Discovering Standown Park Bliss

We’ve been to hundreds of parks in the past 20 plus years, but never to one like Standown Park, a member of Kui Parks.
First things first – it’s in Kia Ora which is mid-way between Gympie and Tin Can Bay, giving you a great choice of places to visit. Secondly, you might not want to leave the park to visit anywhere! My first impression was how big it is and how green the grass is. Second impression was how friendly Russell Clarke, the hands-on owner/manager, is. Let’s check out his beautiful home.

Room to Move

• All accommodation is BYO
• There are around 50 powered sites
• A vast number of unpowered sites
• The central oval is the perfect place to play footy, cricket, run around etc.
• A swimming pool was added in 2024
• Happy Hour is on at 4 pm every day in the camp kitchen, with a campfire
• It’s perfect for all sorts of caravanning groups

Veterans Commemorated

Standown Park is special. The original owners included a Vietnam Veteran, and they set up a fabulous memorial plus other ways to remember members of our Armed Forces. When you see a park road called AWOL St, you know you are dealing with people with a focus. Since Russell took over the park he has maintained the Vietnam Veteran connection but is very clear that this is not just a Veterans Park – this is a park for everyone to come and enjoy what it has to offer.

Kia Ora Trek Notes

Once you have caught up with your sleep, it might be time to go and look at what is around the area. There’s just one problem with that idea – it’s so hard to tear yourself away from here! The peace and quiet are addictive.

Dog-Friendly Market

Sunday is Market Day in Gympie, so we went to the one in the Showgrounds. This is on the 2nd and 4th Sunday.

It’s a nice market – fruit and veg, second-hand things, food, coffee, knick-knacks – a typical market with one exception. You can take your dog with you and, if your dog needs a wash, there was a dog wash at the market.

Nearby Brewery

We also spent some of Sunday afternoon at the Sublime Brewery, which is about 1 km from the park. We settled ourselves on a very comfortable sofa in front of the fire and listened to some excellent music while enjoying a pleasant drink. They do food too – it was just so perfect for a Sunday afternoon.

That was all we managed to do. Like I said, it’s hard to drag yourself away from the park. There’s something very magical here and we will have to return.

Words and Photos: Alison Huth, Editor at Large