It's Holiday Time And Nelson Bay Is The Place To Be
Newcastle Herald
Friday April 21, 2000
THEY came in droves, some towing caravans, some million-dollar cruisers.
They packed out caravan parks and luxury resorts alike, sending tourism operators into a spin as they came to enjoy one of the busiest weekends of the year.
Welcome to Nelson Bay at Easter time.
Some tourists, such as a Central Coast group of campers who have stayed at the Halifax Holiday Park for the past four years, enjoy the budget accommodation and family atmosphere a caravan park provides.
The group of five families from the Wyong area compete in Nelson Bay's annual trailer boat fishing competition and stay an extra week to enjoy a camping holiday.
`We come for the fishing and just because it's gorgeous,' Stacey Kearney said.
`The park's got a real family atmosphere and it's very relaxing.'
The group, including seven children, occupy seven sites (priced from $24 a night) and spend their time swimming, playing Uno and taking in the delights of Nelson Bay.
`We're all friends, some of us are related, and it's just our annual thing,' Ms Kearney said. `It's a time to get together, enjoy a few drinks and just kick back.'
Across the other side of town, guests at the Anchorage resort were spending a minimum of $252 and up to $449 each night to experience the other end of the tourist accommodation spectrum.
Like the caravan park, the resort was booked to capacity, its 80 rooms filled for the entire weekend.
One holidaymaker getting the most from the resort's facilities yesterday was Newcastle's Peter de Lore, who was relaxing aboard his 43-foot boat at The Anchorage Marina.
Planning a cruise with wife Debbie and children Michael and Kelly for today, Mr de Lore said he spent almost every Easter weekend on his boat.
`We've kept the boat here at the marina for about four years and come most Easters to get away for a bit,' he said.
`We come here because there's not much traffic, it's a little bit quieter and because it's one of the best marina set-ups south of Brisbane.'
Mr de Lore said the weekend provided an opportunity to catch up with annual visitors who had become friends. Easter in the Hunter, Pages 16, 17
© 2000 Newcastle Herald
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