Coming into the park you won’t find the ubiquitous boom gates that seem to be the norm these days. Greeting you instead is a small aviary housing a variety of little budgies and other feathered flutterers. One of four such aviaries dotting the park, it gives you a sense of what this park is about.

The paved roadways seem to meld into the open spaces and greenery so as to be almost un-noticed. Roaming the park freely are ducks, possums and a gaggle of geese that look more like a bunch of grumpy old women on their way to bowls. You are also free to bring your pets provide they are kept in check and on leads. Your hosts, Clinton and Gay Trood have spent a good deal of their three years at the park trying to create a pleasant, natural environment where it would be easy to forget how close you are to one of Australia’s major inland cities.

The kids will be well catered for in the park too. Clinton tells me the playground is still a work in progress with a BMX track, tennis court and even a minigolf course to be added to compliment the existing cubbyhouse, swing and climbing apparatus. At the time of writing the BMX track was underway and the finishing touches were being put to a pond and fountain that will look just stunning when the plantings have taken hold.

Adjacent the evolving playground you will find a small farmlet area home to a menagerie of cute and cuddlies. There you will find a couple of horses, a few chooks with attitude, the odd sheep and a goat named “Spit”. Kids just seem to love these little furry fellas, even if they do smell a bit (the animals, not the kids). But the best part about the acre and a half of kid heaven is that it’s well away from the caravans so nobody gets annoyed.

Located centrally to most areas is the large airy amenities block including a separate wheelchair access area. The block is always bright and clean yet never closes. Unusually Clinton and Gay opt not to close the facility for the regular hour per day like most van parks do, preferring to work around the guests so no one is inconvenienced. Seems to work and nobody complains that they need the loo when it’s closed.

Housed under the same roof is the modern laundry with four top loading washing machines and two large industrial dryers. Outside you will find a couple Hills Hoists if the dryer isn’t your thing. Both the washing machines and dryers are coin operated. Showers are free and there are no water saver heads to drive high pressure water into your back, nor is there any time restriction, but given there is only the one amenities block at the moment you may find the odd annoyed punter waiting for his or her turn if you do decide to indulge yourself for too long.

A short walk from the amenities block past another of the aviaries is the small in-ground pool about the size of your average backyard job. A covered concrete area that serves as camp kitchen has a couple fridges, electric BBQs, a toaster oven and a microwave all free to use by the guests. There is even a TV but who needs that on the bank of the Murray River.

Fixed to a large gum tree, not 10m from the river’s edge is a movie screen where Clinton projects latest release movies onto every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday nights. Bring your tables, chairs, drinks and nibblies along or just find a spot on the grass out under the bright Mildura star lit sky. The only interruption is from the odd possum tail that hangs down over the screen. Bruce Willis with hair again, even if for only a moment.

The park is not big by some standards with currently about 120 powered sites. Unpowered camp sites are in abundance due to the developed park only covering about half the 23 acres that it sits on and additionally there are six small cabins. To date the park only utilises about 250m of their 600m river frontage so you can imagine the park will grow when word gets out. There are plans for self contained cabins and ensuite sites as well as a new camp kitchen and additional amenities block to serve another lot of powered and unpowered campsites.

Whether you are out to discover the Mildura area, looking for a launching pad for that great outback adventure (or maybe to recuperate after it) or just looking for a quiet place to get away for a while, Buronga Riverside offers a relaxing atmosphere amongst the towering gums and freshly mown irrigated lawns to just sit and watch the paddle steamers and houseboats slide on by.

Buronga Riverside Caravan Park
Ph: (03) 5023 3040
[email protected]
www.burongacaravanpark.com.au
Hosts: Clinton and Gay Trood
Pets: Allowed