Discovery Holiday Parks plans to invest $9 million into a significant facelift of its Broome property following a successful tender process with the Shire of Broome, and a strong regional tourism recovery.

A new 42-year lease of the Roebuck Bay Caravan Park has enabled the company to progress major development plans which include a new lagoon pool, more than 30 new tourist cabins, a new entrance and upgraded amenities including a new camp kitchen and BBQ area.

Chief Executive of the G’Day Group Grant Wilckens, said the park needs development and that the new lease, combined with a rapid COVID recovery, has given the company confidence to invest.

“While Broome is a much-loved property within the G’Day Group, it isn’t currently of the standard we expect for a Discovery Holiday Park. In the 2.5 years we have managed the park, our ability to improve facilities had been hindered by a short-term lease. We’re thrilled to now have a long-term lease and cause to reinvent the property,” said Grant.

“From ocean view cabins to a lagoon pool and picturesque picnic look out area, it’s set to become a real drawcard for Broome. The property will cater to everyone from backpackers to those seeking a bit more luxury.”

“The G’Day Group has 43 properties in WA and is the State (and Australia’s) largest regional accommodation provider. We have plans for a number of other major upgrades across our WA properties and Broome marks the beginning of a post-COVID investment agenda,” said Grant.

Discovery has also committed to a $500,000 ‘start of lease fee’ to the Shire for upgrades to surrounding amenities in the Town Beach Precinct.

Discovery Parks will now begin development approval applications, ahead of a proposed October 2021 commencement of the development. It is hoped the upgrades will be complete by (insert).

Shire of Broome president Harold Tracey said, “the redevelopment of this site has been in the Shire’s gaze for almost a decade and it is fantastic that we now have the opportunity to improve what has become a dated caravan park,” he said.

“To have a private proponent willing to invest heavily in the facilities and take on a long-term lease gives us the surety we have been looking for.”

“I’m sure the prospect of state-of-the-art air-conditioned cabins and a lagoon pool overlooking Roebuck Bay at the caravan park will excite the community and be a major future drawcard for visitors to Broome,” he said.

Media enquiries: Brittany Harmer, Corporate Communications Manager | 0415 655 191, brittany.harmer@discoveryparks.com.au.

About G’day Group

Founded in 2004 with three caravan parks in WA, G’day Group is now Australia’s leader in regional accommodation experiences with more than 340 properties across the country.

G’day Group operates more than 90 holiday parks and resorts under the Discovery Parks and Resorts brand, with properties in iconic regional destinations, including Kings Canyon, Rottnest Island and the world famous El Questro. The Group is also home to G’day Parks, a network of 240+ independently owned, licensed parks and the G’day Rewards loyalty program, which has 260,000 paid members.

Beyond holiday parks and resorts, the Group owns Wikicamps, Australia’s largest regional travel community and the #1 paid app in the App Store with more than 300k monthly active users, as well as Bookeasy, a specialist provider of booking management systems and technology solutions to leading destination management authorities in Australia and New Zealand (operating as BookIt).

G’day Group has property assets valued at $2 billion and is on track to become a $2.5 billion business by 2026. The company is majority owned by Australian Retirement Trust and founder and CEO Grant Wilckens is a Board Director of the South Australian Tourism Commission and former Chair of the Caravan Industry Association of Australia.