WA Day weekend hope for Great Southern tourism

With the roads open to Perth, Albany’s motel and caravan park owners are preparing to welcome travellers back to the region for the WA Day long weekend. Monday marked the start of Phase 2 of the State Government’s easing of COVID-19 restrictions in a bid to restart local economies crippled by the pandemic. Since April 1, the regional lockdowns had forced hoteliers and campground operators into hibernation during what would usually be Albany’s busiest time of year, including the Easter holidays and the Anzac Day period. Now, accommodation providers are busy taking bookings from families who have been cooped up in Perth for two months. Cheynes Beach Caravan Park owner Joanne Marsh said they had half-a-dozen campers waiting on their doorstep when the borders opened on Monday. She said the park was filling up ahead of the long weekend, with more than 75 per cent of the accommodation already booked. “It was a pleasant surprise — we hoped it would be like this, but we didn’t really know,” she said. “We’ve missed having the park full of life. It was definitely unusual to not have a full park over the long weekends and Easter.” Dog Rock Motel owner Nev Buss said this time of year was usually bustling, with bookings filling up almost a year in advance for a place to stay during the Albany Classic. Mr Buss encouraged holiday-makers making the trip to the Great Southern to book directly with local businesses. “In a normal year, we are booked from the year before , but because of the virus everyone cancelled,” he said. “We are all hoping that everyone will decide to travel within the State and hopefully come to our Great Southern. It’s going to benefit all of us, but how long it takes is the unknown.” Big 4 Denmark Ocean Beach Holiday Park manager Megan Spencer said the team looked forward to welcoming back campers. “June long weekend is looking very promising, with chalets and cabins booking out within the first few days of the regional travel restrictions lifting,” she said. “The holiday park is large with plenty of fresh air and grassy sites, it’s brilliant to welcome the happy faces of our guests again as they arrive for a much-deserved getaway.” Big 4 Middleton Beach owner Simon Shuttleworth said since restrictions had lifted, his team had been back at work sorting through bookings. “The long weekend is looking pretty good,” he said. “It’s been pretty busy even for bookings through to Christmas and January and the next school holidays in October. “I think people just want to get away from the lockdowns and from staying home. “We just look forward to more domestic travel coming through over the next couple of years.”