Cornwall Park offers annual membership

In what could be a first for the Australian RV industry, a farm stay campground just outside Melbourne is slashing overnight fees to recreational campers by offering a cut-price annual membership.

The membership deal is currently only being offered to previous guests of Cornwall Park, a large 700 acre property located in Toolern Vale, Victoria, which has been open to caravanners and campers for about a year.

The offer includes a joining fee of $90, with an ongoing monthly fee of $30. Normally, Cornwall Park charges $25 per adult, per night for ‘off the grid’ camping with a caravan, motorhome or camper trailer.

However, those who take up the membership offer won’t be able to ‘overstay’ their welcome, with a maximum of 60 nights for the 12 month period, and no more than 10 consecutive nights allowed.

The membership is for two adults, with children under 17 free, and includes the opportunity to store an RV on-site, in a designated area.

The membership allows campers to ‘come and go as you please' and includes free visits to a dingo sanctuary. As well as camping, the 700 acres of natural bushland and open paddocks can be used for various outdoor activities including bushwalking, horse riding, and mountain bike riding. Guests can also fish in the dams.

Cornwall Park has been upgrading its camping facilities in recent months, adding a large indoor camp kitchen, BBQ, outdoor pool, and shower/toilets at the main entrance, as well as glamping tent options.

Located 39km from Melbourne’s CBD in a semi-rural residential area, Cornwall Park was run as a horse stud for many years. It’s still a working farm with free range chickens and horses on site, but the new owners are attempting to capitalise on the abundant natural bushland by turning it into a camping and recreational destination.

The property is home to several native species, including kangaroos, emus and koalas, as well as feral species like foxes. Guests can purchase eggs from the 1000 free-range chickens housed on site, which are guarded by a couple of Maremma dogs.

The new owners are also planning to offer more upmarket accommodation and catering facilities on the property, as well as other recreational activities such as paint ball and mountain bike/dirt bike trails.

Cornwall Park is one of an increasing number of farm stay-style camping facilities available across Australia, and is listed on the Youcamp website.