Nundle's Fossickers Tourist Park changes hands as long-standing owners Heath and Kim Atchison take on new adventure

The picturesque Fossickers Tourist Park has been under the caring custodianship of longstanding owners Heath and Kim Atchison since 2007.

But now it's time for a new journey, as they leave the region to focus on the continued improvement of their tourist park at Gulgong.

"We're ready to do it all over again," Mr Atchison said.

"We thought we were young enough to keep going, so we bought something that needed renovating."

The village has already welcomed new owners, Ben and Laura Pratt, all the way from the vast Kimberley in Western Australia.

And they're no strangers to the tourism industry, having previously managed the huge El Questro Wilderness Park, which sprawls across nearly one million acres in the heart of the Kimberley, and boasts luxurious accommodation.

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Building on his 20 years' experience in the industry, Mr Pratt, who has family in nearby Quirindi, said Nundle ticked "all the right boxes".

"We've got three beautiful young children and we wanted to find somewhere that was going to be a place we could put some roots down, give them a wonderful community to grow up in with great little schools, close to family," he said.

"I'd been here before and know the area, so we took a leap of faith."

The new owners are keen to build on the fantastic reputation Mr and Mrs Atchison have built for the business, with thoughtful improvements to the camp kitchen, fire pit, amenities and grounds.

"We're very proud to see where it is now from where it started. There wasn't too much here, none of the top section with the cabins or the office," Mr Atchison said.

The pair have been heavily involved in the Nundle community, contributing countless volunteer hours to Nundle Business Tourism and Marketing Group, Nundle Go For Gold Festival, and the town's Australia Day committee.

Mr and Mrs Pratt said the transition has been a smooth one, and they have "some big shoes to fill" but they're keen to become quite active in the local tourism space.

"I used sit as chairman for Tourism Port Douglas Daintree when we lived in North Queensland and was a director for four years up there," Mr Pratt said.

"We're very passionate about the region and Nundle in particular and we're keen to get involved in local tourism in any way we can."

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