Cotton Tree Caravan Park facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Cotton Tree Caravan Park
Cotton Tree Caravan Park, 2009
Location	Cotton Tree Parade, Cotton Tree, Sunshine Coast Region, Queensland, Australia
Queensland Heritage Register
Official name: Cotton Tree Caravan Park
Type	state heritage (landscape, built)
Designated	3 April 2009
Reference no.	602707
Significant period	1880s-1960s
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Cotton Tree Caravan Park is a very old and important holiday spot in Cotton Tree, Australia. It's a caravan park where people have been camping and staying in caravans for over 100 years! This park is so special that it's listed on the Queensland Heritage Register, which means it's protected because of its history and value.

A Look Back: How Cotton Tree Became a Holiday Spot

The area around the Maroochy River mouth started becoming a popular holiday place in the 1880s. The land where the caravan park is now was set aside in 1873. It was called a "Wharf and Water reserve." Holidaymakers would camp there informally among the native Cotton trees (Hibiscus tiliaceus). People loved swimming, boating, and fishing in the calm river. Other similar holiday spots also grew on the Sunshine Coast around the same time.

Early Days: The Salvation Army Encampments

The Salvation Army helped make this area a well-known holiday destination. They organized a yearly "Maroochy Heads encampment" during the Christmas and New Year break. This event offered religious activities and fun leisure time. Local settlers and South Sea Islanders from nearby farms would attend. The first big encampment was in 1896, with over 200 people. Some records suggest it might have started even earlier, in 1888.

The encampment became very popular. By Christmas 1905, about 400 people were camping there. The nearby surf beach also became popular for swimming. In 1908, a life-saving reel was even installed. Most campers were from nearby areas until the 1920s.

By the 1910s, the encampment lasted two weeks. You could rent tents, and meals were served in a dining tent. A large marquee was used for gatherings. The Salvation Army ran a kiosk selling food and drinks. Other private kiosks also opened. Wells were dug for fresh water. The Maroochy Shire Council built a new jetty and bathing sheds in 1912.

Protecting the Land: Public Resistance

In 1908, the government wanted to sell parts of the reserve as town lots in Maroochydore. But campers and the Maroochy Shire Council strongly opposed this. Land sales didn't happen right away. In 1914, there was another attempt to sell the land. Over 500 people protested at a public meeting on Boxing Day 1914. Even though people objected, the government started auctioning the land in December 1915.

However, 17 acres of the original reserve were saved. This land was officially set aside for "Camping and Recreation" in September 1916. It wasn't sold because it was considered tidal. After the land sales, fewer people camped there for a while. The Salvation Army's involvement also decreased. The last reported Salvation Army encampment was in 1929.

Council Takes Over: Improving Facilities

The Maroochy Shire Council became more involved in managing the Cotton Tree reserve. They built a new jetty in 1923 and new bathing sheds in 1929. Keeping the area clean was important for the growing number of visitors. Camping fees were introduced around 1940. New camping areas were also set up along the beachfront. In 1941, the council became the official manager of the reserve.

During the 1920s and 1930s, coastal holiday spots needed better roads to attract tourists with cars. The Maroochy River was the main way to get to Maroochydore until the late 1920s. Visitors arrived by boat at the Cotton Tree jetty. But in 1922, the council started building a road for cars from Nambour to Maroochydore. By 1927, this road was upgraded, making car travel much easier.

The first part of the Bruce Highway opened in 1934. This meant tourists from Brisbane could easily drive to the Sunshine Coast. A trip to Maroochydore took about two hours. The highway was even called a "tourist" road. By 1937, a bitumen road connected Maroochydore Post Office to Cotton Tree.

The Rise of Caravans

Better roads helped caravan tourism grow. Caravans were like mobile homes, offering freedom and comfort. Early caravans were often cars modified by their owners. By the late 1920s, Australian companies started making towed caravans. People also built their own. By 1937, caravans were seen at Maroochy camping grounds alongside tents. By 1939, Queensland had 169 registered caravans.

Caravans offered a "home away from home" with modern comforts. They were a great alternative to hotels, which were often full during busy seasons.

Camping numbers at Cotton Tree grew steadily in the late 1930s and after World War II. The summer of 1945/46 saw record crowds. By 1950/51, an extra water well was needed. Police and health officers were stationed at the park during holidays. A new ranger's office was built by Christmas 1953, when about 4000 people camped along the waterfront.

The popularity of caravans really took off by the late 1940s. By 1948, about 12,000 caravans were on Australian roads. In 1949, more caravans were seen on North Coast roads. The RACQ (a motoring club) encouraged local councils to create "well equipped camps."

In the 1950s, more people could afford cars and had longer paid holidays. This led to a huge increase in car tourism and caravan use. Queensland's caravan registrations jumped from 2320 in 1953 to 5406 in 1961.

Modernizing the Park

In the 1950s, few places in Queensland had the right facilities for caravans. Caravan owners looked to other countries for ideas on how to build good caravan parks. These parks had a more organized layout, often a grid or circular design, with landscaped grounds. They needed features like a prominent entrance, recreation rooms, proper bathrooms, and electricity.

The Maroochy Shire Council was a leader in developing caravan facilities on the Sunshine Coast. In 1952, they opened the Alexandra Headland Caravan Park. This was thought to be the first council-sponsored caravan park in Australia.

