The Federal Government has awarded grants of between $10,000 and $100,000 to more than 100 caravan parks to enable them to deliver improved facilities and amenities.
Funding will support a range of projects, including new caravan/camping sites, new accommodation such as glamping tents and cabins, or substantial renovations to existing accommodation.
Grants will also support upgrades to sites, cabins or amenities, including to make them more accessible or environmentally friendly, and upgrades to visitor amenities or recreational facilities.
Under the $10 million funding program – which was initially announced in the 2022-23 budget – 111 van parks will benefit.
More caravans are now on the road ... and more of them are heading to van parks. PIC: Cizza
The Government says grants were awarded on a competitive basis to eligible park owners with plans for infrastructure upgrades that align with the program objectives, with funding to be provided on a shared investment basis.
Parks with 2021-22 annual turnovers under $10 million will match grant funding on a minimum dollar-for-dollar basis, while those with turnovers of $10 million or more will contribute at least $2 for every grant dollar, leveraging more than $32 million in total investment.
All of the successful projects must be completed by May 15, 2024.
The Minister for Trade and Tourism, Don Farrell, said the grants would provide a welcome boost for privately-owned caravan parks in regions all around the country.
“Almost 90%t of domestic caravan and camping trips take place in regional areas,” he said. “This funding will deliver better experiences and more options to suit everyone’s budget and needs … it won’t just only improve accommodation options for travellers, it will deliver economic benefits for local communities that rely heavily on tourism.”
Mr Farrell said Tourism Research Australia’s recent monthly snapshot figures showed the overnight spend of Australians travelling domestically at $11 billion in October 2022.
“That’s up $3.3 billion, or 42%, on the equivalent pre-pandemic period,” he said. “Demand for holiday accommodation continues to strengthen as the visitor economy recovers.”
The Chief Executive of the Caravan Industry Association of Australia, Stuart Lamont, said the organisation was looking forward to seeing the projects roll out across the country.
“Caravanning has long been Australian domestic tourism’s largest visitor and economic cohort, an almost $27 billion economic driver in tourism and local manufacturing activity,” he said. “This well-targeted funding will go directly into our world leading caravan park product across the nation directly benefiting the consumer.”
Are you a Grey Nomad member yet? Click here to find out about the discounts, competitions and other benefits on offer.
I would wager a fair amount of this funding will go into cabins not improved shower and toilet facilities that most camping and caravanning establishment could do with. I am not talking about their upkeep as most places that I have been to are cleaned regularly
True,lilydale has been building around 10 cabins with the funding
I hope some of this money goes towards caravan travellers and not to more cabin accommodation. A lot of caravan sites need major upgrading in many parks. But it seems sites are disappearing and cabins are taking their place
Right on both counts , and that’s why i don’t use them. Especially the big name/ big town c/v parks.
I try to support smaller town c/p’s if i am not bush camping , and that’s most of the time. Still have to spend money in the towns , as in food and fuel.
I hope this isn’t money going to G’day, Big4 and Discovery parks. Maybe support some showgrounds and community-owned facilities
This is a smoke screen for greedy caravan owners, they will put cabins instead of van sites simply because they make more money put of cabins. If they do use it for caravaners, it will be for jumping castles and kids pools, nothing a grey nomads wants, but we both will be slugged with extra tariffs.
Have been travelling for 9 years, won’t use van parks unless absolutely necessary. More nomads will use free camping or showgrounds .
Govt would be better spending money getting unscupulious caravan manufacturers for faulty work and unsafe caravans.
You can bet that most will be spent on glamping tents – they are big cash cows.