Best Family Friendly Holiday Parks for 2011!

NRMA Holiday Parks is excited to again have all of their four parks awarded in the annual Holidays with Kids Top 10 Family Friendly Holiday Park Awards for 2011!

Ocean Beach Holiday Park in Umina Beach on the NSW Central Coast was voted no. 1 in NSW, Treasure Island Holiday Park on QLD's Gold Coast was voted no. 1 in Qld, Darlington Beach Holiday Park near Coffs Harbour on the NSW Coffs Coast was voted no. 5 in NSW and Merimbula Beach Holiday Park on the NSW South Coast was voted no. 7 in NSW.

The Parks were recognised in the annual 'Holidays with Kids' travel magazine awards, voted by the national magazine's readership of over 600,000 parents, 61,000 online members and customers of Club Med and TakeABreak.com.au.

Categories included activities for kids, staff hospitality, accommodation, location, safety and family fun.

NRMA Holiday Parks are thrilled to have four of their parks awarded in the annual Holidays with Kids Top 10 Family Friendly Holiday Park awards for 2010!

Ocean Beach Holiday Park in Umina Beach on the NSW Central Coast was voted #1, Treasure Island Holiday Park on QLD's Gold Coast was voted #2, Darlington Beach Holiday Park in Arrawarra on the NSW Coffs Coast was voted #6 and Merimbula Beach Holiday Park on the NSW South Coast received a high commendation.

NRMA Holiday Parks General Manager Dianne Day said the staff and management are very proud and pleased with receiving the awards, and to have three parks placed in the top 10 and one with a commendation is an honour, especially in such competitive awards.

The awards are decided by readers and online members of "Holidays with Kids" magazine, who voted for the parks based on a range of categories including activities and facilities for kids, standard of accommodation, fun for the entire family, and much more.

Sydney Gateway Holiday Park was recently awarded the winner of the Caravan & Camping Industry Association of NSW (CCIA) Award of Excellence in Environmental Innovation - Park.

More than 250 guests gathered at The Sheraton On The Park in Sydney for the annual Awards of Excellence, which recognise caravan, RV and camping businesses for industry excellence across 24 categories.

The prestigious awards are one of the biggest nights for the caravan and camping industry and the awards are the highest accolade that a caravan, RV or camping business can achieve.

Congratulations to the park on this great achievement!

Darlington Beach Holiday Park celebrated the opening of "Ponds Cafe" by hosting an exclusive cocktail party on Wednesday 30 June 2010.

Tasty hors d'oeuvres were passed around to guests while they mingled and enjoyed live music and amazing fire twirlers. To read more about the night click here!

Ponds Cafe is now open seven days a week for breakfast, lunch and dinner and offers meals to suit everyone of all palates and budgets, combined with a relaxing, family-friendly atmosphere. We hope to see you soon!

Over the past year, NRMA Holiday Parks, in conjunction with the Starlight Children’s Foundation, has donated 100 holidays to Australian families with seriously ill children.

One of NRMA Holiday Park’s many community initiatives, the program offered 100 Starlight kids and their 147 siblings and 211 parents / carers a chance to escape from the medical routine of hospitals and doctors and enjoy some great family fun in a Holiday Park.

NRMA Holiday Parks received such positive feedback that they have extended the program and also their disability services; ensuring beach wheelchairs are now available for use at Treasure Island Holiday Park, Darlington Beach Holiday Park and Ocean Beach Holiday Park.

Starlight Escapes offer families a welcome break from the stressful routine of a child’s illness, through entertainment and holidays.  Even the most simple of life’s pleasures, enjoyed regularly by other families such as spending quality time together, picnics and playing at the beach can make a big difference in lives of families with seriously ill children.

During their four-night stay, the families enjoyed all the Holiday Park facilities and attractions, with pools, jumping pillows and adventure playgrounds particular favourites with the kids.  As well as a whole range of other great activities on offer not often found near hospital beds!

One of the recipients of a Holiday Park getaway, the Farley family had a wonderful time, their child commenting, “My favourite part of the Holiday Park was the mushroom pool and cool jumping pillow and it made me feel very happy”.

The Stackman family also enjoyed the break, saying, “My family’s favourite thing about the Holiday Park was for us to be…on a family holiday for the first time in many years and…having fun, enjoying ourselves and not worrying about the next hospital visit”.

To read about other Starlight Foundation programs and stories and see how you can help, visit their website here.

Source: CRVA Website

Darlington Beach Holiday Park (managed by FreeSpirit Holiday Parks) was proud to accept the award as winner of NSW's Best Resort/Holiday 4.5 - 5 stars (more than 100 sites) at the recent Caravan and Camping Industry Association (CCIA) of NSW's annual Awards of Excellence. This was in addition to winning the overall Best of the Best NSW Holiday/Resort Park in NSW.