A number of campgrounds and national parks in Victoria look set to be closed over the weekend as staff prepare to walk off the job.
The Australian Workers’ Union (AWU) says frontline Parks Victoria AWU members are prepared to take protected industrial action over the long weekend if a dispute over rangers’ pay isn’t resolved in the next few hours.
The dispute follows more than 12 months of negotiations in which the union says ‘Parks Victoria management has yet to put a credible offer on the table for workers responsible for maintaining and protecting Victoria’s most visited parks, reserves and natural landscapes’.
The AWU says workers who would take part in strike action include rangers and operational staff.
Keep on driving ... some Victorian campgrounds could be closed this long weekend. PIC: CIzza
It says these are the workers who build and maintain park infrastructure, carry out rescues, respond to emergencies, protect wildlife, and keep parks safe and accessible for visitors.
According to the AWU, figures published in Parks Victoria’s own 2024-25 Annual Report support the case for frontline workers. The report says ongoing staff numbers fell by around 79 full time equivalent positions over the past year through the organisation’s restructure, dropping from 880 to 801.
AWU Victoria Secretary Ronnie Hayden said every time Parks Victoria lost an experienced ranger, it lost years of local knowledge that was not easily replaced.
“These workers are the reason our parks stay safe, clean and open,” he said. “They do complex, hands-on work and they have been waiting far too long for management to properly recognise it.”
AWU Organiser, Lisa Pearce, said the strength of feeling among members reflected how long the issue had been left unresolved.
“Our members are proud of what they do,” she said. “They are not asking for special treatment. They are asking to be paid and classified in line with the skilled, demanding work they actually perform, and they are standing together to make that case.”
If the action proceeds, it will include bans on enforcement activities, cleaning of park amenities and facilities, and rubbish collection, as well as the closure of selected sites.
The Herald Sun newspaper reports that sites that may be affected include:
Kurth Kiln Regional Park
Yarra Ranges:
Partial closures (toilets and gates will be closed where possible) at
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