Banora Point Caravan Park - Gold Coast

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Banora Point Caravan Park Gold Coast - New South Wales

Holidaying with dogs on the Gold Coast can be a wee bit difficult. There is one very small, but very friendly park at Runaway Bay, one so so park further down the coast at Hastings Point and then there is Banora Point Caravan Park just south of the Queensland/NSW border - so we are stretching it a bit in the title with the Gold Coast bit. Only there as everyone knows where it is! Banora Caravan Park is situated right on the banks of the beautiful Tweed River. The setting is quite picturesque, but of course waterfront sites are very scarce. On our stay in December 2001 we were lucky enough to find one right next to the launching ramp. The photos tell it all! However, all was not perfect in paradise as the huge bridge in the pics is of course the Pacific Highway so noise was ever present ever so slightly in the background. Check in is very warm and friendly and you get to pick your own site, but no late checkouts are allowed if you are a Brisbanite just down for the weekend.

Very easy access when booking in

The old Banora Point Bridge

Camped here on the banks of the river and fishing from our site, one can only equate this with 6 star living and yet it's only $16.00 a night. Is this what attracts so many of us to this wonderful lifestyle? A popular pastime is bringing a chair down under the shade of the riverbank and watching the pleasure craft go by. Pretty easy to take too! Plenty of nice grassy sites back from the river if you don't need power and also ensuite sites with pads, but these are a stones throw from the water.

Permanents are interspersed with tourists

Typical house proud permanent

The BBQ's are all absolutely glistening. This one even has a power point mounted on the back wall. The old boat is in a delightful garden near the front entrance.

On our visit new managers had just taken over and had installed a new magnetic boom gate. This caused a bit of a stir with some of the local residents, as it prevented visitors entering. It even got a write up in the local rag as one wag complained that he felt like a POW. The park has its own monthly newsletter which is rather cute. This is not a predominantly tourist park and there are lots of retirees and others. We found the locals very friendly and Rex our Border Collie made lots of new friends. Remember that some of the park is low cost accommodation so please make allowances for this. You can get around this small limitation by where you site yourself

Lots of these tables throughout the park

Riverside BBQ area - delightfully peaceful

Apart from where we were, the riverfront is all open grassy parkland with lots of shade trees. You can swim in many places and there is some sand. Lots of doggies go swimming! There is a particularly delightful section with two immaculate BBQ's and a couple of covered tables. The gas BBQ's are free. Good one Banora Point. Bang in the middle of summer, yet we had zero problems with flies and other bities! A few odd mossies at night only. We put this down to the constant light breezes. Water of course is town and quite good. The amenities are adequate and the laundry just OK with some machines not working. All mobiles work at full strength. There is a normal Telstra pay phone to the left of the office. TV comes in just fine as long as you remember you are on the wrong side of a hill, so those without a booster could be in a wee bit of trouble. There is a very nice TV lounge, but this was locked during our stay. No provision so far for those with disabilities at all.

You can't miss the main sign

The water is fairly clear all the time

Walking and bike riding is quite good, in fact you could say absolutely ideal. Walking under the bridge brings you to a nice park. Walk or ride south over the bridge and then turn left and you can follow the river for miles to the sea at Fingal Head or Kingscliff, if you are energetic enough. The dedicated bikeways are excellent with lots of nice landscaping. Take your camera as the views from the bridge are breathtaking. The dedicated bikeway/walkway is on the western side of the bridge. Following the waters edge on the northern riverbank takes you through very pretty country - ideal for walking or riding with some shade. The photos were taken around 5AM, but it does give an inkling into the wonderful tranquillity of this area if you are prepared to look.

Tranquillity on early morning walks

This is just round from the bridge

Day trip wise you are truly spoilt for choice. It is a good move to pick up a copy of the Tweed/Coolangatta Visitors Guide - www.tweedcoolvisitorsguide.com.au. Apart from listing a zillion attractions, this book outlines about 40 drives and the maps are quite extensive. If you have a liking for seafood then a visit to PKG Seafoods shouldn't be missed. You can eat in or dine out with the aggressive seagulls! Located in Kennedy Drive you can almost walk there from the park. The Bridge Restaurant is located almost under the ridge and is only a five minute walk. The office has loads of touristy info all very well laid out. Nearby Pottsville and Kingscliff have regular Sunday markets. Pacific Fair Shopping Centre is a must see. We also like the smaller Oasis complex just across the road - very up market. Don't forget the river cruises down the Tweed to one of our favourite places historic Tumbulgum. Those wanting a very inexpensive lunch should try the Tweed South Bowls Club at $3.00 per head! Easy disabled access via escalators. The bowling club at Kingscliff is another very cheap lunch spot with the most stunning beach views imaginable.

The very leafy reception and shop area

Newly installed boom gates work well!

If you don't have bikes or a spare set of wheels stock up before setting up as the nearest shops are a 5km trip up the highway. You can get papers at the old motel under the bridge if you need them from 6AM. The park's own kiosk does sell most basics, all papers and is open from 8AM to 4PM and pricing is reasonable. No dump point as yet. This park works on Queensland time - a point worth remembering at checkout time. Late checkout isn't available. Noise wise we were very pleased as after all you are on the flight path to the airport. The park settles right down around 9PM and there were no early departures.

You can swim along here

A cabin right on the water

The parks own launching ramp

A top campsite right on the river

You can contact Banora on (07) 5523 4100. Snail mail - Pacific Highway, Banora Point, NSW, 2486. Turn off the Pacific Highway at the Barney's Point exit. The park is on the eastern side of the highway. This park is also known as Tweed Waters Tourist Park and this is their listing in Holidaying With Dogs. We can't even give you a page number with the dog book as they don't number the pages with ads! Are you confused? We used the mobile to navigate us in! As already mentioned cost in December 2001 - $16.00 per couple for a powered site. There is a $15.00 gate card deposit. If you can get near the river we recommend this park. If you have a doggie you can't go wrong!

Bob & Chrissy Eustace

UPDATE 19th February 2003

To access this park take the Barney Point exit from the Pacific Highway and the park is adjacent to the highway just east of the bridge over the Tweed River. Unfortunately the park was a great disappointment despite having a good review in, I think, December 2001. There are only three or four tourist sites and these have en-suite facilities and these were very basic. The park itself is on a beautiful stretch of river but appears to provide low cost accommodation with sites extremely cramped. Tourists are not encouraged as on enquiring at the office whether there was a discount for a weeks stay (by another couple) the answer was �No - it�s not a tourist park and we don�t encourage tourists.�

Unfortunately disturbances during the night are, apparently, common and whilst we were there it was fortunate that there was not a serious accident as one van and annex was badly damage by fire.

As we were having car trouble (and traveling with a dog) we were looking for a park close handy to South Tweed industrial area and this was the first park we encountered south of Tweed Heads.

Site fees were $22 per night with a $40 bond for the gate and en-suite keys.

The sites are very small and cars need to be parked across the front of the van. The sites have only enough room for the van and annex. Roads are very congested and some vans have been deliberately parked across what was once a ring road around the park.

Visit Date October/2002.

Michael Outridge

inform@gil.com.au

Sounds like a change in management - we stayed right on the river near the tourist cabins.

Bob and Chrissy

Click on the compass for a map of the area