Big4 Woodlands Holiday Park

After a long, stormy travel day, Nan and I were glad to find a clean cabin, comfortable bed, good shower, and a little kitchenette with tea and coffee. Our flight from Sydney to Townsville with Qantas had been delayed by continuous rain, but the pilot and crew handled it well and got us there safely. Rain also left our luggage a bit wet during the transfer at Sydney, so we used the holiday park laundry to dry some damp clothes. Dennis had been staying at BIG4 Ingenia Holidays Townsville in North Queensland with his campervan for a fortnight and booked a simple cabin for the three of us for the night. Nan and I had just flown in from Kuala Lumpur for a couple of weeks around Townsville and Ingham with him. Thanks for a comfortable overnight stay at the end of February, just what we needed before our time in Queensland.

We stayed 11 nights in a 2bdm villa, and we won’t be back. The villa smelled odd when we arrived, so I cleaned it again myself. Ants were coming in through the kitchen window and covering the bench. When I told reception, a guy looked around and asked if I knew where they were coming from so he could put bait there. Nothing was done, and I had to spray Mortein every day. The grass by the big pool stank whenever we walked through, and the pool needed a proper clean. There were dead bugs and cockroaches in the water. The waterslide was awful too, everyone stopped in the middle. The two long slides were Permanently Closed, which would have been useful to know since we had older kids with us. The smaller ones looked worse. The camp kitchens were neglected. The one by the big pool was dusty, cobwebby, and looked like it hadn’t been cleaned in over a year. The BBQ plates were clean, at least. The kitchen by the laundry looked better until we tried to cook party pies for the kids in the oven. It was filthy, like it hadn’t been cleaned for years. Reception was the most disappointing part. The women seemed to have an attitude and spoke to us like we were dumb. Jenna never smiled, and another woman acted as if we were taking too much of her time. The younger girl at the desk was the only one who was nice and polite. I felt sorry for her having to work with them. We’ve stayed at a few Ingenia Holiday parks in NSW, and this was the worst. We came to Townsville for the second time to visit our sick brother. On our first visit we stayed at Discovery Parks Townsville in Wulguru, which was 10/10 for cleanliness and service. They weren’t available this time, so with our large group we chose this place. What a mistake. My other kids had originally booked at Discovery Parks Townsville but ended up staying with us here. They should’ve stayed there. That was our experience.

We paid $42 for a powered drive-through site and booked by phone on the way. The details arrived by email straight away, making our after-hours check-in easy. The park was beautiful, and the BBQ and camp kitchen area was tidy, clean, and had what we needed. We swam in the morning before leaving, though there wasn’t time for mini golf. We saw other people enjoying the course. Half the shower block was closed while hot water systems were being replaced on the other side. Unfortunately, the chippy turned off the water without checking whether anyone was still showering. I came out in a towel covered in shampoo and soap suds, and laughed it off after I startled another worker asking how long the water would be off. The ensuite-style shower spaces are great, roomy, well equipped, and well maintained.

The water park needs serious refurbishment. The drop slide is permanently closed, and the slides in the main pool seem unsafe because the water flow is too weak and kids get stuck halfway down. I saw several children stand up and try to move themselves along. A slip could mean a fall of about 2 metres, so this needs fixing or the slides should close. The park felt average compared with other Big 4 parks. Mobile reception was poor and the Wi-Fi unreliable.