MEDIA RELEASE
11 November 2019
Berri Riverside Holiday Park Takes Home National Grey Nomad Award
The Berri Riverside Holiday Park has taken out the Best Community Campsite category at the inaugural Grey Nomad Awards.
Announced at a gala dinner on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast on Wednesday night, the Holiday Park was nominated by the Berri War Memorial Community Centre Inc, which owns the tourism facility.
The Grey Nomad Awards recognise communities, tourism operators and events that provide exemplary products, services or experiences for travellers aged over 55. The program expands the appeal of Australian towns and regions, encouraging these travellers to see Australia while supporting positive aging through soft adventure and social inclusion.
Grey Nomad Awards Director, Kim Morgan, said “The whole of Berri, and not just the Berri Riverside Holiday Park, should be very proud of this win – it is national recognition of the amazing community spirit that thrives in the town and surrounds”.
“Winning a Grey Nomad Award says to mature-age travellers that you offer a superior experience where their needs and enjoyment have been taken into special consideration, providing them with verified information that will guide their decisions on where to travel and what to experience,” Ms Morgan said.
Judging was conducted by mature-age tourism professionals from around Australia, some of whom had experienced the grey nomad lifestyle, lending weight to Berri Riverside Holiday Park’s success.
The criteria focussed on the way the things that long-haul overland travellers seek, such as authentic experiences, comradery, reliable mobile reception, easy access to eating and shopping places, well-appointed amenities, and great customer service. “The towns and organisations behind the winning entries showed clear evidence that they take this visitor segment into consideration in their planning and offerings,” Ms Morgan said.
The judges emphasised that the Berri Riverside Holiday Park is an extremely impressive community-owned property, with a breadth of facilities and services rarely found together in caravan parks. They also praised the managers for hosting innovative events, such as high teas, sunset markets and food van visits, that created the memorable social networking that grey nomads desire.
South Australia scooped the Awards pool, taking home five of the eight category Awards. Other winners were:
2019 Best Grey Nomad Attraction or Tour: Busselton Jetty, Busselton WA
2019 Best Grey Nomad Commercial Campsite: Yorke Peninsula Council Bush Camping SA
2019 Best Grey Nomad Council Free-stay Campsite: Kimba Recreation Reserve, District Council of Kimba SA
2019 Best Grey Nomad Festival or Event: Parkes Elvis Festival NSW
2019 Best Grey Nomad Large Caravan Park: Queens Beach Tourist Village, Bowen QLD
2019 Best Grey Nomad Small Caravan Park: Yorketown Caravan Park, Yorke Peninsula Council SA
2019 Best Grey Nomad Volunteer Program or Project: Kimba Grey Nomads Volunteer Program, Kimba Community Development Group Inc SA.
Media contact: Liz Rivers on 1300 88 22 59 or liz@awardsabsolute.com
