Neurum Creek Bush Retreat - propaganda puts people at risk.

[Just_chips]

Had plans to spend the weekend at Neurum Creek Bush Retreat for Aussie day with friends. This was our first trip up here but the people we were with were regulars and love the place and I've always heard good things about it from many different sources.

Weather was obviously crap and we can deal with that, we are big kids and made our own decisions to head up this weekend. Although our decision was slightly biased by NCBR's no refund and no transfer policy on paid bookings. Our booking was paid because we had been told in no uncertain terms on a number of occasisions that if we did not pay in full then our booking would be forfieted to somebody else, we almost felt bullied into paying basically.

On arrival we were read the riot act in a less than friendly manor by the lovely lady behind the counter. We were certainly made to feel like naughty little school kids before we had even set foot on the property.

It pissed rain alot, I mean heaps, but NCBR kept telling everybody the weather was fine and they should continue to get up there.

Activities as simple as kids movies under a covered area were cancelled without notice leaving many dissapointed. Communication seemed poor if it was something they thought you wouldnt want to hear, however the propaganda on their FB page told a different story.

Quote from NCBR facebook page, posted at 5pm Friday: For those asking about the weather....For the Australia Day Weekend.
We have recorded 17mm of light showers in the past 24hrs to 9.am that we badly needed, our rainfall over the past 5 months has been less than 50mm combined total and the property was turning into a dust bowl. Our creek is only just trickling and it would take a lot to get the catchment system flowing.
The grounds are in good condition and lots of campers are already here and arriving.
So bring on Australia Day!

The only way in is over a causeway, and despite numerous questions from campers in regards to weather and conditions NCBR kept quoting the fact that the massive weather system smashing the rest of SEQ wasn't affecting them.

This is another quote from NCBR about 1 hour before the causeway went under, this is aobut the time we left and the causeway was less than 1 foot from going under:

Neurum Creek Bush Retreat


IF and WHEN the causeway goes over we will let you know. For those who are here, have a great weekend. For those yet to arrive, you're missing out!! Happy Australia Day


The causeway is now under water and looking at the approaching rain, I personally think it will be for a few days yet. Sadly some people were driving through this flooded water in an attemt to get home as they were not advised the causeway was going to flood and thought they would be safe.

To top it off they were rude to people having legitimate gripes about their service over their FB page.

Quotes from NCBR facebook page in response to complaints about misleading informationg given about the weather:

Neurum Creek Bush Retreat Terribly sorry that we organised this rain to ruin everyones parade.

Neurum Creek Bush RetreatGlad to hear that SOME people are having a great time and couldnt care less about the rain, mud, fear of being flooded in even though they're staying here till monday arvo.

So Neurum Creek Bush Retreat gets the thumbs down from us. I think somebody needs to explain the term 'Duty of Care' to them....

Kev

[kingcray]

well Kev you made a decision for me. Janna n I were thinking of taking the kids there for a few days in march
We like to do the drive past there right through to Mt Mee and to Rocky Hole for a swim. Havent camped there before so will find it hard to now..

[Gon Fishun]

Just copied and pasted this from facebook. It was posted about 2. o'clock.pm today

Hey Guys Neurum Creek is flooded over on Rasmussen Road and rising fast (last update from hubby was about 30-40min ago) he evacuated some by tractor but at 600mil over it was pushing to hard even for a large tractor and can no longer get people accross.
Apparently worst is yet to come so if in low lying areas there are sand bags availible at the woodford council depo (saw a post about that yesterday if u can conferm this it would be great) and stock up on milk bread and baby needs incase you get stranded for a couple of days.
If you need to get to higher ground and stay with friends or family get your family evac plan ready to go and dont wait until its flooded! Because if its flooded forget it! hope everyone is safe

[Gon Fishun]

Good thing people left when they could. This is Neurum creek on Neurum rd about 3 k's
from Stanton rd turn off.


Neurum Creek . Neurum.jpg

[Agrav8_and_Lulu]

Kev I'm shocked, I can cross that place of our list to visit.

