01/09/2026
Meet the Fam - Part 1
How We Ended Up in Barmah
For those who don’t know our story, here’s the short version of how a couple from country Victoria ended up owning a little caravan park on the Murray River!
Brad grew up in Maldon and Jen in Gordon. Over the years we both worked a variety of jobs, but it was while working together at a printing factory in Sunshine that we met, fell in love and started building a life together.
Not long after buying our first home, and just four months before our first child was due, the factory closed and we were both made redundant. At the time it was terrifying, but looking back, it probably helped change the direction of our lives.
A few years later we took a huge leap of faith and applied to manage the caravan park at Blackwood. We got the job and spent seven wonderful years there, managing not only the park but also the Mineral Springs, local oval, swimming hole and other areas around town. It was our introduction to the caravan park world, and we loved it.
Then, at the beginning of 2020, we took a road trip to Barmah to look at a little caravan park for sale beside the Murray River.
We fell in love with it almost immediately. ❤️
After plenty of stress, hair pulling and probably a few tears, Barmah Bridge Caravan Park became ours in July 2020, right at the beginning of Victoria’s second COVID lockdown. Talk about timing! 😂
Brad moved to Barmah first, while Jen and the kids stayed in Ballan to finish the school year. Eventually we all moved to Barmah, but we soon realised how much we, and particularly the kids, missed home, family and friends.
We had a big decision to make. We loved the park, but our family had to come first.
So at the end of 2021, we moved back home and began splitting our lives between Ballan and Barmah. We brought in our wonderful caretaker, who over the years has become much more than an employee, she’s part of the family. ❤️
It might seem a little unconventional, but somehow it works!
There have been plenty of challenges, changes and adventures along the way, but six years later we still love our little park by the river.
And that’s how Barmah Bridge Caravan Park became part of our family story.
