There has been some recent activity regarding development plans for the park in 2010/11. Please click here to view a letter from NRMA Holiday Parks and FreeSpirit Management regarding this.

Please click here to view the park map which highlights the development plans.

Thank you.

Please note that all old gas bottles will need to be removed from sites by the end of September 1st 2010.

Thank you.

The next quarterly electricity read will be done this Thursday 1st July 2010, and will be included in the July monthly fee payments.

Thank you.

For the latest minutes from the LTC Consultative Committee Meeting held on the 27th February 2010 please click here.

Our team has been busy renovating our on-site cafe and it as now open for business! We have taken this opportunity to put in down lights and touch up the paint as well as create more indoor seating. We are very excited about our new display cabinets which holds yummy muffins and delicious wraps. So come in and enjoy great coffees and tasty food at 'Ocean Breeze Cafe'. We are open from 8am - 8pm during school holidays and from 8am - 6pm outside of holidays.

The recent rain has helped brighten our park - the gardens are looking luscious and overall the park is buzzing. We hope you are enjoying your Easter/April School Holidays break here. Please come and see us at Reception, if you have any questions or queries.

Please click here to read Gosford City Council's response to NRMA's letter which was lodged on 23 December 2009 regarding the access road to Ocean Beach Holiday Park.

Please note that NRMA M&S lodged the attached letter to Gosford City Council on 23 December 2009, regarding the access road to the Ocean Beach Holiday Park, in light of the new proposed upgrade of the recreational facility in the parkgrounds.

To read the letter, please click here.

To all Holiday Park Guests,

Below is the link to an attached document of a submission re: the approved re-development of the parklands adjacent to Ocean Beach Holiday Park. Whilst management and owners of OBHP feel this is a very positive move for the area, we are concerned that there does not appear to be any allocation of funds to improve traffic management and road access. If you feel so inclined, it would be beneficial for all of us if you express your thoughts via email to:

da.submissions@gosford.nsw.gov.au - Quote Reference Number: 37823/2009

Please read attached document on how to respond.

Thank you for your support.

Click here to download - Redevelopment plans of adjoining parkland - DA 2009

We would like to take this opportunity to wish all of our Long Term Casuals a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. We are looking forward to seeing you at the park over the Summer Holidays.

Please note that your electricity will be read on the following dates throughout 2010:

14 January 2010 - Will be part of fees due by 6th February 2010

8 April 2010 - Will be part of fees due by 6th May 2010

1 July 2010 - Will be part of fees due by 6th July 2010

23 September 2010 - Will be part of fees due by 6th October 2010

16 December 2010 - Will be part of fees due by 6th January 2011

MINUTES OF MEETING
29th August 2009

MEETING OPENED
3.00pm

WELCOME AND INTRODUCTION
Over 150 holiday van owners or their representatives attended the meeting.
Dianne Day - General Manager of NRMA Holiday Parks
Yvonne Bristow - Chief Operations Officer for FreeSpirit Management
Philip and Vanessa Fordyce - Managers of Ocean Beach Holiday Park
Teanau Manson - Front Office Manager of Ocean Beach Holiday Park
Stephen Hope - LTC site 438 owner - as co-convener of the meeting and LTC representative

GENERAL BUSINESS

1.    Explanation of purpose of meeting - To form a Consultative Committee

• Consultative Committee to be formed to act as a communication channel between van owners, park management and park owner.
• Any changes made to operations of the Holiday Park will always remain the right of the Holiday Park Management and NRMA Motoring & Services.
• Conditions of the election process were outlined and unanimously accepted.
• Motion was proposed for Stephen Hope to be a member of the Committee regardless of election for the precinct he may represent. Stephen Hope did not accept this proposal and stood for election.
• George Kahane - Site 153 from Precinct 2 was not on the lease but wished to be part of the Committee otherwise he felt Precinct 2 would not be represented. 
• Yvonne Bristow responded that the Precinct will definitely be represented by all Committee Members.
• Stephen Hope called for other nominations from Precinct 2, DJ Smith – Site 061, Mr Savidis – Site 162 and Mr Neil Rhind – Site 158 who nominated themselves.

