BIG4 Holiday Parks is thrilled to announce that Victoria’s BIG4 Bellarine Holiday Park has been crowned the winner of its coveted 2026 Supreme Award for Excellence, taking out the network’s most prestigious park award for the second time.
Owned by Tim and Sophie Bone, the park first claimed the title in 2012, with its latest win cementing its reputation as one of BIG4’s leading holiday destinations. Located on the picturesque Bellarine Peninsula, approximately 30 minutes from Geelong, the park has become a family favourite thanks to its impressive range of accommodation and activities.
From an indoor heated pool and splash park to a new adventure playground, pickleball courts, BMX track, go-karts and flying fox, the park offers something for every generation. Accommodation options range from cabins and traditional camping sites to glamping tents and a vineyard suite.
“Tim, Sophie and their team deliver the kind of all-round guest experience that defines BIG4. BIG4 Bellarine is a worthy winner of our most prestigious award,” said Sean Jenner, CEO of BIG4 Holiday Parks.
The award was presented at the 2026 BIG4 National Conference in Adelaide, where long-standing park owners Russell and Jenine Drayton were also named BIG4 Life Members, the cooperative’s highest individual honour, recognising three decades of outstanding service to the network and wider tourism industry.
The Draytons’ journey began in 1995 when they sold their farm to purchase a character-filled property near Cairns. Joining BIG4 the following year, they transformed it into BIG4 Cairns Crystal Cascades Holiday Park, which achieved the network’s highest guest satisfaction score of 98 per cent for three consecutive years.
The couple went on to develop BIG4 Launceston Holiday Park in Tasmania, a Gold winner at the 2025 Tasmanian Tourism Awards, before acquiring BIG4 Aireys Inlet Holiday Park in Victoria in 2024.
Beyond their success as operators across three states, Russell served as President of two state caravan park associations, while Jenine completed two terms on the BIG4 Board. Their dedication to fellow operators has been equally significant, including Russell travelling with his builders to help repair another BIG4 park following a cyclone.
“Russell and Jenine have spent three decades showing what is possible when owners pour their hearts into their parks and their industry,” said Jenner. “They turned modest properties into award-winning parks, backed fellow operators when it mattered, and helped shape the cooperative we are today. Life Membership is richly deserved.”
The 2026 awards celebrate the people, places and achievements that continue to set the benchmark for holiday park experiences across Australia.
