Caravan park under new management

A new manager is taking over Roebuck Bay Caravan Park in Broome this year.

Discovery Holiday Parks was last week awarded a short-term two-year and 10-month lease by Shire of Broome councillors after a tender process.

DHP will replace Ralston Bay Holdings — a company part-owned by former Shire president Graeme Campbell which has run the operation for the past 28 years.

The lease to RBH expires on December 31.

DHP and RBH submitted bids to manage the caravan park, along with Regional Acco-mmodation. Shire chief executive Sam Mastrolembo said DHP was Australia’s largest ow-ner and operator of caravan parks, with extensive experience in management and leasing more than 60 sites across the country.

“Council acknowledges Ralston Bay Holdings’ contributions as the long-serving lessee of the Roebuck Bay Caravan Park over the past 28 years,” he said.

“Council is confident the long- term aspirations for redevelopment of the caravan park will still be realised and feel the capital improvements within the Town Beach precinct over the next 18 months will enhance this iconic location and attractiveness of this asset.”

About 100 permanent residents occupy about 70 sites at the caravan park.

Earlier this year, councillors knocked back what turned out to be the sole application from RBH for a 20-year lease to manage and redevelop the park after it was put out to tender and advertised nationally for 10 weeks.

At the time, Shire president Ron Johnston said the bid was rejected because it was deemed unacceptable by an independent assessment panel and councillors.

The council decided to advertise for a short-term lease because it did not have any financial figures to advertise the turnover of the caravan park, which was not required as part of the original contract with RBH.