 2.  Formation and Election of Consultative Committee

• Precinct 1 – Pat Doonan – Site 326 first and Leslie Sherman - Site 269 second.
• Precinct 2 – Neil Rhind – Site 158 first and DJ Smith – Site 061 second.
• Precinct 3 – Judy Field – Site 180 first and Julie Robertson – Site 240 second.
• Precinct 4 – Stephen Hope – Site 438 first and Tony Simonsen – Site 348 second.
• Precinct 5 – Damien Milgate – Site 383 first and Gary Murphy – Site 296 second.

 3.    Invitation extended to Attendees to list concerns/topics for discussion at the meeting.  Topics included:

• Evictions
• 5 Year Plan (viewing of plan)
• Re-Development (DA)
• Re-location of vans
• NRMA’s view on holiday vans
• Length of time in the Park
• Main road into Park
• Lease of the Park grounds, local Council
• * The right to be able to sell your van

COMMENTS ON GENERAL BUSINESS

Road into the Park

Dianne Day (from NRMA M&S) advised that Gosford City Council is responsible for the entrance road to the park and that no Council money had been allocated for this to date.  Some van owners suggested a petition be put forward and this was accepted to be actioned immediately.

Evictions

Van owners were advised that eviction notices had not been issued and that they would not be issued in the near future unless conditions of stay were violated.

Re-Development

• NRMA confirmed that no DA has been submitted to Council for anything regarding any future park development. 
• Communication – Suggestion to put together a list of questions for NRMA so that they can answer them and get back to the Committee. 
• Dianne Day advised that the earliest any information would be issued would be mid-way through 2010 once a masterplan had been agreed and approved.
• Graham Blight’s radio interview was discussed.  The claim that after 5 years there will be no holiday vans was explained.  NRMA confirmed that eventually there is likely to be no holiday vans at Ocean Beach Holiday Park but a timeline has not been given as it is unknown at this stage.
• Van owners expressed some concerns that NRMA M&S was not passing on accurate information.  Owners were reassured otherwise. 
• Van owners expressed a desire to continue to on sell their vans on site.  They were advised this could not happen.  However, owners can sell their vans for removal from site at any time and provide park management with notice under their occupancy agreement. 
• Van owners expressed disappointment that the letter that was sent out re: the sale of vans on site appeared to be back dated as many van owners received the letters several days after the date shown on the letter. 
• Copy of the Department of Lands policy written in 1990 to be posted on Website. This policy advises that Department of Crown Lands would like to see the number of long term casuals in Holiday Parks on Crown Land, such as Ocean Beach, reduced. 
• Van owners were advised that if they wanted to spend money on their vans to effect any running repairs they must make value judgment for themselves.  The decision and risk lies with the van owner.
• It was confirmed that the current crown lease runs to 2017.
• Yvonne and Dianne advised that they have passed on everything they know at this stage.  Attendees were reassured that all communications are being issued so that van owners understand the full situation so that they can make individual judgments regarding their on-site caravans.
• Some attendees expressed their concern about this lack of a definite timeline.  Most expressed uncertainty about how the park changes would impact them and sought more detail as to whether relocation could be an option once the timeline and master-plan were known.
• Yvonne Bristow encouraged all van owners to continue to enjoy the park as our valued occupants.
• Website – attendees were advised that all correspondence and communications related to the Committee will be listed on the website for perusal.

CLOSE OF MEETING
Meeting closed at 4.35pm – Park Management were asked to leave so that van owners could have further discussion. 

NEXT MEETING
Date to be established.

Note: This next meeting (to be confirmed) may be held towards the end of November or early December.

To view a copy of the Department of Lands "Crown Lands Caravan Parks Policy" (issued April 1990), please click here.

