Caravan park to boost Broome tourism

Two companies are in the running to build and operate the biggest caravan park in Broome with an expected start date of 2015.

The Shire of Broome and Tourism WA initially requested expressions of interest to develop 13.5 hectares of land known as lot 3130 Sanctuary Road, Cable Beach.

Councillors invited the parties to submit a detailed tender at a behind-closed-doors session of its ordinary meeting last Thursday.

The candidates will need to produce a design to include caravan park sites with the potential for a mixture of chalets and camping grounds, a construction timeline, proposals for toilet blocks and what rent they estimate paying council as landlord.

Tourism WA became involved as part of its push to increase caravan parks across WA.

Broome already has six, but the new proposal would far exceed the size of Cable Beach Caravan Park — the biggest with more than 460 bays.

Speaking as operator of the 250-bay Roebuck Bay Caravan Park, Shire president Graeme Campbell said the proposed development would be a good thing for Broome, especially during peak periods from June to August.

“This year, I have had to knock back about 80 people who wish to come up during the height of season, but were unable to do so because everything was booked out,” he said.

“It makes you wonder how many other people bypass Broome during the busy period because there was nowhere to stay.”

Mr Campbell said there are about 150 overflow sites at the PCYC, Broome Pistol Club and land surrounding the Seventh-Day Adventist Church, which provide toilets, showers and electricity.

“During the busy times there is nothing for caravans here apart from the overflows and they have restricted times for a maximum stay,” he said.

“I acknowledge that over the wet season another caravan park might put pressure on those that are already here, but I am of the belief that ‘build it, and they will come’.”

Mr Campbell said it was now a peak time for baby boomers who were retiring in droves and pursuing the great Australian dream of “buying a flash car and the caravan and travelling around the country”.

“Broome is a long way for people to come from the Eastern States or down south and if there is no accommodation, they simply won’t come,” he said.

“This would only be a benefit to this community if we attract more people from the caravan industry drive market.

“Some 51 per cent of people arrive in the Kimberley by vehicle — that figure has dropped from previous years partly because there is a lack of caravan and camping facilities in Broome.”

Tourism WA chief executive Stephanie Buckland said caravanning and camping were significant in the tourism sector in WA.

She said recent research revealed there was a need for more caravan parks across the State including Broome, which attracts around 38,000 caravan and camping visitors each year.