G’Day Group to transform McCracken Country Club into family-friendly resort and water park
Water parks, adventure playgrounds and new accommodation will be built at the McCracken Country Club as part of a $20m plan to make it a family-friendly resort.
SA Business
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McCracken Country Club will be transformed into a family-friendly resort with water parks, adventure playgrounds and new accommodation after being acquired by the country’s biggest regional accommodation group.
The plans form part of a $60m plus investment in SA tourism by Adelaide-based G’Day Group, which has also purchased the Adelaide Hills Convention Centre and Hahndorf Resort, and the Goolwa caravan park.
Inspired by family-friendly golf resorts in Florida, G’Day Group will spend more than $20m at McCracken, which currently comprises an 18-hole championship golf course, hotel, apartments, villas, function and convention facilities, day spa and indoor swimming pool.
G’Day Group chief executive Grant Wilckens said the investment would deliver a “legacy asset for the region and for the state”.
“We’ve done research into how golf resorts can reinvent themselves - in the US and Florida for example they’ve done it really well,” he said.
“There’ll be water parks, jumping pillows, adventure playgrounds and mini golf - you’ll be able to go down there and not necessarily play golf but still have a great time.
“It will create a bit of a stir, not everybody will love it, but we’ve done our due diligence and it will be more jobs and a great outcome for Victor Harbor.”
Mr Wilckens said all 65 hotel rooms would be refurbished, accommodation would double, and 150 powered sites would be made available for caravans.
G’Day Group has spent around $33m to acquire the three properties, with plans to invest a further $10m in a redevelopment of the Goolwa Caravan Park.
It follows a challenging year for the group, which oversees more than 280 holiday parks across the country.
Last summer’s devastating bushfires delivered a $20m hit to the company’s bottom line, while the COVID-19 pandemic caused a similar financial blow.
But with the backing of majority shareholder Sunsuper, the company is bouncing back, investing $100m on property acquisitions and upgrades across the country.
That has coincided with the company reaching its long-held ambition of becoming a $1 billion company, and the launch of a new name and brand - G’Day Parks - to be used across its owner-operated parks and its independent network formerly known as Top Parks.
“We’ve long held an ambition to become a billion-dollar business by 2020 and to meet that
target, despite the handicaps of bushfires and COVID-19, makes me incredibly proud,” Mr Wilckens said.
“We’re launching what we hope will become an iconic Australian tourism brand, synonymous with authentic Aussie experiences.”
Mr Wilckens said regional tourism was booming in the wake of COVID-19 as border closures and restrictions limit international travel.
Bookings for the upcoming school holiday period are up 130 per cent across the G’Day Group network in South Australia compared to the same time last year.
“While we were heavily impacted during the height of COVID-19, we’re experiencing a rapid
rebound across the country,” Mr Wilckens said.
“We’re readying for the busiest school holiday period we’ve ever seen, and while there is still accommodation available, it won’t be long until it’s hard to get a booking.”
In a further boost to regional tourism, G’Day Group has launched a joint marketing campaign with Tourism Australia - dubbed “Holiday Here This Year” - encouraging holidaymakers to book a stay with G’Day Parks this summer.
Tourism Australia managing director Phillipa Harrison said it was the perfect time for Australians to visit the regions and support local communities.
“With summer just around the corner and border restrictions easing there’s never been a better time for Australians to get out and holiday in this incredible country of ours, which is what we’re urging people to do as part of our Holiday Here This Year campaign.”
Plans for the McCracken development are expected to be lodged with council by March ahead of construction later next year.