kids and get ready to camp – we’ll see you out there!

The post Our News Corp feature – The Best Gear For Camping In 2021 appeared first on Let's go Mum.

It’s clear from the moment you enter Big4 Yarra Valley Park Lane, that you are entering a nature-paradise.

Nestled at the base of a tree-covered hill, wombats, kangaroos and many other native animals live all around the park. Parrots of many colours flutter through the trees and are so quiet they will even fly down to perch on you arm to eat out of your hand.

A park in the true sense of the word, accommodation options are set within a forest of established trees.

Staying at Yarra Valley Holiday Park can be as relaxing and peaceful as you’d like – or high-energy family adventure and fun – the choice is yours!

Family fun is everywhere

There’s certainly no shortage of fun things to do at Yarra Valley Holiday Park.

A huge supervised inflatable water park is a stand-out feature to keep kids (and adults!) entertained. Floating on a lake surrounded by majestic gum trees, this is an activity you won’t find at your average holiday park. There is a massive inflatable tower to climb and jump off, slides, monkey bars suspended over a water-pit and a whole lot more.

Next to the lake is a set of tennis courts, and just over the hill is a recreation room with games tables and lounge/play area.

In the centre of the park you’ll find a beautiful lagoon pool and a heated outdoor spa, both naturally shaded by towering gums. With a smaller baby pool at one end, this is the perfect place for the younger family members to have a paddle, whilst the older kids can swim and play in the big pool. It’s also a lovely spot to settle down on a lounge with a book, or for mum and dad to cool off in the pool with the kids, too!

At the lower end of the park are large open lawn areas for the children to run and play. There’s a large playground (in addition to the other playground on the hilltop area of the park), jump pad, giant jumping pillow and  a huge koala to pose in for family photos!

Family accommodation options

There’s a large range of accommodation options to choose from at BIG4 Yarra Valley. They range from pitching your own tent or bringing your own caravan or motorhome (there are several drive-through sites), to numerous on-site cabins, condos, villas and studios. Then there are their famous Pods and glamping tents.

Family Glamping Bell Tents

No time to read? Watch our Family Glamping Belle Tent video tour here

These gorgeous Bohemian styled tents aren’t just for couples anymore, with Big4 Yarra Valley offering families a glamping tent experience too!

Sleeping four, this clever family accommodation option consists of two Belle tents linked via a personal lounging deck. Each glamping tent has its own personal ensuite just a few paces away.

All of the glamping tents are individually themed. Ours was “Eclectic Belle”, and eclectic and glamorous it was, with drapes, throw rungs and pillows. Our largest tent was furnished with a king-sized bed, lounge, dining table, flat-screen TV, bar fridge and climate control.

Inside the kid’s tent were two single beds and luxury lounge chairs. My little glampers thought this was all very exciting!

Our mornings were greeted with bird-song – in particular, the parrots eating bird seed on our private deck. Just magic.

Our 2-bedroom Hilltop Cabin

No time to read? Watch our Hill Top Cabin video tour here

Next, we stayed in a beautiful Hilltop Cabin. With scenic views over the creek and bushland hills opposite, this is another great family accommodation option.

Our ultra-modern two-bedroom cabin was fully furnished and fitted out, and could accommodate families of up to six people.

There was a master bedroom and a bunk bedroom sleeping up to four people – great for the kids.  A bathroom with shower and separate toilet were located on opposite sides of the hallway. All linen, blankets and towels were supplied.

A climate-controlled open-plan kitchen-dining-lounge area makes for the perfect family space. There’s all you need for holiday cooking in the kitchen, with pots and pans, crockery and cutlery all supplied. Kitchen appliances included a gas stove top cooker, microwave, full-sized fridge electric kettle and toaster. All we needed to bring to cook our own meals, was the food!

In the cabin’s roomy lounge area there was lots of room for the family to spread-out. There was a comfy corner lounge suite, a large flat-screen TV and DVD player, plus a dining table area.

This size cabin accommodates from small to medium sized families very comfortably. That said, we spent much of our time out on the balcony, taking in the view and feeding the local parrots and ducks. What a beautiful place it was to stay.

Pods – the perfect Melbourne weekender for two – or three!

Pods are scattered across the park, with several located down by the creek, partially secluded in the woods. These tiny timber cabins feature an elegantly arched roof, and have their own balcony.  They are the perfect accommodation for couples, single parent families or parent/child combinations of up to three people.

Pod-dwellers in the creek area also receive a Pod Mobile for their own use in the park during their stay. These little all-terrain electric cars are a lot of fun to drive around, and can even go around the Park’s mountain walking track.

BYO tent, caravan, camping trailer or motor home

With plenty of tree-lined sites for tents, caravans and RVs, these are fantastic family holiday options.

Camp-cooking is covered with a separate BBQ area and a simply huge camp kitchen with everything you’ll need to whip up a family meal. There’s also a large flat screen TV and lounges to relax on.

Nearby is the stylish shared amenities and laundry, with super-fast dryers or washing lines take care of the family laundry needs.

Further Park facilities

There is a licensed kiosk on site, and very friendly, helpful staff with lots of local information and day-trip ideas.

You don’t need to go into town to find a decent coffee either – delicious coffee and hot chocolates are available from the park’s own café – perfect!

Things to do nearby – Yarra Valley family fun

There’s no shortage of family fun in the Yarra Valley, and Yarra Valley Park Lane is the perfect base to visit them.

No time to read? Watch the video here

The Healsville Sanctuary is only minutes away, and is a great family day out. There are many different native animals to see, including a fantastic free bird flight show.

The Big Bouquet Alpaca Café is just a couple of minutes drive away, and features a huge greenhouse full of beautiful Gerberas and quiet Alpacas to feed.

The Hedgend English Hedge Maze is just five minutes drive away, and features a traditional English Maze to get lost in, plus lots of other family activities included.

Ten minutes drive away you will find the charming Yarra Valley Railway with its heritage tourist train ride at Healesville.

45 minutes drive away is the Yarra Ranges National Park and the Instagram-famous, majestic Warburton Redwood forest.

In the other direction, a picturesque 45 minute drive away you’ll find the popular Yarra Valley Chocolaterie with a chocolate café and many scrumptious treats for sale.

Of course a visit to the Yarra Valley wouldn’t be complete without stopping in at a winery or two – the Yarra Valley plays host to some of Australia’s best wines.

 Family money saver – discount Healesville Sanctuary tickets

Guest benefits – when you stay at BIG4 Yarra Valley, not only are you in the Healesville Sanctuary neighbourhood, but you also get a 10% discount off tickets. Just buy your tickets on the day you go from BIG4 Yarra Valley reception.

Nearby services

Just over five minutes drive down the road is the bustlingly charming town of Healesville. Healesville has a Coles supermarket, numerous shops, service stations, an RSL club and many small restaurants, take-away food, wine and café options.

Big4 Yarra Valley is the perfect place for Melbourne families to get away from it all and have a great time together. It’s the beautiful location to have fun, explore the Yarra Valley, relax and reconnect with the family. If you’re heading to the Yarra Valley with the family, this is the place to stay!

Find out more or book your accommodation for BIG4 Yarra Valley Park Lane Holiday Park at the official website here.

How to get there

All information is correct as at March 2019 – please check the above website link for relevant, up to date information and accommodation prices. Let’s go Mum were hosted guests of BIG4 Yarra Valley Park Lane Holiday Park, however all opinions remain firmly our own.

Have you ever visited the Yarra Valley, or do you plan to go one day? Tell us in the comments below..

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