Beaching It

Times may be tough, but there’s one thing that Aussies are refusing to give up – the classic beach holiday.

Despite the gloomy economic outlook, decreasing mortgage rates and petrol prices mean that families have a little extra cash in the piggy bank to spend this summer.

Cathy Wagstaff, editor of the Holidays with Kids website and magazine, polled Australian families for a 2008 travel survey. She says that despite a looming recession, people aren’t giving up their holidays. “They would rather put off their new car or household items. They’re still going to have their family holiday. If they had already booked a holiday they weren’t going to cancel it.”

And overwhelmingly, we are still choosing the beach. Queensland’s Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast topped were named the top two destinations in the Holidays with Kids survey, closely followed by the North Coast of NSW.

What is it about the coastline which appeals so much to the Australian psyche? It’s a common theme running through our art, film and literature, from the photographs of Max Dupain to the writings of Tim Winton and the plots of inumrous Television soap operas.

Ever since bathing was declared the favoured recreation of Sydney in the 1834 edition of the Sydney Gazette, Australian and international visitors descend upon the coast to surf, fish, swim, explore, and relax.

And having conqured Australia’s coastline, we’ve expanded overseas, first to Bali, then Fiji and now Thailand’s Phuket, currently the number one overseas holiday choice for families.

The way we travel though, has changed. Instead of the rented fibro shack, or tent pitched in the sand dunes, we are choosing flashy resorts with lagoon-style pools and kids clubs. Instead of the long journey in the clapped-out car, legs stuck to vinyl seats, dad puffing on cigarettes, we’re booking cheap flights on the internet. Even the humble caravan park has morphed into the “Holiday Park’ , replete with in-ground pools and games rooms stocked with the latest video game consoles.

But luxury accomodation aside, there is one thing that hasn’t changed. According to Wagstaff, her surveys show that the number one thing people want from a family holiday is to have fun with their children – and thats what the kids want as well.