By 1951, Cotton Tree had 30 sites for caravans, but 450 for tents. A decade later, people noticed that Cotton Tree wasn't well set up for the growing number of caravans. It was still informal, with uneven ground and no clear sites.

So, in 1962/63, the Maroochy Shire Council made big improvements. They built a new amenities block (bathrooms and laundries). They also created a more organized grid layout for caravan and tent sites. In 1964, Cotton Tree was named one of Australia's top "holiday parks." More caravans started coming, and people stayed longer. By 1966, a local councillor said Cotton Tree was the council's greatest asset, showing how important tourism was.

By 1968, there were many caravan parks on the Sunshine Coast. Cotton Tree was now officially called Cotton Tree Caravan Park. It offered town water, washing machines, and bottled gas.

A Holiday Tradition Continues

By the 1970s, caravanning holidays were very common in Australia. Many families made it an annual tradition, often returning to the same park year after year. Caravans were the second most popular type of holiday accommodation in Australia in 1976, after private houses. Caravan parks helped local economies a lot. By 1978, Cotton Tree had 300 powered sites, making it the largest caravan park on the Sunshine Coast.

Caravan parks often update their facilities while keeping them affordable. In 1975, Cotton Tree Caravan Park was redesigned. The number of sites was reduced to give more space. Concrete slabs for caravan annexes and sewerage were installed. More upgrades happened in 1979, including new water, sewerage, and power connections. The council wanted to make it an "international standard" park. Between 1975 and 1985, the internal roads and sites were changed to a north-south direction.

The park's location at the mouth of the Maroochy River means its size can change. It's also affected by extreme weather like king tides and cyclones. Sand can be added or removed from the northern end. The park's size has changed over the years, from about 17 hectares in 1941 to 8.72 hectares in 1994.

In the 1990s, the park was split into two parts: Cotton Tree and Pincushion. Pincushion was less organized and mostly for tents. In 2004, the two parts joined again. The park continues to update its facilities, adding cabins, new amenities blocks, and barbeques. Near the entrance, a very old Cotton tree, a reminder of the original trees, is still a famous landmark.

The Sunshine Coast has grown very fast in the last 25 years. It's now Queensland's third-largest tourist spot for holidays. Many new tall buildings have appeared along the waterfront. But Cotton Tree Caravan Park has stayed a low-cost, affordable option for waterfront holidays. It's still a very popular place, especially during school holidays.

What the Park Looks Like Today

Cotton Tree Caravan Park is a large, flat area of land (almost 9 hectares). It sits on the southern bank of the Maroochy River mouth. To the east is the northern end of Maroochydore Beach. To the south are Cotton Tree Parade and The Esplanade. To the west is Cotton Tree Park. The river channel and beach here often change due to tides and storms. There are special sand-filled barriers along the beach to help protect the park. From the northern edge, you can see tall buildings in Maroochydore, nature parks, and mountains like Mount Coolum.

The park has bitumen streets, pathways, cabins, caravan lots, and camping spots. There are about 400 places to stay. You can find grassed caravan sites or ones with concrete slabs. There are also camping sites, 6 cabins, and a two-storey beach house. Some sites have power, others don't. The streets near the river beach are more curvy, while other areas are in a straight grid. The camping area is in a treed spot in the north-eastern corner, right where the river meets the ocean. The cabins are in two groups, and the beach house is near the park's exit.

You enter the park from the intersection of King Street, Cotton Tree Parade, and The Esplanade. Two groups of old Cotton trees mark the entrance. One group might be the oldest trees on the site. As you enter, you'll see an amenities block (bathroom and laundry) and the park office. The main exit is a short distance east on Cotton Tree Parade.

There are five amenities blocks around the park for bathrooms and laundry. The oldest one, built in 1962/63, has a unique roof and is made of brick and concrete blocks. There are also three BBQ areas with shelters in the north-eastern part of the park.

Some people live in their caravans permanently in the park. They often decorate their caravans with small gardens, paving, and even extra roofs to keep cool.

The cabins are small, single-storey buildings raised off the ground. They have vaulted roofs and front verandahs. The beach house is a two-storey building with a hipped roof.

You'll also see many different trees in the park. There are tall Palm trees, young Norfolk Island pines, more Cotton trees, Horsetail she-oaks, and Paper-barked Tea Trees.

Why Cotton Tree Caravan Park is Special

Cotton Tree Caravan Park is listed on the Queensland Heritage Register because it's important to Queensland's history. It shows how the Sunshine Coast developed as a holiday area.

• A Long History of Camping: This park has been a camping spot since the 1880s. It shows how early governments set aside public land in beautiful waterfront areas for everyone to enjoy. This practice is rare now.
• Changing with the Times: The park also shows how holiday accommodation has changed. Its big upgrade in 1962/63 happened when caravanning became very popular. The park has kept updating its facilities to meet the needs of modern holidaymakers.

The park also shows what a seaside camping ground should look like.

• Perfect Location: It's right by the mouth of the Maroochy River, which was a typical spot for 19th-century camping. People preferred calm water for swimming and fun back then.
• A True Caravan Park: Cotton Tree Caravan Park has all the main features of a seaside caravan park. It's in a great waterfront spot with access to both calm river water and the ocean. It's easy to reach by car and has a simple layout of streets and green spaces. It offers different types of places to stay, like caravan sites and cabins. It also has facilities like bathrooms, barbeques, and picnic areas. The park has changed over time to meet visitors' needs, but it remains a low-cost and fun place for holidays.