Farm Life - 16. FAR Chapter 16

After introducing Preston and Ronnie to them we discussed the timetable of events to happen today, including the official opening at 10am, to be done by the Shire President. I asked Geoff to make sure that the bins are emptied regularly, and that his team do a regular collection of any dropped rubbish from the grounds, and for Rachel and her team to distribute advertising leaflets out to the visitors, to promote Southbank and its facilities.

Geoff informed me that the council rangers have already set up a “Road Closed to Vehicles” sign, at the end of the carpark, just 50 metres before the bridge, and that they will be patrolling the area over the next two days, to make sure that the roads don’t become blocked by careless visitors, who decide to park just anywhere they feel like parking.

I reminded Rachel, that at no point what so ever, are they to accept any accommodation bookings for any long weekends and holidays, more than one month before the event, to make it fair for everyone to be able to stay at the caravan park. Once our little meeting was over, the lads and I went for a final walk around the property before the visitors begin to arrive, with pedestrian access to the bridge, to open at 8am.

Already we could see a line of people waiting for the barrier gates to be opened, and we went over to the park, where the food and drink vans and the bouncy castle are located, to make sure that they are ready, which they were. Next, we checked on the shop tenants that will be open for the weekend, that being the restaurant, café and the bakery, along with the two community groups and the observatory, and they already had their doors open ready for customers.

With a few minutes to spare, we casually walked up to the bridge and crossed over to the other side, and as it ticked over to 8am, Preston and I removed the barriers, to allow the long line of visitors to cross the bridge, to explore the development, as we just stood back and watched.

After about ten minutes, with the crowd numbers getting lower, we crossed over the bridge, and headed into my office, unlocking the door and entering, leaving the door unlocked. “If you like, I can man the reception desk here, as long as I can play some games on the computer” Ronnie said to me with a big grin, and I laughed, “that sounds like a good deal, go for it, and I will even toss in free lunch for you both” I replied.

I noticed that you still have a fair amount of space at the back of the development that hasn’t been used, apart from that great big tank, in the corner” Preston said to me. “That tank is the sewerage tank for the caravan park and fun park ablutions blocks, and cabins, that will be emptied every few months. I have a heap of large shrubs planted around it, to hide it apart from where the truck will need access to it.

I am thinking of building some more holiday cabins, but I want to wait and see how the demand goes for accommodation over the next few months, before committing to more expenses to the development, also there is still some space for four more shops, near the front if I think it is needed” I commented.

The whole weekend ended up being a big success, with a lot of enquiries about accommodation for the school holidays, which begin four days after the Easter long weekend, and Rachel and her team were kept busy accepting bookings for the first school holidays but declined to accept bookings for the June long weekend, until May 1st, as per my instructions.

As visitor numbers began to thin out after lunch on Sunday, I called Rachel and Geoff to my office for a debrief of the weekend, and I had asked the senior ranger, who was still around to join us. “Right, what from I had observed over the weekend, there was no major incidences, and apart from a few parking issues, that it all went fairly smoothly” I commented, to start it off.

“Yes, as you mentioned we had some idiots illegally parking along Kilburn Drive, blocking local resident’s driveways, and they have been issues infringement notices, and so far, I have not received and complaints” Dave, the senior ranger commented. “As you requested, we kept on top of the rubbish with a final clean up to be done before sundown today” Geoff added. “We have a full caravan park for the coming school holidays a week after Easter, and that includes the guest cabins” Rachel replied.

“Well that is interesting, as the shire caravan park is also full for Easter and the school holidays, so it appears that the extra caravan park has not made a difference in booking numbers for the main park, we had four of the shire councillors here today including the shire president, and they were all happy with how things were going” Dave commented.

“That sounds excellent, thankyou Dave and your team for all of your hard work over the weekend, it is very much appreciated” I said to the senior ranger, “You are welcome, and if I am no longer needed, I have a few things to do, before heading home for the day” Dave said as he stood up and left the office.

“Well, I guess it is all systems go from now on, I am having some additional signs being made, to be installed at the start of the bridge, the first will be “Caravan Park & Cabin Guests and Shop Tenants traffic only beyond this point”, and the second is “Welcome to the Southbank Kilburn Caravan Park and Cabins – 8 km Speed Limit” I mentioned to Rachel and Geoff.

“That sounds good, anything else boss” Geoff commented, “No that is all, and thanks for all of your hard work over the weekend” I replied, before they both stood and left the office, and Dave re-entered, “One last thing, the Shire President, Mr Overton asked me to mention, that a Shire staff member will be in the shire office on Tuesdays and Thursdays each week” Dave said to me.

“Thanks mate I will jot that down as a reminder, and by the way, do you know of a local, that may be interested in some part time reception work here” I responded with a smile, “I will ask around” Dave said as he gave a short wave and left.

