BIG4 Batemans Bay at Easts Riverside Holiday Park

You know what caught me off guard about BIG4 Batemans Bay at Easts Riverside Holiday Park? It’s actually right there on Wharf Road – I mean, you’re literally a two-minute walk from the main drag where all the fish and chips shops are, but somehow it feels tucked away and peaceful. I stayed here last autumn (honestly the best time to visit Bateman’s Bay if you ask me), and the whole setup just works in a way that surprised me.

The thing is, this isn’t your typical hotel experience – it’s more like… well, imagine if a really well-run caravan park decided to go upmarket but kept all the good bits. The cabins are proper comfortable, not those cramped things you sometimes get at holiday parks, and there’s this whole community vibe happening without being overwhelming. I watched kids riding bikes around the internal roads while their parents sat outside with actual decent coffee, which – let’s be honest – is rarer than it should be at places like this. The riverside location means you’ve got that constant gentle sound of water, and if you snag one of the spots closer to the Clyde River, you can literally fish from your doorstep. I saw a guy pull in a decent flathead right from the bank one morning.

What really sold me though was how they’ve thought about the practical stuff. Parking’s easy (no fighting for spots like you get closer to the town center), the amenities blocks are genuinely clean, and – this matters more than you’d think – the wifi actually works throughout most of the park. The pool area gets busy around 3pm when families start winding down from beach days, but mornings are pretty serene. I found myself having breakfast outside most days, watching the water and planning whether to head to the surf beaches or just potter around town. Batemans Bay can get absolutely hectic during school holidays, but being slightly off the main tourist strip means you avoid the worst of the crowds while still being close enough to walk to Soldiers Point for dinner or grab supplies from the IGA. It’s that sweet spot between convenience and actually being able to relax – plus the 8.6 rating makes total sense once you’ve been there a few days.