THE PARKIE WIN25 - Magazine - Page 6
FREE CAMPING ABOLISHED
IN MAJOR ADVOCACY WIN
Free camping at Parks Victoria campsites was
abolished from 1 July following a sustained association
driven advocacy campaign to protect the commercial
interests of our member caravan park owners.
The association continues to seek opportunities to work
with the government to ensure regulations that apply
to our member caravan parks also apply to Victorian
Government camping sites.
This major advocacy win restores a more level playing
field for highly regulated tourist caravan parks, many of
whom had been forced to compete against taxpayerfunded, unregulated sites.
In a further boost for our tourist park members,
General Manager, Tourist Parks
Gary Anderton is
now representing the regulated tourist park sector
on the Victorian Tourism Industry Council (VTIC)
Accommodation Panel.
The return to pre-December 2024 fees at government
managed campgrounds was announced in the State
Budget.
“This government backdown was a testament to the
resilience of our park operators, who have continued to
invest in their visitor experience and affordability despite
facing unfair, anti-competitive conditions,” association
CEO Scott Parker said.
His role will help ensure our members’ unique business
models, compliance obligations, seasonal dynamics and
industry-specific matters are properly considered in
broader tourism policy being advocated for by our state’s
peak tourism body.
The panel has already identified unblocking the planning
process as a focus area.
PLANNING ROADBLOCKS
IN RENEWED FOCUS
The
association
recently
visited
Warburton Holiday Park with the
Member for Eildon and Shadow Minister
Cindy McLeish MP, where she saw firsthand the impact of planning permit
and regulatory hurdles caravan park
operators are facing.
Like an increasing number of our members,
Warburton Holiday Park is experiencing
unnecessary delays and great uncertainty
as permit applications for low-impact
works such as cabin upgrades and
accessible amenities are either delayed or
rejected.
“We thank Cindy for her willingness to hear
directly from us and support our call for a
more consistent and responsive planning
system to deliver much better outcomes for our park
and cabin manufacturer members,” association General
Manager, Tourist Parks Gary Anderton said.
This visit has kickstarted our campaign to have caravan
parks formally included in streamlined planning
processes such as VicSmart and we are talking with
both the Victorian Government and Opposition to build
momentum behind this proposal.
There is a clear opportunity for the government to
use the existing VicSmart framework to unlock stalled
investment, support job creation, and strengthen the
state’s regulated caravan park sector.
6
Cindy McLeish MP (centre) with Simon Edwards
and David Pratt from Warburton Holiday Park.
By streamlining the approval process, we will all benefit
from more timely and affordable development that
supports local tourism, accommodation diversity and
regional economic growth.
The association has also met with Nationals MP Tim
McCurdy, the Shadow Minister for Consumer Affairs
and Water and a vocal advocate for regional tourism and
small business.
We highlighted issues members are facing due to local
government inconsistencies in planning decisions and
compliance enforcement, as well as the need for clearer
regulations and accountability for councils delaying or
rejecting park investments.
