Within an hour of arriving at NRMA Woodgate Beach Holiday Park, I’d met three sets of grey nomads who had been visiting the park for over a decade. When I mentioned on instagram that we were at Woodgate Beach, I was flooded with DMs from people who fondly remembered childhood summers spent there.

Indeed, Woodgate Beach is imbued with a sense of yesteryear. It’s charming, peaceful and incredibly picturesque. Located on the Fraser Coast, 40minutes from Bundaberg, it’s a very small town dotted with old holiday shacks and resident kangaroos.

If you’re looking for a quiet getaway with few distractions, Woodgate Beach might be just the place for you. It’s an easy drive from the Bruce Hwy and once you arrive you can rest and relax and…that’s about all.

We stayed on a powered site next to a fence covered in wisteria (a rare but pleasant site in a caravan park!). Many of the camping and caravan sites are shaded by big gums which, in the summer months, would create much sought after shade. The camp kitchen is spacious and clean and has a big tv which was just the distraction we needed on a rainy afternoon when the kids were exceptionally loud. Most importantly, we could walk from our caravan to the beach within minutes; a real treat.

Apart from daily visits to the park’s cafe, we literally spent all our time on the beach or lazing about the caravan. Woodgate begs you to sleep in and take long, languid strolls down the beach in search of shells. If you prefer an afternoon walk, time it for around 4pm when the kangaroos arrive to feed on the grass that borders the beach. And if you’ve got children you’ll be delighted to know that no matter where you choose to place your towel on the 16km stretch of sand, there will be a tree nearby to offer shade. Frankly, if there’s plenty of space and shade at the beach, I’m very, very happy. As a bonus, the beach is relatively calm and when the tide is low there’s so much fun to be had on the wet sand.

If you’re planning on visiting Woodgate Beach with your family, NRMA Woodgate Beach Holiday Park has a range of cabin accommodation (if camping or caravanning isn’t your thing). The staff are incredibly friendly and the cafe and convenience store is located within the park grounds. I recommend you do a big grocery shop before you arrive but if you are in need of groceries during your stay, there is a Woolworths in nearby Childers (they also deliver on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays). If you would prefer to shop local, Alloway Farm Market (about 20minutes from Woodgate) has a cafe and deli and stocks local produce.

I’m sharing my favourite family-friendly locations in collaboration with NRMA Parks & Resorts as we travel the East Coast of Queensland and NSW.