Caravan parks offer holidaymakers – and their long-term residents – some of the most eye-popping locations in Queensland, and they can also provide investors with mouth-watering opportunities.
Figures from the Caravan Industry Association of Australia (CIAA) show that in the March quarter last year, tourists embarked on 4.5 million trips (up 24 percent) around the country, and spent 18 million nights (up 22 percent) caravanning and camping.
The figures mean the annual rolling total for trips last year was 15.5 million, encompassing 62.3 million nights, and expenditure of $11.2 billion.
This far surpasses the 2019 pre-COVID figures of 14 million trips and 59 million nights.
There are some astonishingly good caravan parks for sale around Queensland, offering tremendous returns.
Here are five of the best
The Cooktown Holiday Park is set on 2.8 hectares of tropical lawns and gardens just 800m from the town centre in one of Far North Queensland’s top tourist destinations.
Shane Croghan from ResortBrokers says it’s the “premier park north of Cairns” with a healthy mix of powered sites, cabins, and motel rooms.
“Cooktown is now a destination location,” he said.
“And this is a beautiful park. The owner has had it for 18 years and it is in first-class condition with a beautiful residence.
“The same couple has been managing it for the last 12 years and they treat the property as if it were their own.”
Mr Croghan said the asking price was $3,750,000, with a net profit of $509,093.
“Even with management wages it’s still providing a 10 per cent return to the owners,” he said. “With the big travel spike after COVID it was generating $700,000 a year.”
He said the cabins and motel rooms “consistently draw a strong influx of returning corporate business and tourism throughout the year”, while the van sites experienced high demand during the tourist season from May to October.
There are 72 powered sites, 23 cabins, and nine fully self-contained motel rooms, as well as a large and modern camp kitchen overlooking the resort-style in-ground pool.
It was voted one of Queensland’s top 10 parks by the Queensland Industry Tourism Council in 2020, 2022 and 2023.
At the other end of the state in the western border town of Goondiwindi, Tony Johnson from Tourism Brokers has the freehold on The Rivergums Caravan Park for sale at $1,598,000.
Located on half a hectare of flood free land beside the McIntyre River, the border with NSW, the property is within walking distance of the CBD, cafes, restaurants and pubs.
The town is located at the junction of several inland highway systems and is a hub for tourists, travellers and truckies.
Mr Johnson said the property returned a profit of $252,701 for 2022/23 and offers 10 cabins, four motel-room style, and six deluxe cabins.
There are18 powered sites for vans, two camping sites and three onsite owned vans.
“There’s also an excellent four-bed residence with a private garage separate from the park which is nice for the owners’ privacy,” Mr Johnson said.
“The office is detached and a good 50m from the house which keeps the family and the business separate.
“This is a very easily run business. A semi-retired couple have it now. They close reception at 5 o’clock every day and they’re not online – it’s first in first served, and so there’s certainly an opportunity for someone who really wants to ramp up the business by bringing in booking software and involving the online travel agents.
“There’s already a good profit but there’s scope to improve that, and the owners are motivated to sell.”
Mr Johnson said the local council was keen to see the area “forge ahead”.
“If someone wanted to put in more cabins, there’s scope to do that. The council supports people improving their business and bringing more money to the town,” he said.
“The park offers a great country lifestyle with a good work/life balance and a very good income.”
At Cardwell, situated between Townsville and Cairns, a 30-year lease is available for The Cardwell Beachcomber Motel and Tourist Park. The asking price is $1.48m.
The property, set on more than 2ha, offers spectacular ocean and island views, with the town’s revamped esplanade on one side and highway frontage on the other.
It offers 28 beachfront motel units, 12 park-view motel rooms, six studio rooms, a three-bedroom cottage/house, a two-bedroom owners/managers residence, 15 cabins and 89 caravan sites.
There is an inground pool, barbecue area and children's playground, and a superb, licensed restaurant (leased to a third party).
There is also a 45kW solar system and upgraded WiFi to the motel rooms.
Andrew Morgan, from Queensland Tourism and Hospitality Brokers, said the property offered an outstanding return even after management fees, with year-on-year increases in profitability.
The commencing rent is only 19 percent of the income.
In Queensland’s west, Peter Sagner from CRE Brokers, says the time is right for new owners at The Charleville Bush Caravan Park to profit from the 40,000 tourists who visit the town every year.
That park, priced at $950,000, is situated on 16 hectares only 2km out of Charleville in a location he says, “is going nuts in terms of real estate demands”.
He said the freehold going concern offered drive-thru powered and unpowered sites, a luxury bush cottage, a modern and comfortable two-bedroom, one-bathroom residence, toilets and showers, washing machines, a central campfire area, and pizza oven.
“There has been substantial industrial and commercial infrastructure put in Charleville, especially around the meatworks,” Mr Sagner said.
“Fundamentally this is a tourist park, but the opportunity exists to build workforce accommodation, additional mini cabins and micro homes to enjoy the bush experience with the mobs of kangaroos that come down to the area in the afternoon.”
Half an hour from Cairns along a wonderful scenic route, The Kuranda Rainforest Accommodation Park is for sale as a freehold going concern for $3,300,000.
This multi-income stream park is a hidden gem situated on 3.6 hectares of a peaceful pocket of the Far North Queensland Tablelands.
Alex Stagg, from McDonald Hospitality Brokers, said it was “a great location and a great holiday park with great facilities.”
“It’s a phenomenal opportunity for someone, with both long-term and holiday accommodation and a tremendous set-up for backpackers,” he said.
“Kuranda is a beautiful area, and new owners don’t have to spend a cent on the park.
“There’s the opportunity to develop the park further but it’s making a really good return now.”
Mr Stagg said the park included a “very well-maintained budget or backpackers lodge”, cabins, poolside units and a new upcoming café.
The park has been successfully run under management for the last 10 years.
He said the property had 22 permanent residents with a waiting list to get in, giving stability and security of income. There are also 58 powered sites, 24 un-powered sites, four poolside units, five cabins and a two-bedroom manager residence.
Kuranda is a mountain village known for the Kuranda Scenic Railway, historic markets, Indigenous art, multiple animal parks and beautiful tropical rainforest.
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