Bongaree Caravan Park — Hotel in Greater Brisbane

We stayed here over new years. We originally requested a refund due to a change in circumstances thanks to covid, and requested our deposit be held to book for the same period next year (2022). We'd stayed the same period last year and were hoping to make it a family tradition.

We were told this was not possible as the person using the site has the option to renew first. Unlike the majority of caravan parkes in Qld, such as Torquay and Cania who have altered their booking policies, Bongaree were unwavering and unwilling to compromise.

We therefore changed our plans and the kids and I were accompanied by my father, instead of my husband. We set up my dads caravan and to now fit us all in (we usually bring a camp trailer) we intended to also utilised our gazebo and 2 gazebo hubs.

After spending the better part of 3 hours getting everything set up and checking with the neighbours there were no issues, the manager approached my father and informed him the hubs would need to come down as it was a council policy to have no tents along the road facing sites, despite the previous year us bringing essentially a tent on a trailer!. That if the council drove past they would issues them fines etc. He then approaches me on my way back from the amenities block and tells me that another camper had made a complaint that they paid for water views and couldn't see the water. Our site was right on the fence. He then tells me that you technically they are not supposed to be gazebos up along the fence sites, or even swags used. Still don't know which story, if either is the truth.

He then offered us a full refund if we wished to leave. This is after a 3hr drive to get there and 3hr set up. We declined and chose to stay. I wish we had of just packed and left. The manager then mowed the footpath one day, used a motorised edger along the path the following day and whipper snipped another. Neighbours were gobsmacked at his explanation when upon looking around other sites there were gazebos with walls attached, swags, 2 man tents and other shelters being used on road facing sites. This is in addition to shade cloths strung up on fences.

Interestingly, I contacted council to enquire about the policy/rule and they were unable to find anything. The manager told me it was on the amenities door and website. A second check of the website found a 'rule' that only one caravan etc per site. However, this is clearly not enforced and there is nothing on any of the amenities doors.

Unfortunately, we won't be rebooking or recommending Bongaree...

Strongly recommend not to stay at this caravan park. They really do not know what they’re doing and they do not know how to service a customer.

I’ll give you an example 1 minute. They have room for a motorhome with a slideout, we informed them that we would be definitely staying one night possibly more once we have checked out the place, and they have said not a problem that is fine. We have plenty of room and we are not busy, weekday. So we stayed the first night, and then went to pay you money at the office for the next night, now they say they don’t have room for a motorhome with a slideout. Very strange when the place is half empty.

In saying that all of their sites have plenty of room. Eg a concrete slab, room for a caravan or motorhome, room for a car, all lined up side-by-side, but told us they don’t have room for a motorhome with a slide out. As anybody would know a motorhome with a slide out, takes up less room and a caravan with a car side-by-side.

They were not busy, and they had plenty of sites available, so honestly, they can’t work out their own system. Unfortunately, this has left a bad taste in our mouth about Bribie Island.

I would recommend you pay the extra money and go across to the big4 resort where they welcome you with a friendly welcome and are happy to accommodate. Don’t waste your time on this caravan park because you will possibly be very disappointed if you don’t get in after, they’ve taken your booking.

Shame upon you, you should not be in a industry that...

We stayed here for 3 nights, this was our first visit here. Check in was friendly and efficient. Our site was well marked at easy to get onto. Huge well appointed camp kitchen which was well maintained and spotlessly clean. Amenities were centrally located and spotless Clean. Great location is within walking distant to restaurants and the rsl club. Next door is the bowling club which is very nice. Our daughter and son-in-law surprised us by booking the site next to us, so we have a wonderful reunion and as we are veterans and our son-in-law a current serving member of the defence forces we spent a very special ANZAC day all together, thank you to the staff that organised our side by side sites and made this a wonderful surprise. Will definitely return to...