Grey Nomads spill beans on what makes a good caravan park

Katherine is a popular stop for many on the road, with more than a few caravan parks to choose from. 

So, how do the nomads decide where to go? And what makes a good caravan park?

Katherine Times spoke to Gordon Kemp, travelling with his wife Sandra and their two dogs Zoe and Bella, to see what they had to say. 

First of all, finding a good caravan park is mostly trial and error, you can get recommendations from fellow travellers, but you won’t know until you get there and experience it for yourself, Mr Kemp said. 

With five journeys around the whole of Australia under their belt, the couple know a thing or two about what makes a good caravan park. 

“A lot of people are travelling with their dogs these days,” Mr Kemp said. 

“At our age you’ve gotten rid of your kids and your dogs become your best friends, so it’s important caravan parks are dog friendly.” 

“Some caravan parks separate you if you have a dog, and we don’t like to be segregated because you often miss out on the best spots,” he said. 

Mr Kemp said the NT is usually pretty good on the dog front, especially compared to the east coast. 

Other important features of a caravan park that make a stay more comfortable include a nice shady area, green grass, more than one or two BBQ’s, a clothes line and a good rubbish collection, Mr Kemp said. 

Location is also very important to Mr Kemp who has returned to Katherine five times, staying at the Riverview Tourist Village which is right next to the Hot Springs. 

Judy Fletcher, also staying at the Riverview Tourist Village – which according to the website, is the shadiest caravan park in Katherine  – agreed with Mr Kemp in that shade is ultra important. 

Not only does it make it cooler, but the trees make a caravan park aesthetically pleasing, she said.

Mrs Fletcher said clean BBQ’s, a good clean camp kitchen with fridges and freezers, a clothes lines and a washing machine are a must. 

On top of that, a layout which gives campers space and power points in addition to powered sites is what sets a caravan park apart from the rest. 

“If you’ve been or the road for a while it is nice to have convenience after a long day,” Mrs Fletcher said. 

Both Mr Kemp and Mrs Fletcher agreed the Riverview Tourist Village did indeed have ample shade. 

Both said they would happily visit again.