At a time when the caravanning and camping lifestyle appears to be more popular than ever, alarm bells are ringing in Victoria over new data which shows a significant drop in the number in caravan trips to the state’s regional areas.
Citing Tourism Research Australia numbers, the Herald Sun reports that – in the year to June 2025 – revenue for caravan, camping and cabin sites was $91.8m, nearly 10% down on the previous year.
Caravan Industry Victoria chief executive Daniel Sahlberg told the newspaper that regional tourism was vital, and he warned that caravan holidays were ‘not being supported enough’.
“We know that caravanning has always been popular but it’s just not supported from a tourism perspective … we’re about 9% down in caravan and camping visitors to the regions,” he said.
Many grey nomads love the heritage buildings found across regional Victoria. PIC: Cizza
“It’s about supporting what we have in our backyard, and it’s an affordable way to do it and then we can spend money in the regions.”
With the State Government recently slashing funding for Visit Victoria destination marketing from $32m a year to $15m over three years, Mr Sahlberg says he fears Victorian tourism will further lose out to the other states as a result.
“Queensland has the highest caravan registrations and we need to be telling them to come here for their caravan holidays,” he said. “There’s so much that can be done in that space.”
Occupancy rates at caravan and camping sites in Victoria have reportedly been below the national rate for every month this year.
“Going back a few years the (state) government created a 10-year strategic plan for tourism and caravanning and camping wasn’t even mentioned,” Mr Sahlberg said. “They don’t understand how big the industry is and what it does in the tourism space in particular … that’s probably the underlying point.”
Terry Harbor, who manages the Numurkah Caravan Park, told the Herald Sun that caravanners often spent ‘three to four times more money’ in the regional towns they stay in.
“People stay will stay one or two nights longer at our park because of our location and, while I may get an extra $38, the town will get an extra $100,” he said. “It’s the towns that really benefit.”
A recent local study carried out in the East Gippsland town of Marlo found caravanners spent about $400 in the town for every $100 spent at the caravan park.
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Victoria has it all without having to travel huge distances.
Great beaches, the 90 Mile Beach, the Great Ocean Road, the Victorian Alpine Area, the Murray River, the desert areas of the Mallee, the Grampians & some of the best wine growing areas in Australia etc etc
Such a wide variety of experiences in such a small State.
stop rip offs by some van parks and they will come as many old age pensioners cannot afford the asking price for a small piece of land and ablutions asked by many parks
Victoria has the advantage of places to see being so much closer together. Plus plenty of Freedom Camping chances.
I wonder if the free camping in National Parks has anything to do with it?
The Grampians being closed for the last Christmas school holidays would account for a lot of that downturn.
free camps do not seem to be experiencing the same problem so maybe it boils down to cost.
it is not free camping in national parks they are sometimes dearer than caravan parks, and few ammenties.
Unfortunately Victorian terrible roads full of pot holes makes people from other states think twice about a holiday in Victoria
Yes. We just did a trip from Melbourne to Perth exploring the south-west of Western Australia and then back to Melbourne. It wasn’t until on our return and crossing the border from South Australia into Victoria (Dukes – Western Highways) we immediately experienced pot-holes, undulations, and broken edges.
We were definitely spoilt for safer and more comfortable driving outside Victoria.
Then the poorly maintained, overgrown trees and shrubs obscuring speed limit signs topped off by the plethora of hidden speed cameras ready to empty your wallet deter interstate visitors from crossing the border into Victoria.
We spent 6weeks in Victoria recently, twice as long as we expected to because being in small towns was so easy and enjoyable and locals were friendly and helpful. From Echuca to Wedderburn to Ararat and out through the Wimmera and Mallee. Our trip into Melbourne was done by day trip by train from Bendigo for $4.50 return. Also easy with free railway parking. So good. And their roads are better than Qld!!!
The visitor centres were excellent and we found plenty to do and see. Loved it here.
FREE railway parking?? i FIND THAT VERY hard to believe,…..unless of coarse, its for ONLY A SET limited time.??.like a VERY SHORT TIME.
Yes Neville – at Bendigo station. For all day. Of course you had to get there early for a spot but we were away all day. Yes we were impressed with the senior travel rate too.
Closing free camps and charging for National Parks is not the way to attract visitors
Read the preceding story on NIMBY.
We like Victoria but like others we are not too keen on the surface of some roads
12 months ago, we travelled through SA and Vic, and found the roads narrow and very, very badly maintained.
If these states want to attract more travellers, then they should focus on the quality or lack of quality of their roads.
It must be horrific for truck drivers who are trying to make a living.