Having lived on the road full time for over 6 years now, you can imagine we have been to our share of campsites, caravan parks and campgrounds, giving us a broad range of experiences, and a good idea of what is out there.
With that in mind, we would have to say the standard of this park is excellent, especially if you are looking for a park that is clean and well maintained with plenty of room to move, friendly staff and set in a beautiful position right on the river.
The Grounds
Let’s start with the grounds, which are kept spotless. We have been here for two weeks now and there is not a day goes by where the groundsman is not doing something to tidy the place or empty the bins. It should go without saying, but this is not always the case. There is no sign of rubbish anywhere, the edges and gardens are well kept and the added advantage of being on the Murrumbidgee River means the grass is always lush and green.
Plenty of bins & lawns well kept
Then there is the space, Big 4 Wagga Wagga park itself is a generous size, and they don’t squeeze you in. There is plenty of space between vans and sites to allow you to put out the awning and still have room to park the car. We spoke to the owner, Martin, who has gone to great lengths to make sure the sites are roomy, even sacrificing space by merging two sites into one to make way for several larger drive-through sites.
Large sites on offer
There are also a wide variety of cabins to choose from. Ranging from workers’ cottages right through to luxury cabins. All are ideal for caravanners wanting to catch up with friends or family who don’t have a tent or a van.
Some of the luxury cabins
Pet Friendly
There are pet friendly parks and parks that say they are pet friendly, in this case, they actually know what the term means. Martin tells me they made the park pet friendly on the morning they opened and had their first pet in by 4pm that afternoon.
Plenty of Doggy bags & lots of room to run around
There are minimal restrictions, and whilst your pets still need to be under control. They can be on any of the caravan sites throughout the park. There are also for of the cabins that allow you to have the pets inside with you. There is a huge grassed area at the back of the park for pooches to run around on. It leads down to the river area which is shaded and soon to have a purpose-built enclosure where your pets can run free. Also, scattered around the park you will find an unlimited supply of doggy bag stations. So no matter where you are walking within the park there is a bag station nearby which means you don’t have to carry them with you all the way.
Planned dog off leash area
The Rates
The rates are reasonable for a park that provides full facilities especially for those that need them. They vary from the basic non-powered sites to the massive sized grass sites with drive through access. The park is well separated with a cabin area, tent area, and then caravan and motorhome areas. They offer a great mixture of sites from gravel to grass. Those where you can unhitch and those where you can drive through. As well as some ensuite sites which have your own private shower and toilet.
The Owners & Staff
Big 4 Wagga Wagga, although part of the Big 4 chain is still family-owned and operated. The new owners, Martin and Lee took over in September. They will be running the park together with their daughter Nicole, son-in-law Daniel and their dedicated staff. Martin and Lee have been in the caravan game for over 20 years. They know what caravanners want, so have gone to great efforts to make all visitors to the park feel welcome.
Let’s face it, some caravan park owners are clearly past their use by date and can be grumpy and unwelcoming. This is definitely not the case here. From the initial phone call to arrival and all the way during our stay, each and every staff member has been welcoming and friendly. We have also spoken to other campers at the site who said the same thing. One patron who had to come in due to an emergency well after hours tells us that the owner was happy to meet them on arrival close to midnight and even offered to help them set up.
The Setting
The setting is very tranquil, located very close to the centre of town, and easy to get anywhere. At the back of the park, there is an awesome grassed area. A great to have a run around with the kids or let the dogs out for a stretch.
Grassed area at the back of the park
This leads directly to the river at the back of the park. The ground staff go to great lengths to keep this area of the park and riverbank well maintained. There is a private boat ramp to launch small craft. Also, seats to just sit and take in the river, which we are led to believe is a good spot to catch the odd Murray Cod.
Down by the Riverside
What we thought
All in all, we would rate this as a top-notch park, well serviced, well maintained, and with fantastic owners.
We mix our camping up between Free camps, Campgrounds, House Sitting & Help Outs. We don’t mind paying to stay in a caravan park, especially when they provide great facilities. It is clean and tidy and we are not cramped in. We felt safe and secure and had the added advantage of some local knowledge from the owners and staff.
Parked up @ the Big 4 Wagga Wagga
When we compare it to the price of some campgrounds, we just thought it was good value for the money. We don’t mind paying for great services especially when the grounds were kept immaculate. Also, we had every facility we could imagine, including the pool, playground, laundry, camp kitchen, and BBQ’s. Along with the added security of knowing the motorhome was safe when we went out.
The Pool, Playground, Laundry & Camp Kitchen with BBQ’s
Watch the video below for a tour of the park with Matin & Rob
