Easter at Emu Park

With Easter just around the corner (I confess to cracking open my first sneaky Easter Egg tonight!) I thought I would share with you my favourite camping trip (to date) – Easter at Emu Park.  For the last two years in a row we have spent five days camping at Emu Park which is on the Capricorn Coast, 45km east of Rockhampton.  We picked Emu Park because it is about halfway between Brisbane (where we live) and Far North Queensland (where most of the extended family live) which meant that it was about a day’s drive for all us to be together.  It is also very close to Yeppoon which is where my Mum’s family camped many times when they were growing up, so a nice bit of family tradition continuing.

Beautiful, beautiful spot!

We camped at the Bell Park Caravan Park;

http://www.bellparkcaravanpark.com.au

We had about 6 families – my Mum and Dad, my sisters’s family, my cousins and their families and the Thom Family – friends of my sister who are brave enough to join our family mayhem – last year we had 15 kids between us!!  The caravan park has lovely big grassy sites which were fantastic for accommodating a big group like ours.  The amenities are clean and well looked after and the caravan park is right on the beach – so only a short walk down for a swim and no crossing roads with kids!  It is also a short walk into town to the IGA for groceries, or to grab a coffee and the paper, or some fish’n’chips!  There is also a great park beside the Caravan Park with a kids playground, skate ramp and the markets are held there every Sunday.

Emu Park is famous for its ‘Singing Ship’ which sits up at the lookout – spectacular views from up here!

The beach is perfect at Emu Park for younger kids as there is enough ‘surf’ for the kids to learn to Boogey Board, without fear of them being dumped and rolled and dragged out to sea by a big wave!  At Easter the water is just sooooo perfect – not too cold – not too hot!

Kids learning to ride their Boogey Boards

the kids would spend hours digging on the beach

As if all of this isn’t enough – there is also plenty to do only a short drive from Emu Park.  We loved heading to ‘The Causeway’ in the afternoon – only about 6mins drive away – to grab an icecream and fish and go yabbying.

Yabbying

Fishing

Last year we also took a daytrip to Byfield National Park http://nprsr.qld.gov.au/parks/byfield/index.html and Sandy Beach – both spots were absolutely beautiful and we will definitely be stopping there again on the final leg of our ‘around Oz’ trip!

Byfield National Park

Sandy Point – Byfield National Park

I’m going to apologise in advance if there are too many photos in this post, but they show better than I can say, how much fun we have at Emu Park!  I am sooooooo disappointed not to be heading back there again this Easter, but Matt is picking up a stack of overtime over the long weekend to top up the piggy bank for the big trip.  Oh well – might just have to spend a few weeks there on our way home next year, that’s something to look forward to!  What are you all doing for Easter this year?

Camp Central – we had a big communal tarp set up for cooking & eating together – tents all around the outside of it

The camp ‘train’ the kids loved playing this game!

After spending the morning at the beach it was always craft time/nap time after lunch

Grammy’s craft corner under the shady tree

Sarah’s playdough was a hit!

Afternoon Fun

Kids working together to build a camp fire on the beach

Campfire with Grunda on the guitar

Gotta roast some marshmallows!

Easter Egg hunt on Easter Sunday which finished with the kids digging for treasure on the beach

Digging for treasure at ‘X’ marks the spot! (Grammy & Grunda sat on the beach to guard the loot until the kids found it – true grandparent dedication!)

the Easter Egg ‘haul’!

Camp kids Easter Sunday

Sarah & Chris driving into Byfield

The water at Byfield was freezing!

Sandy Point

Girl fun on the beach

All sorts of fish for the kids to check out!

Swimming at ‘The Causeway’

Cousie Bro’s – icecream at ‘The Causeway’

The early bird kids get taken out of camp in their PJ’s for a walk to let the rest of camp have a sleep in!

A game of 500 is always a must!

‘The Family’ – yes we are a bit of a herd!

Emu Park Easter 2012