Caravan & Residential Parks Victoria (CRPVic) has welcomed the Victorian government’s decision to abolish free camping at Parks Victoria-managed campsites, marking a major win for the association after months of advocacy on behalf of private caravan park operators.
The change, confirmed in last week’s state budget, will see a return to half-price fees at government-run campgrounds. CRPVic has long argued that free camping created unfair competition, with taxpayer-funded and unregulated sites undercutting Victoria’s licensed caravan parks.
“Victoria’s regulated, family-friendly caravan parks are often the lifeblood of regional towns, accommodating over 50% of overnight stays, contributing over $2.4 billion to the economy, and supporting more than 17,000 jobs,” said CRPVic CEO Scott Parker.
Parker added that the move restores fairness in the industry and recognizes the continued investment made by park operators to improve visitor experiences, even in the face of unfair and anti-competitive pressures.
“We will continue to work with the government to ensure the regulations which apply to our member tourist parks across the state also apply to Victorian government sites for the benefit of all who enjoy the great outdoors,” he said.
In addition to the decision on camping fees, CRPVic also welcomed several positive budget measures, including:
Increased funding to accelerate planning approvals,
Business support for Grampians post-fire recovery,
Enhanced backing for Regional Tourism Board partnerships, and
A new Future of Housing Construction TAFE Centre of Excellence focused on modular housing.
“These include practical steps that can help unlock millions of dollars in stalled investment across regional Victoria,” Parker said.
He noted that outdated and inconsistent planning regulations have prevented many locally produced cabins, glamping tents, and modular housing units from being approved, stalling much-needed tourism infrastructure growth.
“There’s a real opportunity here to accelerate job creation, tourism investment, and housing supply through reform that will support caravan park owners, accommodation manufacturers, and local visitor economies,” Parker said, calling for VicSmart planning processes to be extended to registered caravan parks.
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