Sommerville Valley Tourist Park

Sommerville Valley Tourist Park is a welcome addition to the Stanthorpe scene and offers accommodation for all budgets and tastes.

This 80 acre property is nestled conveniently around the edge of Storm King Dam, providing visitors with a variety of leisure pursuits - swimming, boating, kayaking and fishing are right on the doorstep.

There are three levels of accommodation here and it would be fair to say that most budgets would be catered for. Budget cabins are basic but clean and comfortable and have a very well equipped amenities block close by.

Closer to the lake is the camping area, where tent sites, powered and unpowered sites are serviced by yet another amenities block which includes a modern laundry with ironing facilities. All campsites are drive through and positioned to give everyone plenty of space. Each site has it's own campfire ring and firewood is for sale at the office - just bring the marshmallows. For those wanting to hit the water in kayaks, canoes or small boats, access from the park is easy.  For larger boats a boat ramp is only a short drive away. Fishing permits can be obtained from the park's office on arrival.

Sommerville Valley Tourist Park also has a very impressive camp kitchen, with four kitchen areas in total. Whilst campers need to provide their own cooking pans and utensils, microwaves, kettles, toasters, cooktops and fridges are provided.  In this area there is also a TV, lounge area, dining tables, pool table and an air hockey table. There are also BBQ and picnic areas in the park for guests' use. Disabled facilities are also available.

Well behaved four legged family members are welcome to come camping here and will no doubt enjoy exploring the bushland and lake. Birdlife is plentiful and so are rabbits, particularly later in the evenings. It's hard to beat a clear night, sitting around a campfire with the Milky Way popping out of the sky above. 

But that's not all... Sommerville Valley Resort is also a part of the Tourist Park and is situated right on the water's edge. There are seven luxury self contained cabins in the resort and they are well hidden from the rest of the park, providing a peaceful  and luxurious retreat.  The cabins have two and three bedroom layouts, with one providing disabled access. Even preparing meals is a pleasure here, as the kitchens and lounges look straight out over the beautiful dam. Guests can soak up the sunshine around the heated pool, enjoy a siesta on the waterfront verandah of their cabin or get cosy in front of the wood heater on cold evenings.

For those wanting to explore the area, wineries, berry farms, bush walking, a lavender farm and the city centre are nearby.

Need to know - Sommerville Valley is approximately 3 hours from Brisbane by car and is roughly 10 minutes outside of Stanthorpe. Whilst a local IGA store is only a 10-minute drive away, it's advisable to take all provisions - this place is too good to spend time running to the supermarket. A small range of basic items is available from reception but no bread, only long life milk and no newspapers are for sale. Although the office has an Internet Cafe and WIFI, mobile reception and internet connectivity aren't reliable so be prepared to literally "switch off" from the real world. The camping site is dog-friendly.

By Sandy Ludinski