Susanna Freymark
Michael Braun, Vicki Kosonen and Miss Molly the dog are leaving Bonalbo Tourist Caravan Park where they have been caretakers for five years.
But they’re not going far.
”We were only meant to be here for six months,” Michael said.
The couple was travelling in their motorhome in 2020 and they were at Yeppoon getting the van fixed when they saw a posting for a caretaker at the council owned Bonalbo Tourist Caravan Park.
”Where’s Bonalbo?” Michael asked Vicki.
”I don’t have a clue,” she said.
We had to Google it, Vicki said.
They arrived in Bonalbo — it was raining.
”The dump pit was miserable,” Michael said.
Vicki and Michael immediately started to work on the park.
Michael put a call out on Facebook for flowerpots.
”Thirty pots were dropped off within half an hour,” he said.
Michael and Vicki had a little bit of experience after being caretakers at a caravan park in Perth for five weeks.
For the past five years, they have made improvements at the grounds at Bonalbo.
When they arrived there was only a push mower. Now there is a ride-on and a whipper snipper and the grounds are looking immaculate.
On Australia Day this year, they were awarded west of the range Business of the Year.
”Every year we put on a Christmas dinner for park guests. We buy ham (and other goodies) out of our own pocket,” Michael said.
Not this year. At Christmas they will be celebrating at the Rainforest Gateway Park on Gradys Creek Road on the other side of Kyogle LGA.
Vicki and Michael leave on December 20 to be caretakers at Rainforest Gateway. They will be paid caretakers there. At Bonalbo, they weren’t paid but got a free site for their motorhome.
To thank them for all they’ve done for Bonalbo, there is a dinner at the Dog n Bull Hotel this Friday, December 5 at 6pm. The community is invited to come along and farewell Vicki, Michael and little Molly.