Each year, three generations of the family trek down from Ballarat with their 1977 Millard caravan and set up camp on Boxing day for a month.

Graeme Mann first stayed at the holiday park with his parents when he was eight years old. After marrying Wanda, the pair were gifted the caravan from their parents and carried on the tradition of bring their children to the city.

"I like camping here because you have the country atmosphere but we're so close to a big centre with a Woolies and plenty of pubs to eat at if we need," he said.

Their daughter Kylie Ellerton now owns the Millard heirloom and brings her children to the same spot where she made so many friends and memories as a youngster.

"Mum and dad had this spot before I did and I haven't missed a year since I was a baby," she said.

"We've met a lot of people here and made friends from Melbourne and Horsham who we visit throughout the year.

"I met my husband here when he used to camp over the road and now my kids have met their own friends."

The family caravan still has many of its original features with only the bare minimum of renovations needed over the years.

"I've kept the same caravan and we look forward to bringing it down every year," Mrs Ellerton said.

"My son said he wants the caravan after me so that'll be three generations of use.

"It's still fitted with orange plates and awnings."

Amid the coronavirus pandemic, the holiday park changed their usual booking system to a ballot and the Mann family was lucky enough to score two weeks in the beachside park albeit at a slightly different time to their tradition.

"The ballot didn't worry us, everything has been changing every five minutes throughout the year so I've gotten used to change," Mrs Ellerton said.

"I put in for the ballot and initially tried for a week. We got it and then the rules changed so we came down for an extra week before Christmas.

"Usually we stay until January 20 so we had to cut it a bit short this year. But I actually like it better because it's quieter."

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