Coromandel camping ground up for auction

The camping ground in the Coromandel, in its quiet rural setting, fronted by a white sand beach. Boundary lines are indicative only.

A traditional, well-established, beach-front Coromandel camping ground and holiday park is to go under the hammer in Hamilton next month, advertised as an "opportunity for future development".

Joan and Larry Knudsen are selling their Shelly Beach Top 10 Holiday Park on its stunning seaside site, fronted by a long stretch of white sand and a sheltered bay, all in a quiet rural setting and able to accommodate up to 560 people.

"There's about 200 metres of beach," Joan Knudsen said. "We've owned it since 1991/92. We've done everything, starting from scratch. How long do you stay in a business? My husband is 76 and I'm 75, how old are you?"

She did not know if the property would remain a holiday park: "It's hard to say. It's got lots of potential."

Records show the property is owned by the Coromandel Timber Company whose directors and shareholders are the Knudsens and that the property at 243 Colville Rd has a capital value of $2.1 million, due to its land value of $1,050,000 and improvements of $1,050,000. Annual rates are $3778.60, according to the Thames Coromandel District Council.

The property is in two separate lots: the camp site on the beach and a nearby forestry block with a sewage treatment system.

The sites are five kilometres north of Coromandel township, on the road to Port Jackson and has a wide range of accommodation, including a 12-room lodge able to take up to 48 people, motel-style units, powered camping sites with water, some with shade, and non-powered sites.

Bayleys says: "Beach access straight from the park provides safe swimming and coastal exploration for the whole family. In-park activities include a jumping pillow, playground, volleyball and room for creative games on our extensive lawns. Enjoy our BBQ rotunda and free barbecues where you can cook up your catch of the day," the business says.

Bayleys said the sale of the 5.9-hectare property at 243 Colville Rd is "a rare opportunity to secure a substantial beachfront" site in the Coromandel.

The property has many buildings.

"Along with the campground and managers' accommodation, the property also offers a beachfront house/bach for personal use or the opportunity to add to the accommodation pool," advertising says.

"The property offers the opportunity for an owner/operator to take over and grow the business or a strong holding income with managers in place, with the potential for future development of the site," advertising said.

In February, what is thought to be the country's oldest holiday park went up for sale.

Ian Smith, owner and director of Waihi Beach's Top 10 Holiday Resort since 1996, put the business on the market saying he wanted to buy other holiday parks and improve them. The Herald reported at the time that it was arguably the oldest holiday park in New Zealand because it had opened in 1899.

Last October, The Big Bay Holiday Park at 271 Big Bay Rd, Waiuku was reported as the latest on a growing list of seaside vacation venues being offered for sale. That 1.52ha holiday park is on the Awhitu Peninsula on the southern side of Manukau Harbour.

Port Waikato Holiday Park, an hour's drive south-west of Auckland, was advertised for sale last June, with 85 powered caravan sites, 63 tent sites, nine cabins, and six self-contained motel style units.

In February, a Northland motor camp, owned by the same family for more than 50 years, was marketed for sale as a freehold property and going concern business. The Whananaki North Motel & Holiday Park at 2160 Whananaki North Rd, Whananaki, Hikurangi went up for sale then.

• The Shelly Beach property is to be auctioned at 11am on May 18 in Hamilton.