Local caravan park top in SA
Queensburgh's hidden gem, the Queensburgh Caravan Resort, recently won to prestigious awards.
IN just 12 years the De Bruin family has managed to take a derelict caravan park and transform it into South Africa’s top park.
The popular Queensburgh Caravan Resort was awarded the Caravan Club of South Africa’s Midlands’ park of the year for 2013/ 2014, as well as the most improved park of the year in the northern region.
“We bought the park 12 years ago for R1.2-million. It was in such a bad way that no one wanted to buy it. So bad, that not even the Tourism Grading Council of South Africa would grade it. It took us four years to finally get a grading. We started with three stars and then went up to four stars,” said Pieter de Bruin, the owner of the resort.
Pieter, who originally lived in Malvern, was retrenched after 36 years’ service to Transnet, before buying the resort.
“I knew I needed to do something with my life. I saw the park was on sale in the paper and decided to have a look at it,” Pieter said.
But his wife, Corrie, didn’t like Pieter’s plan to buy the derelict park. “But she eventually came around and said let’s do it. My family and friends thought we were making the biggest mistake of our lives as we had to transform the whole park. But I gave myself 10 years to turn it around, and now, 12 years later, it’s a very popular resort.”
Pieter and Corrie said it was vital to the resort’s success that they became good business partners.
Corrie had the people skills and Pieter had the managerial skills. Together they worked their way up.
“This park is great for Queensburgh as it brings about economic development, as well as tourists from all over the world. In 2010 we didn’t advertise for the soccer world cup, but yet, we had 38 Australians at our park on the first day of the world cup. Our success lies in word of mouth referrals people give, as well as good communication and management,” Pieter added.
But Pieter admitted that the park’s success was also largely due to his amazing staff: “They are my right hand and without them, this park would not be where it is today.”
Having grown from strength to strength, the park now hosts conferences, weddings, parties, meetings, school tour groups and church groups.
There’s also a tea garden overlooking the tranquil Umbilo River, which cuts through the front of the resort. The tea garden is open from 9am to 4pm from Tuesday to Sunday. On Sundays there’s also a Sunday lunch special, but booking is essential.
Contact the resort on 031 464 5800.
