BIG4 Rainbow Beach Holiday Park

The grounds were pleasant, and if you get a good spot there’s a lovely view. We stayed two nights on an unpowered site near the water, with bins, showers, toilets, and a communal kitchen just a short walk away. The showers and toilets were fine for a caravan park, though not especially clean. Midgees were the main problem. Being so close to the water means insects, and even a lot of DEET didn’t stop us getting bitten. We enjoyed our stay at first, but after exploring on day three we came back to rain and someone had set up about 10 metres from us despite the park being nearly empty. We didn’t want another night of the midges, so left a day early. Thanks for having us, we’ll still be back to Rainbow Beach.

Rainbow Beach was close by, which was great, and the playground worked well for toddlers. Staff were friendly, the facilities were nice, and it wasn’t too crowded. We left a night early because the midges and sandflies were unbearable even with good repellent. The games room also needs attention, with a number of machines out of order and the place feeling a bit run down.

The cabin surprised me in a good way. It was clean and sturdy, and the shower had excellent water pressure. It felt more like a self-catering hotel room than the usual park “Donga.” I was too busy working to see the sights, and town is about 4 km away. A local warned me about the nasty midges, but I didn’t get bitten. I wasn’t camping and stayed indoors, though, so it’s best to be prepared.

The campgrounds sit right by the water, and the facilities were clean and well looked after. There’s a whole fridge of beer at standard prices, about $20 for a six-pack, which was a nice surprise. The colourful bouncing dome was there too. You can’t control the weather, but Big 4 has made camping comfortable if that’s what you’re after. On a non-powered site, there are renovated bathrooms, showers, and a kitchen with kettles, toasters, fridges, and microwaves. We had everything we needed for a great week with family and friends.