THE PARKIE AUT25 - Flipbook - Page 5
From your CEO
Welcome
TO THE FIRST EDITION OF THE PARKIE UNDER OUR NEW
BUSINESS NAME – CARAVAN & RESIDENTIAL PARKS VICTORIA.
As members are aware, in midFebruary, the association began
operating as Caravan & Residential
Parks Victoria, a move to designed
to clarify who we represent and to
resolve ongoing confusion around
the ‘VicParks’ name, which was
often confused with Parks Victoria
– even amongst those involved in
regulating our industry.
Our enthusiasm is not just about
our new name - but about the
opportunities that come with it: better
recognition, stronger representation
and a more influential association, and
I’m pleased to report we’re already
seeing this across much of our work.
After the Victorian Government
announced free camping in Parks
Victoria campgrounds in November,
we immediately requested that the
Minister for Tourism Steve Dimopoulos
provide a similar financial benefit for
people wanting to stay in privately
operated caravan parks so that our
members
weren’t
commercially
disadvantaged.
While that request was denied, we
have since taken a detailed proposal
to the Minister requesting that he
reconsider our request, or support
one or more other opportunities for
sector support, including a small park
development grant scheme. We only
seek a fair outcome.
We’ve held discussions with the
Opposition in recent weeks including
with Shadow Tourism Minister Sam
Groth, Shadow Environment Minister
Brad Rowswell and Shadow Minister
for Public Land Management Melina
Bath to help establish their policies
in the year ahead, and met with
government officials to help ensure
glamping tents are supported in our
industry regulations.
We also recently met with the
Shadow Minister for Housing and
Planning Richard Riordan to ensure
he understood the role land lease
communities can play in improving
affordable housing supply and the
Scott Parker
opportunity before his party to adopt
many of the 16 recommendations
we’re
putting
forward
in
our
Residential Land Lease Housing Policy
Statement.
I was pleased that we were able
to visit members in Halls Gap who
had been so badly impacted by the
Grampians fires. We’ve been able to
support one member in his efforts
to have water re-supplied to his dam
and have requested the government
provide more marketing support to
get people back to the area this year.
At our urging, National Party politicians
visited Halls Gap in late March and
spoke to three of our parkies to get a
firsthand account of their struggles
since losing so much of their summer
trade.
We had a fantastic Member Training
Day in March. More than 50 mixeduse and residential park members
joined us at Discovery Parks Nagambie Lakes and have returned
to their businesses with new, or
refreshed, knowledge about how to
run a great caravan park. Another 20
attended our Employment law and HR
motivation webinar in early April.
It would be remiss not to acknowledge
a couple of major milestones in the
industry.
James Kelly, co-founder and, until
his retirement at the end of last
year, Executive Director of land
lease community operator, Lifestyle
Communities,
was
a
fabulous
industry leader and supporter of this
association over many years. Today,
more than 5500 homeowners live in
a Lifestyle Community thanks to his
vision.
This year marks the 50th anniversary
of Jayco and I was proud to represent
the association at a fabulous gala
dinner event to mark the occasion.
Gerry Ryan OAM is an icon of the
caravan and caravan park industries
and his contribution to our sector is
enduring.
I am pleased to confirm that this year’s
CRPVic Conference and Gala Awards
Dinner is back at GMHBA Stadium,
Geelong on 26 and 27 August. After
record breaking delegate numbers
and our best ever delegate feedback
last year, it’s an event you can’t afford
to miss.
To make sure you keep up to date
between editions, please also make
sure you receive our eDM Member
News. If you’re not receiving these
emails, let us know via admin@crpvic.
com.au and we will get you sorted.
You will also find a new member
sticker with this magazine. Use it to
replace the old VicParks member
sticker.
Scott
MAJOR ADVERTISING SPONSORS:
CARAVAN & RESIDENTIAL PARKS VICTORIA
AUTUMN 2025
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