Easts Beach celebrates big milestone

The owners of one of Australia's oldest caravan parks are celebrating 75 years of operation this month.

The family-owned and operated Easts Beach Holiday Park, located in Kiama on the south coast of NSW, had humble beginnings.

According to Managing Director, Leanne Williams the land where the holiday park now stands was purchased in 1852 as a dairy farm by her late father's great grandparents, Thomas and Elizabeth East.

"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," Williams said.

In 1932, Bessie and her family were one of the first families to stay. Travelling from Sydney, Bessie's family became stranded 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, and came each year after that -- kickstarting a courtship between William's grandfather Bruce and Bessie.

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. The cost to stay was five shillings per week, or one shilling for the night.

Camping in the early days was rustic with few luxuries, just a big grass paddock with pit toilets, cold showers and old boilers to wash clothes. Being a dairy farm there were cows roaming around, so campers put up fences around their tents to stop the cows from getting in.

Bruce's son and Leanne's father, Robert East, took over managing the park in the late-'70s and would become heavily involved in the camping and caravanning industry.

Over the past 75 years the Easts have made long-lasting friendships with many of the families that regularly visited the park.

"Allan Breust is 53 years old, and has been coming to the park each and every year of his life," Williams said. "He now brings his children who are experiencing the same holidays Allan did as a child, which is absolutely fantastic."

Easts Beach Holiday Park now boasts modern facilities with approximately 600 sites over 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," Williams said

The Easts are marking the 75th anniversary with an invitation-only celebration, including a reunion of 110 family members.


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