The RV Park is an initiative of the Gunnedah Lions Club, made possible with the security of $230,000 in funding from the Shenhua Watermark Community Fund in 2011.

The RV Park has been designed as an all-inclusive stop, with wheelchair accessible toilets, a caravan dump site, undercover eating area and off-road parking.

The Mullaley Road site was officially opened by Shenhua Watermark Coal human resources manager Gerry McDonald, Gunnedah Mayor Owen Hasler and Gunnedah Lions Club President Stuart Muddle.

Mr McDonald said Shenhua was pleased to work with a project that not only improved the entry to Gunnedah, but inspired passers-by to stop in town.

“This project not only adds to local road safety and enhances the entry to Gunnedah from the Coonabarabran end, but it will assist the economy of the town by encouraging more travellers to stop and enjoy our great town,” Mr McDonald said.

“Shenhua is a strong believer in contributing to the communities within which we work. 

“The community fund was established with the intention of supporting the development of the region’s economy, to promote local employment, to improve and maintain the local environment and also to improve local facilities – the RV project has successfully fulfilled many of these aims.”

Mr Muddle said in 2011, the Lions Club investigated the feasibility of costing and planning, as well as a suitable site and determined Gunnedah was in need of an RV-friendly facility.

“With the ever-increasing number of RVs on our roadways, they all need a pullover stop and what greater place than Gunnedah to build it,” Mr Muddle said.

“Shenhua very generously approved the funding towards the construction of the area, with the rest of the money raised by the Lions Club through fund-raising activities.

“Gunnedah Shire Council came on board with the approval of the site and helped with many other unseen hurdles.

“There are many other businesses who helped during the construction and we thank them all, as well as all the Lion’s Club members – we are only a small club but every Lion has been involved in this project in some way.”

Cr Hasler said council would continue to support the project by providing ongoing maintenance for the site at an estimated cost of $21,000 per year.

“It is a very important project and a big congratulations to the Lions Club for recognising the need for such an area and having the foresight to go through with it,” Cr Hasler said.

“We want to show we are an RV-friendly town and this park demonstrates this.”