First look at new Tathra Beach Eco Camp following three-year closure, bushfire rebuild

New part owners of Tathra Beach Eco Camp Carmen and Tim Risby, along with two other Tathra families, bought the park from the Kobold family in 2020, with the aim of re-designing and purposing the site.

Once the sale of the property, formerly the Tathra Beach Motor Village, came through in August 2021, the new owners wasted no time as they got the entire grounds ready to welcome visitors back in just under four months.

"We have a vision to provide unplugged holidays for regular people to unwind and wake up in nature and be truly immersed in both culture and community but also in our natural surroundings," CEO and part owner Ms Risby said.

Ms Risby said they felt "very privileged to be here" and will show "total respect in every way and in everything we do".

The new eco camp offers 60 powered sites, camping lots, glamping and newly renovated cabins.

"In keeping with the new name and profile, the property will embrace an environmentally friendly operation, with a strong commitment to sustainable building and design," Ms Risby said.

Ms Risby said the fires of 2018 inflicted significant damage to the property and there was a lot of work to do.

"The task of bringing the park back to full operation was a large and complex one, but the Tathra Beachside team have a proven track record," she said of the owners' existing business in the tourist town.

Before building anything, underground services had to be re-built and the ground had to be cleaned up.

"We had to repair all the melted electrical and other underground parts that had been damaged by the Tathra fires," Ms Risby said.

"So all the utilities and services under the ground were a really big job."

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The cabins that hadn't been burnt were then renovated and refurbished.

"We gutted the first 10 little cabins and then completely renovated them inside and outside,

"We built awnings, new decks, it all had to be furnished and then reconnected back to the utilities like air conditioning," she said.

The next project was then the bell tents, which they fitted out with decks, lights and furnished.

Unlike other camping places, the rule of thumb for the campgrounds are that people pitch their tents wherever they like and be mindful of others, rather than finding a numbered camping spot.

The camping locations are categorised by different Indigenous animals, such as Camp Koala, Camp Kookaburra and so on.

"That way the kids can enjoy finding the campgrounds by trying to spot the sculptures of the animals on the tree and signs we have put up," Ms Risby said.

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The clean up for the campgrounds also required work as the places were cleared and made safe.

"We had to remove any dangerous overhanging limbs and burnt branches, then run fire hose reels power and water to all of those sites," Ms Risby said.

Ms Risby said where possible they tried to employ as many local trade workers as possible, from the electrical contractor, to the building company, the painters and so on.

"So the economic boost to the local community just in the clean-up, and the opening and renovation stage has been enormous," she said.

In the stages where the ground was being re-done, prior to rebuilding the accommodation options, the new owners of the campgrounds decided to help with bush regeneration.

Ms Risby said with the approval of the Bega Valley Shire Council, they were able to remove the Canadian pine trees at the entry of the property, which were "damaging the Banksia forest".

"For every pine tree we took away we replaced it with three Australian natives, we then used the pine trees as mulch to use across the grounds as well," Ms Risby said.

Ms Risby said the previous owners had the big task of clearing the debris and damage inflicted by the March 2018 fires.

"The previous owners were a local family and they did a tremendous job of the massive clean-up after the fires," she said.

Ms Risby said the work the Kobold family had faced was "enormous".

"We appreciate the work that they did before we came in. If we had to have done that as well as all the rest, we would never have been open this year," she said.

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Ms Risby said Tathra Beach Eco Camp will offer a new type of experience for people to stay in Tathra and will especially be able to welcome back hundreds of visitors and families.

"It's going to be massive for our economy and Tathra has really been missing that," she said.

The next stage of opening has been proposed for December 21, three weeks after their first stage opened.

"The next stage will include another 60 powered sites, another 16 cabins and two little safari tents," Ms Risby said.

"I think what's going to make this different or unique is going to be all the little things, which put together, create a big experience."

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