CAMPSITE # 35 - Durras Lake North Holiday Park, NSW

As we were just a few days off heading to Canberra to begin the festivities, we had to improvise a little on where to stay. As we drove down the access road towards our Pebbly Beach campsite over four weeks ago, we realised we had officially back peddled. 

We considered returning to Pebbly Beach to experience it properly in the Troopie and not in Hope the Hire Car. But we both agreed that we held very fond memories of Pebbly Beach to date and wouldn't want to risk ruining them in anyway. Depot Beach was the next beach down so we made route there. The National Park campsite looked lovely except there was a big sign at the entrance advising us that if we setup camp without a booking, we would be instantly asked to leave the camp. The ranger was not in the office and nowhere to be found and neither of us had mobile reception to make contact. Pretty pathetic really considering the park looked empty and we were amongst three others scratching their heads searching for the ranger at 1pm the Saturday before Christmas.

Thankfully, during the 30minutes that we waited, the ranger never turned up because it left us enough time to realise that there was a lingering sewerage smell in the air that was rather off-putting. So we made tracks in search of another campsite and we stumbled across Durras Lake North Holiday Park. This park was on the opposite side of the road from the water and backed onto the National Park. We were delighted to find the park was very well laid out and nestled amongst natural greenery infact, it was very similar to staying at a National Park with all of the wilderness perks but better facilities and $2 cheaper - oh and of course, no sewerage stench!!

We liked just about all aspects of this park with the exception of one thing and this is one thing that we unfortunately find is quite common throughout a number of Caravan Parks. Any parks that fall under this category, we have appropriately named a "NO PARK"...

- NO NOISE AFTER 10PM
- NO RUNNING
- NO UNSUPERVISED CHILDREN
- NO FISH CLEANING
- NO DISHWASHING
- NO BREATHING OF FRESH AIR
- NO ENJOYING YOURSELF AT ALL WHATSOEVER


It's as though all of the NO PARKS sat down together and singled out every tiny little thing that annoyed them about what people do when they're enjoying their holiday. Come on! We're not in primary school, we don't need to be disciplined everywhere we turn. I know, it's because there are fools out there that ruin it for the rest of us but... not my problem! I thought people go on holidays to escape constantly being told what to do.

And to prove to you we're not exaggerating... 

THE NEXT PAGE WOULD HAVE READ
- Four sheets of single ply paper per visit.
- No DUMPING!!!
- Small secretions only.