Related story: “Best season ever”
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Gloucester welcomed over 5,000 campers over the Easter long weekend, not to mention the visitors during the rest of the school holiday period.
Following on from a Christmas holiday period that was labeled the “best season ever,” town was again buzzing with a high volume of tourists during the recent school holidays.
Manager tourism for Gloucester’s Visitor Information Centre, Wendy Hughes said she had some very positive feedback about the numbers from the campgrounds, as well as other accommodation locations in the area.
“Some amazing numbers at the campgrounds,” she said in relation to the Easter long weekend, but also said most places had a flow on effect both before and after, with Easter landing in the middle of the holiday period.
National Parks and Wildlife Service area manager, Anthony Signor said the 10 campgrounds in the Barrington Tops area were close to capacity over the Easter weekend.
“While Easter and the October long weekend are our busiest times, this Easter was the first in several years with fine weather all weekend,” he said.
“We often get wet weather at this time of the year, so it was a bumper weekend compared to previous years.”
The increased in traffic could be seen in town, with an increased number of people on Church Street, in the grocery stores and queuing up for the fish truck.
“Overall, it was a really good weekend,” Lovey’s Grocers IGA staff member, Lynette Yates said.
Barrington Outdoor Adventure Centre (BOAC) attracted a high level of visitors, with the heavy rain earlier in the year, increasing the water levels in the river.
“It was the best Easter school holidays ever,” BOAC market manager, Thomas Davey said.
"We could provide plenty of tours with plenty of water in the river,” he said.
“It was the best weather for camping and paddling on the Barrington River.”
We often get wet weather at this time of the year, so it was a bumper weekend compared to previous years.
- Anthony Signor
Some of the other accommodation locations around town also experienced a boost in numbers with most places either full or close to capacity during length of the two week school holiday period.