Kathy Waters reviews El Lago Waters Tourist Park, The Entrance NSW.

Our roving reporter Kathy Ayres of Seaford Rise South Australia sent this detailed report on El Tago Tourist Park at The Entrance NSW:

“We had booked into the El Lago Tourist Park for Christmas because they only had a 4 night min instead of 7 nights during this holiday period. Unfortunately, I did not take any photos of this park and to say that we were bitterly disappointed with the star rating (2 1/2 *), park management (there was none), park maintenance (there was (almost) none) & the park amenities, is an understatement!

For a park that has (supposedly) 75 sites for either tents and/or vans plus cabins (some with no ensuite) and motel style units, it was woeful.

The powered site we were booked onto had power and sullage but no water connecton. Well, we eventually got a water connection. A phonecall to Reception and they sent someone down who remarked “there was a water tap here the lst time I looked”. He did say that he would go and get his garden hose to connect to ours so we then had ate was great.

I believe that there were 2 amenities blocks. The one that we used had the following: Ladies – 5 toilets and 2 showers, one of which had a useless half door where anyone could see what you were doing and the other shower you had to hold the showerhead to actually wet yourself down. Mens – 3 toilets and 2 showers, not in much better condition (my partner informed me). There was an “onsite” kiosk which we believe used to be part of the park itself until the owner sold to the El Lago Tourist Resort (300 metres up the road) and is now basically a milk bar type kiosk. They do cook great fish and chips and coffees amongst other goods.

The laundry had 2 washing machines and 2 dryers of which only 1 worked. It was supposed to be open frm 8am to 5pm but was rarely open by 8am andmore ofte than not, locked either before 5pm or close to it. Tey didn’t even care if there was still washing being washed or dried. This is despicable! In any other park we have stayed in, the laundry is open until at least 7 or 8pm.

The roads within the park are very narrow (compared to all we have seen so far) and only 1 vehicle width if that. There is very little onsite parking unless you have a small vehicle. There were several of us who had 4X4s andwe ended up using what we thought was a non-site but was in fact a site to make a show. It was great to see 1/2 dozen Nissans (and a couple of others!!) lined up together.

We have no idea how this park got it’s star rating and don’t believe that it should retain their star rating until someone has gone through the park and shown the owners just what needs to be done in order to make their park of a standard with which to deserve stars.

We also believe that we were over-charged for the site (3 adults = $53 per night). Whilst we don’t mind payin this sortof money, we do object to paying such a high price (shouldn’t matter what time of year or season) in a park that is not maintained, doesn’t have someone who looks after the park on a daily basis, well except the cleaners and we were reliably told that there was often no toilet paper and no-one to replenish.

No doubt there will be comments from others who think that either what I have written here is rubbish or that I don’t know what I am talking about. Well, the news is, we have stayed in many caravan parks over the years both in our home state of SA and interstate as well. I do not believe tha we, the travelling public should have to put up with crappy parks and then pay through the nose for the priviledge. I am going to make sure that our message about this park goes out to as many so that it doesn’t get used by people who like to stay in a caravan park that i of much better quality.”