Marlo is located about 400 klms east of Melbourne in East Gippsland at the mouth of the Snowy River. It is a pretty little town, surrounded by bush and farmland, and, apart from fishing, bushwalking, observing the stunning bird life and walking along the pristine beaches, it is the ideal place to just relax, unwind and make some great memories.
The small commercial centre features a general store and the historic Marlo Hotel, which is perched on a hilltop overlooking the Snowy River, with the town’s main jetty and boat ramp below. It started life as a bark hut in 1875 and, after various additions and renovations, it is now a sprawling and characterful weatherboard building. The bar, decorated with fishing paraphernalia, looks out over the Tasman Sea, while in the dining room I guarantee you will indulge in one of the best feasts you will have during your travels.
Even though this is a small town, we heard through friends that Marlo was well worth a visit with our caravan, and I must say they were certainly right. We chose to stay at the Marlo Caravan Park and Motel, a place that offers opportunities for those with RV’s or those who simply want to relax and unwind in a comfortable room and enjoy the same peace and tranquillity of this quaint town.
We were warmly greeted by our hosts, Mark Hadfield and his partner Georgia, both who have an extensive background in customer service and looking after the needs of people. Mark ran a BP service station for many years with many very happy customers and Georgia was Operations Manager at Target Australia for 26-years. They took over the running of Marlo Caravan Park & Motel three years ago and both agree it was the best lifestyle move ever.
We set our caravan down and noted the sites were spacious and well looked after. There are 24 powered sites and the motel section consists of 12 well presented and looked after rooms, including provision of bunks for the kids to have a great time as well. All rooms are serviced daily by Vicki and Jan who always had a big smile for guests. I had a friendly chat with Jocelyn and Ken Paterson who were staying in the motel section and both described the accommodation as “first class”.
Although they come from Sale, also in East Gippsland, they always look forward to a restful break at Marlo and the chance to meet up with many friendly folk and to enjoy what the area offers for visitors.
The park also has a great playground for the kids, a fantastic BBQ area with plenty of seating around, laundry and an excellent amenities block which we found in pristine condition. As well there is a family bathroom plus a disabled facility. One great feature is the herb garden where guests are welcome to help themselves to the many delights found grown in it. The park also has a spacious boat wash area and there is good provision for cleaning your catch of the day. When the season is right, Mark also plants tomatoes for guests to enjoy and these are always a welcome addition to a good cooked meal on the BBQ.
Mark and Georgia always have a great smile and give everyone a cheery wave as they go about their daily duties at the park making sure all their guests are equally happy. “We also have some trivia nights as well as helping guests celebrate special events such as birthday parties, anniversaries and any other event that comes along. It is great to mingle with our guests and it is also a great pleasure to see so many of them keep returning to our park”, they told me. I must say that nearly everyone I spoke with were regular guests who had been coming to Marlo Caravan Park & Motel for several years. We really enjoyed our time there and certainly look forward to returning again one day.
Written by: John Westbury Photos: John Westbury