Following an outpouring of community support, Queensland’s Fraser Coast Regional Council has announced it is to proceed with upgrading the iconic Torquay Caravan Park … and it looks set to have larger sites to better accommodate today’s luxury rigs.
The decision comes after a four-week consultation period that received 4,385 completed survey responses, along with thousands of written comments and two petitions totalling more than 12,000 signatures.
It is said to be the largest community engagement process ever undertaken by Council.
Mayor George Seymour said the strong level of participation reflected how important the Torquay foreshore was to people across the Fraser Coast and beyond.
The Torquay Caravan Park is to be upgraded. PIC: Fraser Coast Regional Council
“The Torquay foreshore is a much-loved place, and the community showed that clearly through the high level of engagement,” he said. “Council has carefully considered the feedback and balanced this with the long-term needs of the foreshore and the community in reaching today’s decision to proceed with upgrading the Torquay Caravan Park.”
The consultation asked the community to consider three options for the future of the site:
Of those who responded, a whopping 76% indicated a preference for upgrading the caravan park as providing the greatest benefit to the community, 9% preferred the open-space option and 15% supported the premium playground concept.
The community engagement also highlighted differences across age groups, with younger respondents showing stronger support for parkland options, while most respondents aged 35 and over preferred upgrading the caravan park.
“Council has heard this feedback and recognises the importance of providing spaces and facilities that meet the needs of younger people,” Cr Seymour said.
Council will now progress the detailed design and planning for the caravan park upgrade. The project is included in Council’s 10-year capital works program, with funding currently allocated across 2029/30 and 2030/31.
“Upgrading the park will replace ageing infrastructure with modern facilities and a layout that better suits the larger caravans and RVs people use now,” Cr Seymour said. “(The) decision provides a clear direction for the future of the site and allows Council to move forward with certainty.”
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All coastal caravan parks should be protected againstdevelopment except as caravan parks. We cannot afford to loose any more to rapacious developers who turn them into housing for the rich.
The problem is that local councils have slowly but surely become addicted to stamp duty, land taxes and private property developers. I have seen first hand the major works project briefs of many councils and it is almost zero without private development. Councils like property developments as they are easy to do and generate easy money, just sign off on them and voila…, what they don’t like is high maintenance low income projects like campsites.
We get what we vote for.
Let’s save and improve our caravan parks especially those on or near the beach. If these parks are sold to developers, then extensive flash apartments and housing will be constructed that only the wealthy can afford. This would be at the expense of those who holiday in RVs or camp. It’s inclusive not exclusive.
I think we should keep all these coastal caravan parks. Not everyone wants to stay in or afford to stay in posh hotels on family holidays.
Simple solution change all sites to narrower drive through to allow simple and safe ingress and egress.
Pretty ugly concept, the new set up needs some green space and not just lined up like ten pins
By crashing out Caravan parks, it only pushes older folks, & another issues make some else – suffer..
I think all coastal towns should have caravan parks for the travelling public, and it helps the town ships with people in spending.