The owners of Australia’s oldest caravan park known-to-date, family owned and operated Easts Beach Holiday Park, are toasting 75 years in 2010.

Part of the BIG4 Holiday Park franchise, Easts Beach Holiday Park, located in Kiama on the pristine south coast of NSW, is built on a history rich with tales of long standing traditions, friendships spanning decades, and even a love story.

Managing Director, Leanne Williams explains that the land where Easts Beach Holiday Park now stands was purchased in 1852 as a dairy farm by her late father’s great grandparents, Thomas and Elizabeth East, meaning the property has been in the same family for almost 160 years.

“The property has been part of the Easts family for six generations, including our children now. Originally the land was used for dairy farming from when my great great grandfather bought the farm in 1852, however thanks to the farm’s beachside setting, there were many unofficial guests camping on the land before Easts Beach Holiday Park was formally opened in 1935, including my grandfather Bruce’s future wife, Bessie,” explains Leanne.

In 1932, Bessie and her family were one of the first families to stay with the Easts. Travelling from Sydney, Bessie’s family broke down in the area and asked the local dairy farmer if they could pitch a tent for the night. Instead of moving on the following day, they ended up staying for their entire holiday due to the gorgeous location, and came each year after that – and so the courtship between Leanne’s grandfather Bruce and Bessie began.

Bruce was smitten and he wasn’t going to let the three-hour travelling distance from Sydney and Kiama come between him and Bessie, so he cleverly befriended Dr Hayden who was a gliding instructor and flew tiger moth planes, which he landed on a property near the Easts’. Bruce would ‘hitch a ride’ to Sydney with Dr Hayden fortnightly so he could visit Bessie and then catch the train home. The rest, as they say, is history. Their love for each other lasted a lifetime with Bessie passing away in 2006 aged 91, and Bruce passing away three years later in 2009 aged 95.

From 1935 to the 1970s, Bruce managed both the dairy farm and holiday park, where guests were provided with fresh milk, butter and ice, free of charge and the cost to stay was five shillings per week, or one shilling for the night. Camping in the early days was rustic and very different to today’s camping standards. There were no luxuries, just a big grass paddock with pit toilets, cold showers and old boilers to wash clothes. Of course, being a dairy farm there were cows roaming around, so campers tell of putting fences around their tents to stop the cows from getting in.

Carrying on tradition, Bruce’s son and Leanne’s father, Robert East, took over the helm from his father in the late 1970s and was heavily involved in the camping and caravanning industry. During the time that Robert was running the park, Easts Beach Holiday Park joined the BIG4 franchise group, where he played a large part in recruiting other parks to join, often travelling around the country to view them.

Robert was a prominent and respected figure in Kiama, serving as Deputy Mayor of the town between 2004 and 2006. In 2006, Robert received an OAM for his community and charity work, which he mainly did through Rotary International. Robert was diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2001 and spent the remainder of his life raising money for the cause. Before he passed away in 2006, Robert had raised $80,000 for the Robert East Memorial Fund, which provides funds for research into bowel cancer.

Over the past 75 years the Easts have made long-lasting friendships with the many families that would visit the park each year.

“One family that we have grown particularly close to over the years is the Breust family. They have been coming to the park every year since 1957 and we have gotten to know three generations of Breust’s. Allan Breust is 53 years old, and has been coming to the park each and every year of his life. He now brings his children who are experiencing the same holidays Allan did as a child, which is absolutely fantastic,” said Leanne. 

So 75 years on, how has the holiday park industry changed and evolved and how does Leanne keep their loyal clientele coming back?

“Obviously there have been major changes within the holiday park industry over the past 75 years, with camping and accommodation standards rising dramatically. We have started adding facilities that are fast becoming the norm, such as a 25m resort style pool, heated spa, children’s wading pool and onsite café. We are constantly changing and refurbishing the park and accommodation, ensuring that we stay top of today’s standards,” said Leanne.

“Easts Beach Holiday Park now boasts nearly 600 sites all up and is one of the largest parks at 35 acres. We have maintained some traditional elements in a bid to stay true to our rustic beginnings, such as keeping the more natural feel of grass, rather than concrete slabs,” Leanne adds.

With the perfect mix of modern luxury and rustic charm, and with a view to die for, there is no doubt that new holiday memories will continue to be made at Easts Beach Holiday Park over the next 75 years. 

The Easts will celebrate the 75th anniversary with an invitation-only celebration in September, 2010, with approximately 110 family members attending an Easts family reunion at the same time.