Darren

[Gon Fishun]

I haven't been to it, but i have heard good reports about the park on Cedarvale rd which is of Sandy Creek rd . Sandy Creek/Kilcoy. There is a website Sandy Creek camping grounds-Kilcoy.
Might be worth a look.

[Just_chips]

Was surprised myself as have always heard excellent reports about the place.

The whole situation smacks of a money grab, i.e. take full fees prior to arrival, no refunds, no transfers. Encourage people to attend site despite the weather forecasts and the possibility of the creek rising. Just not the right thing to do. People were still arriving on advice from management as others were trying to cross a flooded causeway.

Photo below taken mid morning on Saturday.

Lots of reading for those interested on the Neurum Creek Bush Retreat Facebook page.

[Feral]

Ok pretty crook fo rthose who got caught early on, but -
Fair dinkum, if the forecast is crook, and its is raining cats and dogs - why would you bother going? Just so you dont lose your camping fees?
Similar case with the sunshine coast this weekend, the usual road carnage of people wanting to head north friday afternoon to get to the coast? Why? Does torrential rain out of a unit window look better than torrential rain out of your own window? Particularly if that unit is full of whinging kids and cranky wife! - At least at home you can kick the dog!

Just write it off, stay at home and bunker down. The money is gone anyway, why be miserable as well?

[death_ship]

I think if you cancel due to a weather event such as this you should at least be able to use the booking that you paid for on a later date, most well run places will do that. Then nobody really loses any money. I mean its really a safety issue.

[GBC]

From Wednesday last week we were changing plans. It was always going to be a hiding to nothing going camping. Of course its a money grab, why else would they be in business? I reckon if I was arguing with Joe public about 'we want out our money back because it rained' or 'we thought it might rain so we didn't bother coming' I'd end up with a blanket policy pretty soon too.

[Just_chips]

Many unhappy customers. NCBR have taken down their Facebook page now to. Obviously in damage control.

Sadlynit is not really a cheap place to camp, we outlayed over $200 upfront weeks ago for our family & made calls on Wednesday and were told in no uncertain terms that refunds and transfers were out of the question, so gave it go anyway. Money is tough at the moment so didn't want it to be a complete waste......

We left when we decided it was too wet and the risk of being flooded in was evident. Others unfortunately relied on advice from management which was grossly misleading and left people at risk when they did stupid things like trying to cross fast flowing water on that causeway. This could have been avoided with a bit of prior notice from some locals instead of denying the obvious.

Kev

[Gon Fishun]

Many unhappy customers. NCBR have taken down their Facebook page now to. Obviously in damage control.

Sadlynit is not really a cheap place to camp, we outlayed over $200 upfront weeks ago for our family & made calls on Wednesday and were told in no uncertain terms that refunds and transfers were out of the question, so gave it go anyway. Money is tough at the moment so didn't want it to be a complete waste......

We left when we decided it was too wet and the risk of being flooded in was evident. Others unfortunately relied on advice from management which was grossly misleading and left people at risk when they did stupid things like trying to cross fast flowing water on that causeway. This could have been avoided with a bit of prior notice from some locals instead of denying the obvious.

Kev

JC , they have a website with a feedback page if you want to give them a bit of a rev.

[death_ship]

From Wednesday last week we were changing plans. It was always going to be a hiding to nothing going camping. Of course its a money grab, why else would they be in business? I reckon if I was arguing with Joe public about 'we want out our money back because it rained' or 'we thought it might rain so we didn't bother coming' I'd end up with a blanket policy pretty soon too.

Think you missed the point here

[Just_chips]

JC , they have a website with a feedback page if you want to give them a bit of a rev.

Thanks GF, had already emailed asking for response about fees etc and noted disappointment of their handling of events. No response received as yet, nor did I expect one, they will have their hands full looking after those who are stranded on the property. Hopefully the creek drops as quickly as it rose and no supply drops are needed as they were in 2011.

Will follow up with a phone call after all is back to normal later this week or early next week.

Kev

[kingcray]

Kev would it help to copy and paste the link to this thread to them? Perhaps if they see they are being publicly exposed you may get a postivie reply from them
can they see this if they are not members?