With just one week to go, before the Easter long weekend, I was hoping that it will go smoothly, with no major incidences, and I was about to pack up and leave, when there was a knock on my office door, and it opened, with some ladies entering. Mr Grantham, we are from the local CWA and Red Cross, we just came to thank youfor allowing us to be here over the weekend” one of the ladies said to me.

“It is our pleasure ladies, and how did it go for you?” I replied, “Not bad actually, we had a group of us do some late baking Friday and last night, and we sold everything by lunch time today, so we are pleased with that achievement thank you”, another lady responded. “Well, I am glad that it worked out well for you all in that case” I replied, as I shook each of the ladies’ hands gently and wished them a safe journey home.

About five minutes later, the two staff from the observatory called in to thank me for allowing them to put up a display in one of the shops, and I said they were welcome to return when they like. Once all the visitors had left and the temporary barriers were put back into place, I jumped into my ute, and headed back to the farm, to see Preston and Ronnie, but Dad had already taken them back to Perth, and had just returned.

Over dinner, we discussed the events of the weekend, and I suggested to Dad that we go ahead with having some more cabins built at the back of the property, that will be for staff use only, and that would make the three cabins they use now available for guests, and Dad agreed to this suggestion.

The next morning, I contacted to building company in Perth, that had built the modular cabins, and I asked if they could build six 1-bedroom and two 2-bedroom cabins for staff accommodation, and I was informed that they have two 2-bedroom and two 1-bedroom cabins available for immediate delivery.

I said that I would arrange for payments to be made within 48 hours, and I was informed that delivery would be on the Tuesday after Easter, and with all the electricity and plumbing already in place, we could have the staff in their new quarters before the school holidays, with their cabins well away from the guest cabins.

As requested, Rachel had insisted that all guests would have to check in after 2pm, on Thursday afternoon of the Easter Long weekend, but the first vehicles started lining up well before lunch time. I had been spending the past few days helping Dad on the farm, and he would be travelling down to Perth to collect the lads for the long weekend, so straight after lunch, I headed over to Southbank, to see how preparations were going, this time travelling around the long way, coming into town on the main road.

I was a little shocked, when I saw the huge line of cars with caravans or camper trailers on the back, lined up almost all the way to Mortimer Road, and I was forced to drive on the wrong side of the road down to the bridge, where I found one of the shire rangers parked across the road, preventing any cars from blocking the carpark area.

The ranger opened the barriers for me, so I could cross the bridge, closing them once I had passed, and I parked in the carport, before walking back over the bridge. “How long has this lot been waiting?” I asked Craig, one of the Shire Rangers. “I arrived at half ten, and it was about ten minutes later, when the first car and caravan rocked up” Craig replied

“They are certainly keen” I responded, as I looked at my watch, which read 12.55pm, “Still another hour to go, I will check with the staff to see if we can get check-in started early” I added, and I turned and walked back over the bridge, and retrieving my buggy, I drove down the main street, to the Park office.

“Good afternoon Rachel, Andrea and Megan, how are we going? Are we set to go?” I asked as I walked into the office. “Yes sir, we were about to call Geoff to come and assist” Rachel responded, as I was handed a two-way radio, which I attached to my belt, and the mic I attached to my shirt. “Good, now how do you want to do this check-in procedure?” I asked.

“If you and Geoff and make sure that the guests to go their correct bays, we will handle the check-ins, with me outside to collect the names from each vehicle, which I will relay to the ladies inside the office, you and Geoff will each have a clipboard, with the names and site numbers for each group of guests, and mark them off once they are in their bay” Rachel explained, as Geoff entered the office, and was handed a clipboard and radio, after I received mine.

“Sounds like a plan, there is a big line of cars already waiting, so I thought we may start early, so as not to cause any issues with our local residents” I responded, and Rachel nodded in agreement, as she picked up a radio and lead the way outside. Geoff and I waited on our buggies at the gate, while Rachel walked up to the end of the bridge and gave Craig a wave to open the barrier.

Finn, who is one of the grounds staff arrived, and I suggested that he go inside to ask what he can do, and he came back out with a small box of electronic gate keys, that he is to hand out to the guests, and Rachel called out the guests’ name in the first vehicle, and Andrea responded with a site number, as the vehicle approached and stopped near Finn.

“Good afternoon, and welcome to Southbank Kilburn, this is your gate key to get in and out of the park, please follow the first buggy to your allocated site” Finn said cheerfully, and Geoff drove off at a slow pace to lead the first car into the park.

“That’s one down and over 280 to go” I said to Finn, who groaned, and I laughed, as the next vehicle approached. “We can share the duties, so you won’t be doing this all afternoon” I commented, before leading the second vehicle in.

By 6.30pm we had the last of the booked guests arrive and checked in, and the staff were able to close the park office and retire for the day, with Rachel on call for any emergencies, and I headed home for a much-neededrest.