G’day Group Mount Surprise acquisition
Australia’s regional tourism leader, G’day Group, has added another destination along the popular Savannah Way touring route, acquiring Bedrock Village Caravan Park and Tours near Mount Surprise in Queensland’s tropical north.
The 5-hectare property, which will be renamed Discovery Parks – Mount Surprise, incorporates 35 cabins and 105 tourist sites, family-friendly facilities such as a swimming pool and mini-golf course, along with the associated tourism business that currently offers full and half-day tours to the world famous Undara Lava Tubes.
Located three and a half hours south-west of Cairns, the acquisition provides natural synergies with nearby Undara Experience, which was acquired by G’day Group in late 2021, with the company now able to offer year-round guided tours of the Lava Tubes.
“This is a fantastic complementary acquisition that builds our presence on a popular Queensland touring and self-drive route,” G’day Group Chief Investment Officer Amanda Baldwin said.
“While Undara closes during the wet season, Mount Surprise will continue to operate, offering overnight stays and meals to corporate customers. It is also a popular destination owing to its location on the primary Savannah Way touring route and usage as a regular overnight stop for the Savannahlander train journey.”
“From an experience perspective, we can now also offer year-round tours to the Undara Lava Tubes through cross-selling opportunities and our operational expertise will also deliver immediate benefits for the guest experience at Mount Surprise.”
G’day Group will invest more than $2 million in start up costs at Discovery Parks – Mount Surprise, including improvements to staff accommodation to attract seasonal tourism workers and upgrades to guest accommodation fitouts.
Destination marketing will also be a key focus for G’day Group post acquisition as it looks to capture a broad audience of travellers taking on the ultimate outback road trip across northern Australia.
For more information, contact: Myles Wallace, G’day Group Communications Manager, 0432 866 094 or email mwallace@gdaygroup.com.au
About G’day Group
Founded by Grant Wilckens in 2004 with three caravan parks in WA, G’day Group is now Australia’s leader in regional accommodation experiences with more than 300 properties across the country.
G’day Group is home to Discovery Parks, a network of more than 85 owned and operated properties, including iconic regional resorts at Kings Canyon, Rottnest Island and the world famous El Questro. The company also owns G’day Parks, a network of 220+ independently owned licensed parks and more than 200,000 G’day Rewards members, and Australia’s number one regional travel community, Wikicamps.
G’day Group reached $1 billion status in 2020 and has ambitions to double in size in the next five years. The company is majority owned by Australian Retirement Trust and founder and CEO Grant Wilckens is the Chair of the Caravan Industry Association of Australia and a Board Director of the South Australian Tourism Commission.
