Expansion potential at popular camp site
A popular and long-standing seaside campground in the Coromandel township of Whitianga is on the market.
The land, buildings and business supporting the Harbourside Holiday Park overlooking Whitianga harbour are spread over 14,373 square metres.
The property contains a multitude of accommodation options – from powered tent and caravan sites through to tourist flats, along with all the social infrastructure found at stereotypical New Zealand campgrounds.
The predominantly rectangular site with its exclusive driveway access across the road from a sandy beach has been operating as a campground for almost 50 years – establishing a ‘‘core’’ group of holidaymakers who regularly camp over the Christmas/New Year period.
Current business and property operators Chris and Angela Evans have owned the site since 1984 – running the park themselves for many years. Harbourside Holiday Park is currently operated under a management contract.
The seaside campground is being marketed as ‘turn-key’ operation – coming complete with all operating infrastructure, including 98 individual grassed sites for tent campers, caravans and camper vans – with 61 of the sites powered, and 37 unpowered; 7 cabins and 4 self-contained tourist flats; separate laundry with laundry tubs, coin-operated washing machines and dryers; indoor communal dining area and reading room; additional outdoor communal dining area; communal kitchen facility and refurbished shower blocks.
Leisure amenities include an in-ground swimming pool, TV room, and children’s playground.
There is a three-bedroomed owner/manager’s house with the campground office attached.
Salesman Josh Smith said trading accounts for Harbourside Holiday Park showed the campground’s busiest occupancy period was from the week before Christmas, through until the beginning of February when the school year began. Solid booking levels were then tracked throughout the remainder of summer through until Easter weekend.
Smith said the layout and infrastructure of Harbourside Holiday Park meant the venue could be staffed throughout the bulk of the year by a ‘‘husband and wife’’ management structure – either as owner/operators or under a leased management contract.
Additional part-time cleaners are brought into the business over the busier summer months between December and February.
Smith said there was the opportunity for Harbourside Holiday Park to grow its revenue stream by increasing the inventory of fixed accommodation options to derive a higher dollar value per guest night.
‘‘With ample open flat grassed space, Harbourside Holiday Park could easily be expanded – either adding more budget cabins or selfcontained apartments with greater levels of guest comforts . . .
‘‘Moving up the add-value ladder, the flat topography of the park would perfectly suit the trend of accommodating refurbished 40–60 foot steel shipping containers transformed into chic baches which can be easily transported on and off most sites in a similar way to caravans . . . except that they are transported on the back of trucks.’’
The Harbourside Holiday Park is being marketed for sale by auction at 11am on May 17 through Bayleys Hamilton.