Visitors enjoy the warm water at Athenree Hot Springs and Holiday Park. Photo / Shaquille Coulter
Church said: “It is gratifying that the hard work gets recognised; it is rewarding for the team, and it is humbling because there’s so many people I know who’ve put their heart and soul in their own businesses … in a way I almost feel guilty we’ve stopped someone else from having this chance.”
Judges said it was Athenree’s manaakitanga (hospitality, kindness, generosity, and mutual care) that stood out.
“Holiday parks are founded in connection with others, and this park goes beyond that.”
Church and Rixon-Church met in Australia, moved to Athenree in 2011, and worked as geologists for the mining company.
Church said they thought the Western Bay was a good place to raise a family. “We were always keeping an eye out for opportunities to become self-employed.”
Athenree Hot Springs and Holiday Park owners Peter Church and Belinda Rixon-Church their classic Kiwi offering, mixed lolly bags for sale. Photo / Merle Cave
Church knew the former park owner. The family bought the business and were set to take over April 1, 2020.
“Three days prior, the country went into lockdown,” Church said. “So yeah, bloody hell.”
“We thought we’d lost everything – because you didn’t know how deep the hole was going to be,” he said.
The couple kept working at the mine while the former owner kept staff on to run the park via the Wage Subsidy Scheme.
Customers included international tourists and campervanners stranded in Level 4. “There was a little community here during lockdown.”
The handover was delayed to May 28. The couple got the keys three days before Queen’s Birthday – the first long weekend since the nationwide lockdown lifted to Alert Level 2 restrictions, where Kiwis, except for Aucklanders, could travel.
They had 170 people on-site.
“It was this tidal wave of people – everyone was free, and they came. They were sick of being cooped up,” Church said.
”We didn’t quite know what we were doing, so it all just bumbled along and worked out.”
The first few years were tough with Covid, “but it gave us little opportunities to reset and evaluate what was working”.
“We doubled the number of cabins, reduced the number of campsites – because more people want covered sites now.”
The park now has five self-contained units, seven cabins and about 100 campsites. These include 35 semi-permanent caravan sites.
Rixon-Church said they view their visitors as “kind of like family”.
“With semi-permanent on-site residents, they’ve come here with their kids and now bring their grandchildren.”
Visitors enjoy the warm water at Athenree Hot Springs and Holiday Park. Photo / Cassandra Sharp
Church said one motor-homing couple had booked nearly 400 nights since they’d owned the business.
“They just keep coming back. People like this spread the word about us.”
The couple say their success is down to overcommitment but also “we’re a bit obsessive and we kept going and now we don’t know how not to”.
The couple are on-site daily but they say their “go-to third wheel” is Jackie Roach, who runs the office.
“We couldn’t do it without her,” Rixon-Church said.
Church said the park had staff 15 part-timers, which included managers, housekeepers, pool cleaners and seasonal university students.
“The whole team is awesome – we are surrounded by really awesome people.”
Roach said Church and Rixon-Church were supportive. “They are so good to their staff – they treat them more like family. If something happens, they go the extra mile.”
The couple approach customers the same way, Roach said.
“The number of times they’ve done something out of the box for a customer is incredible,” she said. “That’s probably why we’ve won this award is because people are acknowledging that.”
Campers taking time out at the holiday park. Photo / Cassandra Sharp
The couple had also upgraded the park infrastructure.
Recent developments included solar power, relining the hot pools, refreshing amenities, reflooring buildings, adding cabins, kerbing, drainage, and rewiring the park.
Visitors’ scrawlings on the shop wall hail back to 2020. Photo / Merle Cave
Church said that pre-Covid the park attracted 800 people in winter and 18,000 a year.
“In July we had 2400 – which is a three-fold increase from pre-Covid – and we’re pushing towards 30,000 people this year,” he said.
“Nothing’s perfect here; it’s old-school authentic Kiwi holidaying – that’s been the vision the whole way along.”
“It’s un-plugged, off-your-device fun. We give you enough data to let your family know you’re alive. The rest of the time you have to switch off.”
Visitors can go kayaking, visit the beach and float in the hot pools.
“We’ve got plans for more to come … Watch this space.”