BIG4 founder receives even bigger honour – Queen’s Birthday honours

TRAVELLING around Australia, you may have spotted BIG4 Holiday Parks.

But you mightn’t know the brand was born in Ballarat, founded by former police officer, Desmond Watts.

Mr Watts’ daughter, Annette Terrill said he always wanted his own tourist accommodation. Purchasing some land, he built the Welcome Stranger Holiday Park in 1972.

“That’s where his journey into tourism and parks started, and he’s always had a huge passion for them,” she said.

“That grew when he got together with another three operators in Ballarat, and they started BIG4 in 1979. That was a marketing coop, so they’d get together and market Ballarat…then that grew Australia wide.”

Still the owner of BIG4 Ballarat Goldfields Holiday Park, Mr Watts has been on the company’s board, was an honorary chair and is a life member.

Part of VicParks since 1979, he also served on that board for seven years, receiving their Legend Award in 2009. Mr Watts has been a member of the Caravan Industry Association of Australia, and since 2007, a member of SA Parks.

With Caravan and Camping NSW, he has been a member for 13 years, and is part of the Gumnut Eco Program. For excellence in the caravan industry, he received the Eric Hayman Award in 1993.

Mr Watts was a member of Ballarat Tourism for two decades. All his collective work has assisted the growth of the national tourism sector.

“His roles helped other people within the industry and helped keep the industry together,” Ms Terrill said.

Also a former City of Ballarat councillor of the early 1980s, Mr Watts received a Medal of the Order of Australia in this year’s Queen’s Birthday honour list for his service to the tourism accommodation sector.

When his family told him, he was “gobsmacked.”

“He was really surprised and humbled to be nominated for the award, he thought it was a great honour and couldn’t believe it was actually happening to him,” Ms Terrill said.

“As a family we’ve always been very proud of what mum and dad have done with their career, still actively involved in the park industry.

“We’ve got third generation family members working in the industry, so it’s come down the line, and it’s great that mum and dad have been able to live their passion.”

Mr Watts and his wife, Margaret also own BIG4 Melbourne Holiday Park in Coburg and BIG4 Renmark Holiday Park in South Australia.