WHY AUSTIN?
The park was originally named Walls Caravan Park, and its reputation in town was less than ideal. In addition to this, we needed a name that would put us at the top of the Yellow Pages listings.
After much discussion the name Austin was chosen, because the owners have a 1927 Austin 7 duck back sports car.
Austin is also a family Christian name, with two of the owners being Martin Austin and Frank Austin. Frank and Chris have a son named Phillip Austin, and he in turn has a son named Henry Austin.
Why Austin?
Originally named Walls Caravan Park, the park’s reputation in town was less than ideal. When the park changed hands, the new owners needed a name that would provide a fresh start and would also put the park at the top of the Yellow Pages listings.
After much discussion, the name Austin was chosen. Not only did it start with the first letter of the alphabet, but the new owners had a 1927 Austin 7 duck back sports car, still at the park today.
Austin is also a family Christian name, with two of the owners being Martin Austin and Frank Austin. Frank and Chris have a son named Phillip Austin, and he in turn has a son named Henry Austin.
The Austin Tourist Park is family owned and operated, and has been since the Walls Caravan Park was purchased at a Sydney auction in May 1982.
The Walls Caravan Park was basically a bare nine acre block of land. Located on the New England Highway, the stepped block ran right through to the Peel River. All aspects of the park were in desperate need of repair or replacement. The new owners had a task ahead of them to bring the park into the new world. Some of the original major projects included:
- Building a new amenities block, which still stands and is in use today
- Building the park residence and office, as well as installing a new pool with a pump house and toilet at the front of the park
- Tarring roads around the park, using leftover tar from the resurfacing of the Tamworth airport
- Installing the first accommodation units - two brand new Millard 2000 series road vans
As operations continued, more amenities, accommodation, power, and BBQ areas were added to the park. Starting in 1998, the roads around the park were concreted using any leftover concrete from the nearby plant. Sometimes the concrete arrived just as fast as the road could be dug out, leading to the park having a lovely patchwork of roads, and many have small imprints from leaves, animals, or the small hands who “helped” with the laying of the road.
The park experienced two major flood events, the first in 1984 with minimal damage, and the second in November 2000, which was much more damaging to the riverbank, requiring a major rebuild. An erosion control wall was built, and now the local reptile population happily sun themselves on the block wall they love so much. On the other end of the spectrum, the enduring drought some years later limited the scope of outdoor renovations for the park. The alternative was to focus on renovating the cabin fleet, adding splashes of colour to brighten the park and create a sense of fun.
After almost 40 years of ownership, Frank, Alison, and the Austin Tourist Park team are committed to keeping the park modern and interesting, providing a truly fun experience for those who come from all over. Strongly believing in ‘local’, the park owners are heavily involved in Tamworth Business Chamber events and represent the town at caravan shows across the country. During the global pandemic, Austin Tourist Park even hosted their own country music festival to ensure the town's regular visitors had something to see in January! There’s something for everyone at the park, and the team are always ready to warmly welcome new and returning guests.
