Caravan parks around Darwin

[StuartJ]

Hi all we are heading up to Darwin in April, looking for some caravan park recommendations in the area, just 2 adults have no kids, powered or un powered.
Cheers

[crackacoldie]

Chris,
  When I have worked up there I have always stayed at the caravan park behind the BP on the highway at Berrimah.  It used to be the Palm, now it is the Darwin Free Spirit.

Darwin FreeSpirit Resort
Caravan & Tourist Parks - Berrimah, NT
901 Stuart Hwy, Berrimah NT 0828, Australia
(08) 8935 0888

Great park, heaps of shade, nice pools and an excellent bar and restaurant.  The bus stops out the front for easy transport into the city.

Cracka

[Sharky]

In 2009 we spent a week at Hidden Valley. Nice park with a good pool and a great location relatively close to town. Close to the airport so there was some aircraft noise but I like that 

We had an ensuite site - would stay there again.

http://www.hiddenvalleytouristpark.com.au/caravan/ensuite-powered-site

[Yoda42]

Gday stuartj, both places are known to be pretty good, in fact we had about 20 rellies stay at Free Spirit for out wedding a few years back and all enjoyed it.

There is also the Malak Caravan Park on McMillans Rd, Shady Glen on the Stuart Hwy at Winnellie, and Lee Point Caravan Park on Lee Point Rd. This one is just a little bit out of the suburbs (5 mins) and can definitely cater for big rigs, quite often 5th wheeler are seen coming from there, whereas I'm not certain how the other parks cater for these.

There's nothing in Palmerston, but there's one at Coolalinga, about half hour out of town. Don't know what its like though.

Hope this helps, definitely book though if you know the dates you'll be up, just to be safe. And let us know when you're up for a cold one or three!

[SteveandViv]

Chris,
  When I have worked up there I have always stayed at the caravan park behind the BP on the highway at Berrimah.  It used to be the Palm, now it is the Darwin Free Spirit.

Darwin FreeSpirit Resort
Caravan & Tourist Parks - Berrimah, NT
901 Stuart Hwy, Berrimah NT 0828, Australia
(08) 8935 0888

Great park, heaps of shade, nice pools and an excellent bar and restaurant.  The bus stops out the front for easy transport into the city.

Cracka

I also thought this was a great place to R&R...For us we had just spent a Month from Alice up the Tanami, Bungles and Kathrine so to have the facilities was great. The kids loved the pool

[JustCruzin]

Hey there stuart  we our van set up at freds pass reserve it is half the price to any of the other van parks and it is almost like bush camping very quite and power is included if u would like any more details pm me

[StuartJ]

Thanks Guys for the info, FreeSpirit Resort looks the pick ATM but keep them coming, should be in Darwin around 7th may leaving Melb 22nd April, Yoda42 might take you up on the offer, bit partial to a beer or six & a Red.
Cheers
Stuart

[johno65]

Hi StuartJ

Try the Big Four at Howard Springs near to Palmerston and 23 km. from Darwin Ross & Viv are good hosts.I can recomend them I stay there all the time when I am up in Darwin

johno65

[Yoda42]

Ripper! You like reds too, we can accommodate that request for sure

[StuartJ]

Ripper! You like reds too, we can accommodate that request for sure

Yep, Shiraz my Fav, Pepperjack, as for the misses Jim beam & coke, glad the Jayco got plenty of storage room.
Cheers

[Kit_e_kat9]

Since my dad's oldest mate owned Shady Glen for many, many years (near the showgrounds) ... I can't help but recommend that one ... don't know what it's like now they've sold it though.

Kit_e

[RebsWA]

Another vote for Hidden Valley. Ended up there for an enjoyable two weeks while sight seeing Darwin. Easy going, excellent facilities, good pool and good rates, even for ensuite site. Buses to Darwin just up the road and there free for seniors and pensioners!

[Marie_R]

We weren't impressed by Hidden Valley but probably okay if you've got a van or trailer and get a proper site.

We were only in a tent and they charged us top dollar for a very unsatisfactory patch of ground.  A guy on a bicycle led us to what was supposed to be where the girl in the office had marked on a map.  It was a rough bit of dirt with rocks and big tree roots and no power (we'd paid for a powered site).  When we challenged him about it he said we could throw a cord over to the cabins across the road (with people driving over our power cord!).  We said definitely not - so he said "well, go and find somewhere down on the grass" and rode off.

We eventually located the site marked on our map and it was occupied by a caravan.  Back to the office and same reply "find a patch of grass and run a lead to a power outlet somewhere".  As Darwin was booked out we had no other options, so set up on a tiny patch of very sloping grass.

People with in-vehicle camping were coming back at the end of the day to find their supposedly allocated site filled by other campers, and you were tripping over tent ropes to get into the amenities and camp kitchen they were packed in so tight around it.

Other people we spoke to had the same situation - shown a site on a map, only to find it was already filled.

Another stupid thing ... the amenities block was closed for cleaning between 7am - 8am.  How smart is that!

That was about 3 or 4 years ago.  I hope they've got better management by now.

[Yoda42]

Yep, Shiraz my Fav, Pepperjack, as for the misses Jim beam & coke, glad the Jayco got plenty of storage room.
Cheers

Deal! You bring the Pepperjack, we'll provide an Oomoo, and Mr Beam can stay in the Jayco in favour of some Buffalo Trace!

[Swogjb]

We stayed at FreeSpirit Resort last August, great shady grassy sites. We we were located down the back near the unpowered sites.
The only thing that put us off was the  raw sewerage smell, they were having major issues with their sewerage system. The bad smell was only down the back of the park.
We were going to try hidden valley next time around.

Cheers Glenn

[graylyn]

I was in Hidden Valley for a week in August last year, and it was HOT.  I had an ensuite powered site and the sun came up over one  of the Jayco Dove, and went down the other end.  there was no shade and the gauge in the Dove was reading 40.  I was there for 5 days and I should have stayed 7.  I wouldn't stay there again

[staghornflat]

Hi StuartJ

Try the Big Four at Howard Springs near to Palmerston and 23 km. from Darwin Ross & Viv are good hosts.I can recomend them I stay there all the time when I am up in Darwin

johno65

x2 spent a week there last year,nice park.

[holycrapola]

Another vote for Freespirit, though back then we stayed in a cabin. The facilities were great, big camp kitchen, always clean, everything was very clean. Pool was great, bar even better!!! 

[StuartJ]

Well where off tomorrow heading north to Darwin, should be there in couple of weeks, staying at freespirit.
Cheers 
Stuart

[crackacoldie]

Well where off tomorrow heading north to Darwin, should be there in couple of weeks, staying at freespirit.
Cheers 
Stuart

Have a happy and safe trip.  We should be in Coober Pedy Tuesday, so keep an eye out if you are there then.

Cracka

[StuartJ]

Have a happy and safe trip.  We should be in Coober Pedy Tuesday, so keep an eye out if you are there then.

Cracka

Will be there until Monday, sorry just missed ya.

[StuartJ]

Freespirit tomorrow