Over the last few weeks there has been a lot of discussion by onsite van owners about the future of Long Term Casuals at Ocean Beach Holiday Park. I write to let you know about NRMA Holiday Park's plans for the future of Ocean Beach Holiday Park, so that you are fully informed.

Future development likely - timeframe unknown
Over the next few years, it is likely that the park will undergo further development and improvements. As at the date of this letter, there is no definite timeframe I can share with you because the plans are not finalised and will be subject to many different approvals. At the earliest, our expectations are that any changes will not begin to affect owners of holiday park vans until the first half of 2010.

In general, development will include upgrades to facilities (eg. amenities blocks, pool) as well as a change in the mix of accommodation at the park. This will involve a reduction in the number of onsite vans or Long Term Casuals, and an increase in the number of short-term casual or tourist sites. The tourist sites will be a mix of camping, caravanning and cabin accommodation. The actual number of sites affected and their location is not yet known, until such time as plans are finalised and approved.

Keeping you informed
Let me assure you that once plans are known, you will be informed. If your site is affected at any stage, you will be given notice to leave as per the terms of your Occupancy Agreement. While the standard notice period under the Holiday Parks Act, 2002, is three (3) months, NRMA Holiday Parks will do its best to give you as much notice as possible, in addition to that required under the Act. Relocation may be an option but not a guaranteed right and can only be determined once the redevelopment plans are confirmed.

New policy prohibits onsite van sales from 1 April 2009
In the interests of potential buyers of vans currently located at the park, NRMA has decided that it will no longer allow sold vans to remain onsite. In other words, all Long Term Casual vans that are sold from the date of this letter must be removed from the park grounds and buyers will not be able to enter into new occupancy agreements.

This will result in several sites becoming available for alternative use or for upgrading over time. If you are not planning to sell your van, you can continue to enjoy the amenities of the park until any redevelopment changes are announced.

Occupancy agreements have not changed
It is important to understand that none of the above information or policies involve a change to your Occupancy Agreement - they are the standard terms under the Holiday Parks Act, 2002.

Valued occupants and NRMA Members
NRMA Holiday Parks and FreeSpirit Management recognise that there are many people that have strong emotional ties to the site you currently occupy and we intend to inform you of changes as they affect you. We ask that you please contact us directly in the first instance if you have any concerns about your occupancy, so that you have correct and up-to-date information about any issues that might affect your enjoyment of the park.

Any questions?
I hope this explanation clarifies the present situation. If you wish to discuss this matter further then you are invited to telephone myself, Vanessa Fordyce, on 02 4379 9409.
Thank you for taking the time to carefully consider the contents of this letter.
 
Yours faithfully
Vanessa Fordyce
Park Manager
FreeSpirit Management - Managers of Ocean Beach Holiday Park

Holiday Parks (Long-term Casual Occupation) Act 2002

Notice that NRMA will not agree to transfers of vans on sites
(Clauses 23 and 24)

To: ___________
of:   ___________

The occupant of the site no. ____ located at Ocean Beach Holiday Park, Sydney Avenue, Umina Beach NSW 2257.

TAKE NOTE THAT NRMA Tourist Park No. 3 Pty Ltd, trading as Ocean Beach Holiday Park gives you notice that as per the terms of the Holiday Parks (Long Term Casual Occupation) Act 2002, we wish to advise that in accordance with Clause 23 of the Occupation Agreement, that we no longer will consent to the sale of vans on site at Ocean Beach Holiday Park.

You will still be allowed to occupy and enjoy the amenities of the park as per the terms of your Occupation Agreement.  However, on sale of the van, all items including the caravan, annex and associated chattels and personal possessions must be removed from the site and the park.

DATED this 1st April 2009

NRMA Holiday Park No. 3 Pty Ltd (park owner)

ENDORSEMENT OF SERVICE
On the 1st April 2009 I, Vanessa Fordyce
Served a copy of this Notice on (name) ____ by Australia Post to the principal place of residence at (address) ________ and by Australia Post to the Site no. ____ at Ocean Beach Holiday Park, Sydney Avenue, Umina Beach NSW 2257.