The future of a well-located NSW caravan park will not now be decided for several months after the local council decided not to commit to a plan put forward by a land management group.
Federation Council believes that Corowa’s Ball Park Caravan Park, which sits on the Murray River, could become a huge tourist drawcard one it has been renovated and redeveloped but it wants the proposal to be the right one … and a long term one.
At a recent council meeting, Reflections Holidays Parks presented an updated offer to for the management and redevelopment of the park, but the council decided it wanted to undertake a broader market approach that would allow it ‘to fully explore the best possible long-term outcomes for this significant community asset’.
The council is confident that a redeveloped caravan park will bring in more visitors. PIC: Cizza
Federation Council Mayor, Cr Cheryl Cook said the council will now move quickly to the next stage of the process by inviting expressions of interest from the market for the long-term lease and operation of the facility.
She said the community was ‘very eager to move this matter forward considering the Park has sat undeveloped now for many years’,
“We know that Ball Park Caravan Park sits in a prime Murray River location and when developed will become of our region’s most iconic tourism assets, and become a very important economic driver for Corowa especially,” Mayor Cook said. “Because of this, council has a responsibility to ensure we carefully consider all options for its future management and redevelopment, in order to select the best approach.”
The council is seeking expressions of interest for a 30-year lease, which it says will be enable it to assess the level of market interest and the range of opportunities available from other Park Development and Management Companies.
Mayor Cook said the expressions of interest process will be critical to understanding just what interest is out there and what the offers look like, to help inform the council’s next steps.
“This is about ensuring we undertake a transparent and thorough process so council can make a well-informed decision about the long-term future of the Ball Park Caravan Park,” she said.
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