Australia is a big country with tens of thousands of kilometres to explore. Yet, as Dinah and I discovered, often the best places to visit are just down the road. You really don’t have to travel far from home to find paradise. This certainly is the case with Sandstone Point and the Sandstone Point Holiday Resort.

Located adjacent to the famous Sandstone Point Hotel at the entrance to the bridge to Bribie Island, midway between Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast, the new Sandstone Point Holiday Park is a fantastic destination for a short break or an extended stay. I have written on this blog previously about Bribie Island. Bribie is one of the true Queensland islands that it is possible and practical to live and work on. Being around 50 kilometres north of Brisbane, it is an ideal location for those looking for a sub-tropical island lifestyle, yet within easy freeway reach of an Australian capital city. It is large enough to have an effective commercial infrastructure, but still small enough to be a true island escape. It is connected to the mainland by a one kilometre-long bridge that straddles the Bribie Passage. On Sandstone Point at entrance to the bridge overlooking the Passage sits the Sandstone Point Hotel and Sandstone Point Holiday Resort.

Redefining the ‘caravan park’

The minute you drive into Sandstone Point Holiday Resort,  you can tell that this is no ordinary caravan park. Everything looks brand new and it is, the park being just a few years old. Here you’ll find a huge number of grassy sites for caravans, motorhomes, and camper trailers, powered or un-powered, plus dozens of shady camping sites. One thing we loved about the Resort was the way the sites were constructed. Each was roomy, enough space for the biggest caravan or motorhome plus our vehicle. And each site was grassy, and rather than the traditional cracked concrete slab, each site has a boxed section of artificial grass making it durable and suitable for all-weather use. Indeed, during our stay it did rain and instead of the traditional muddy camp site, our site allowed the rainwater to quickly escape. So, no more dirt and wet grass in the caravan. What a brilliant idea. As well as caravan and camping sites there are two, three and four bedroom villas and studio villas, as well as the latest in ‘glamping’ family Safari tents.

The facilities here are second to none. A huge, heated lagoon pool, amazing water park (complete with giant bucket), jumping pillow for the kids and the cleanest amenities you have ever seen. Additionally, pool-side, there is a bistro serving snacks and meals throughout the day, delivered to you pool-side if you wish. Visitors and friends of guests are welcome but do need to pay a fee to enter the park to cover use of the facilities. This is now normal practice for most of the new and larger holiday parks.

From the resort, you are within easy waking distance of the Sandstone Point Hotel. This is one of Australia’s most popular hotels, built on Sandstone Point and offering amazing views of the Bribie Passage over gently sloping lawns. Great views. Great food. Great atmosphere. A real favourite for families on weekends. And the hotel offers regular music concerts on the lawns, with some of Australia’s and the world’s biggest music stars performing here. Imagine enjoying a cold beer on the lawn listening and watching the Beach Boys. Does it get any better?

The Sandstone Point Holiday resort is certainly not the cheapest place we have stayed with the van, but it is definitely one of the best. The cost per night is real value for money when you consider all that the park has to offer. Not to mention its proximity to all that Bribie Island has to offer; fishing, swimming, boating and some of the east coast best beaches. And all, just an hour north of Brisbane.

Sandstone Point Holiday Resort is one destination not to be missed. Definitely one for the Bucket List. The resort is extremely popular so you should book ahead to ensure a site. For more information and to book, go to: www.sandstonepointholidayresort.com.au

Picture Gallery

Main picture: The giant water bucket is the centre-piece of the water park

• The huge water park is a highlight of the Resort
• This is one very big lagoon pool, and its heated
• An aquatic playground
• Large grassy sites
• Note the artful grass, rather than the traditional concrete slab
• Fun on the lawn at Sandstone Point Hotel
• A cold one at the hotel
• A cold one on a hot day
• This is a very popular hotel for families