Enriching Lives
The Edwards Group is responsible for providing some of the best Park experiences across South Australia. With business ventures in Holiday Parks, Lifestyle & Residential Villages, and Destination Construction, we own, manage, acquire, and develop Parks to maximise their potential and enrich public interest in regional tourism and lifestyles.
Our businesses are driven by the visitor economy and endeavour to encourage longer stays and increase regional spending. We focus on domestic travellers, though, as we believe that the connection of annual experiences is a way of living that should be realised by all. Australia has some of the best sights in the world and immersion in these locations with family and friends make for memorable moments, and helping shape these moments is the best part of our industry.
Through accessible, high quality and appealing Park experiences, the Edwards Group is inspiring regional travel and cultivating returns.
Growing Communities
For the best Park experiences, the Edwards Group work with local businesses, government, industry associations and peak bodies to grow our businesses and the communities in which they operate.
Our Team
Stephen Edwards
Chief Executive Officer
Head of the Edwards Group, Stephen enacts every business venture and is responsible for the growth of the Group through strategic planning, business development, acquisition, and major project investment. He has worked for the Group over 15 years in various roles including grounds maintenance & park management. After completing a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) and a Bachelor of Commerce with majors in Accounting and Corporate Finance, Stephen assumed the role of Group CEO in 2014. Since then, Stephen has continually expanded his network and involvement within the tourism industry to advance the holiday, residential & lifestyle park sectors. He is Vice President for Tourism on the SA Parks Board (2017 – Present), a member of the sub-committee for the Caravan and Camping Guide and is actively involved with the Tourism Industry Council of SA and the broader tourism industry. He works closely with State & Local Governments and regularly contributes as a key speaker at national industry meetings, conferences and events.
Ashlyn Guthrie
Division Manager – Parks
Directing all the department leaders at the Edwards Group, Ashlyn brings extensive experience across all areas of the business. Having worked for the group for over five years in progressive roles, including Marketing & Operations, she is a valuable knowledge source of South Australian Tourism. She has first-hand understanding of traveller personas & behaviours, Parks’ unique strengths and weakness, competitors (dis)parity, and local community insights. Responsible for the implementation of the Group’s long-term strategic plans and overseeing the day-to-day Park operations, Ashlyn ensures all departmental outputs align with the business objectives.
Brett Hein
Projects & Assets Manager – Parks
Overseeing major project capital expenditure and activations for the Group, Brett is responsible for coordinating all asset construction & maintenance projects. He has 15 years’ experience in civil construction and mining, and 7 years as a Holiday Park Manager that gives him a clear understanding of the unique needs and challenges of Park infrastructure and assets. Working with a range of external services & suppliers, Brett is abreast of regulations and ensures compliance while also negotiating to keep projects to deadline and on budget. Commissioning all the master plans and providing valuable input on strategic direction, Brett is future-proofing the Group’s business ventures with the latest innovative technologies and systems for sustainability and self-sufficiency.
Catherine Hein
Operational Coordinator
Underpinning the day-to-day operations of the Holiday Parks, Catherine leads the in-park team members. Her extensive background in tourism as well as qualifications in training, assessment and mentoring is highly regarded by the Group, and her wealth of operational knowledge and decisive problem solving skills ensure that Parks are set up for success. Developing and implementing best practices that are innovative and surpass industry standards in productivity and efficiency, Catherine is passionate about continually delivering positive experiences at all levels of park management. As the Group continues to grow its business ventures, Catherine’s responsibility will see the continual formalisation of programs and processes as she aids informed decision-making with her invaluable advice.
Courtney Ninnes
Executive Assistant
Supporting the CEO and Division Manager, Courtney is integral to the coordination of all executive administrative and management duties for the Group. Having exceptional multi-tasking and organisational skills, she ensures business venture communications are rolled out to all stakeholders and is responsible for upholding the department leaders’ deliverables schedule. Courtney can tailor complex information suitably for different stakeholders while maintaining synergy, and is a driving force behind the success of the entire Team. With ambition to be an even greater manager in the future, Courtney is investing in her continual performance development by currently studying a Bachelor of Business majoring in Management to enhance her completed Certificate 3 in Business.
Sabrina Standish
Marketing
Possessing a diverse skill set across digital and print media, Sabrina is a communications professional leading the marketing team at the Edwards Group. Specialising in production, she develops and coordinates content, collateral, merchandise and events that creatively support marketing objectives, foster stakeholder relations and engenders community engagement. Sabrina has over seven years relative industry experience, holds a Bachelor of Communications and has recently expanded her interests in further developing her skill set to include becoming a marketing strategist for the Group.
Vicky Semovic
Finance & Administration Manager
Managing all aspects of the daily financials for the Edwards Group, Vicky is responsible for overseeing all accounts receivable and payable. She is abreast of the Groups’ finances and works closely with the Edwards Group CEO and external advisors to ensure compliance and work towards best practice. With over 15 years in finance and administration experience, 6 of which at the Edwards Group, Vicky knows all aspects of the group’s financials enabling her to excel in identifying and resolving inconsistencies, forecasting and informing on budgets. Performing such a pivotal role, Vicky has expanded her departments capacity by growing her team to better serve all the business ventures of the Edwards Group.
Our History
Over 3 decades the Edwards Group has grown to become a group of companies with over 60 employees across South Australia from a single, family business. Founded in the mid 1990’s by Ian Edwards, his passion and drive for success has transformed a single entity into a diverse organisation with business ventures in the holiday & residential park sectors of the tourism industry.
Today, the Edwards Group is 100% South Australian family owned and operated by the Group CEO, Stephen Edwards. It’s now also the second largest private owner and operator of holiday parks and residential villages in South Australia.
With a vision towards advancing Parks’ positioning within the tourism industry in the future, the Group prides its business ventures on providing excellent service, exceeding expectations and examining how parks & operations can be improved at both internal and external levels. This approach has led to industry changes that have established the Edwards Group as a respected source, thought leader and advocate for change within the Park sector.
See the latest news from the Edwards Group
The Edwards Group is always searching for ways we can do things better, sharing our innovative ways with the industry to see changes bigger than us and scouting to grow our Group.