Meet Gavin Palfreman, our Senior Maintenance Technician at Tāhuna Beach Holiday Park

Born and raised in England on a small lifestyle block, Gavin learnt his handy skills in maintaining facilities and general upkeep of land from an early age. On leaving school his varied work experience, from retail jobs to learning the trade of flat roofing, Gavin acquired the diverse skills that paved his way to move to New Zealand and fit in as a much-valued kiwi.

Gavin moved to Nelson, New Zealand, in 2006, lured by love as well as the promise of new adventures. He also quickly fell for Nelson’s settled climate and feast of outdoor pursuit opportunities with the backdrop of beautiful beaches, stunning mountains and lakes. His first, and last job, in New Zealand has been with Tāhuna Beach Holiday Park where he’s worked for 12 years on Reception and Accounts and then moving into the grounds and maintenance team for the last six years.  It’s fair to say Gavin knows the Park better than the back of his hand – all 54 acres!

At work, as Senior Maintenance Technician, Gavin gets to be outdoors a lot while utilising his diverse skill set to ensure Tāhuna Beach Holiday Park guests have a fantastic stay. With a flair for plumbing repairs and what he calls “chainsaw therapy”, you will often see Gavin out fixing all manner of things. Whether it’s a blocked drain or fixing your heat pump to moving that caravan into an impossible space with great skill, rest assured he’s your man with a great sense of humour and ready smile. 😊

When he’s not ensuring the holiday park’s unseen bits are running smoothly, Gavin enjoys boating, fishing, dirt-bike riding, camping, and 4-wheel driving. He has recently taken up e-mountain biking and is loving Nelson’s fantastic tracks.

At home, Gavin is the proud father of two beautiful teenage daughters who were born and raised in Nelson. He loves the local cuisine and is always ready to explore the region’s many amazing restaurants and cafes. While he’s loathe to select just one favourite, he does enjoy Tāhunanui’s own Smugglers Inn for their amazing food and service.

Gavin is an essential part of our Holiday Park whanau, and we consider ourselves very fortunate to have him on our team. 😊