BIG4 Castlemaine Gardens has become the first holiday park in Australia to partner with The Otis Foundation to donate holiday stays to people facing the challenges of breast cancer. 

The partnership began in late 2022 when BIG4 Castlemaine gifted seven three-night holiday stays to The Otis Foundation for 2023. This has increased to 12 three-night stays for 2024 across the park’s accommodation range, which includes self-contained studios, luxury villas and glamping tents. 

BIG4 Castlemaine Gardens owner Claire Height said the holiday park was an obvious ‘fit’ with the work of The Otis Foundation. “Holiday parks are all about friends and families taking time out together and creating special holiday experiences and memories,” she said. 

“To be able to gift opportunities for some people to do this at a time they might need it most is very meaningful for me and for the BIG4 Castlemaine team.” 

The Otis Foundation CEO Claire Culley said the foundation was grateful for the support. 

“This partnership helps Otis offer additional stays to individuals dealing with breast cancer so they can relax, reconnect, and create invaluable memories with their loved ones,” she said. 

“Time and space away from often gruelling medical schedules and the emotional challenges of dealing with a breast cancer diagnosis can be priceless.” 

The not-for-profit Otis Foundation was founded in Bendigo in 2000 and over the years, have provided thousands of stays to individuals and their loved ones across Australia. 

BIG4 Castlemaine’s work with The Otis Foundation is another first for the award-winning park. It introduced the popular glamping experience to Castlemaine in late 2018 with the addition of three Bell Glamping Tents to its accommodation range, followed by two luxury family-size Safari Tents and a converted shipping container, the ‘Glamtainer’, in 2020. 

In late 2022 the park added a self-contained villa with a specially-designed fully accessible master-bedroom suite, another holiday accommodation first for the town. 

BIG4 Castlemaine was named Best Tourist/Mixed Use Caravan Park of the Year at the 2022 VicParks Caravan Park Awards. 

This followed on from its gold at the 2021 Victorian Tourism Awards in the Caravan and Holiday Parks Category and the park is again a finalist in the 2023 awards. 

“The feedback I have received from our Otis guests is inspiring,” Ms Height said. 

“I’m delighted they are among the beneficiaries of the effort I have invested in developing and beautifying the park in the 15 years since I acquired the lease,” she said.