No cost, no booking policy restored at basic campsites operated by Parks Victoria
Basic CAMPSITES run by Parks Victoria are now free and will again be available on a first-come, first-serve basis, as opposed to the former policy of charging an overnight fee and having to book ONLINE.
The new Victorian Labour government, which came into power in late-2014, has reversed "fees imposed under the Coalition (which) made camping expensive for families, affected school camps and buried Parks Victoria in red tape".
Described as "unfair" by Victorian Environment Minister Lisa Neville, the "USER-PAYS" SYSTEM introduced by the previous Liberal Government saw fees increase at 98 CAMPGROUNDS run by Parks Victoria, including 11 parks that were previously free.
The new rules mean campers at over 500 basic sites at over 70 CAMPGROUNDS in 19 parks throughout regional Victoria will no longer be charged a $13 overnight fee.
Under the new system, bookings for these sites will remain in place until July 1, with automatic refunds up until that date. From then on, the basic sites will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.
A basic site is defined as unserviced, with minimal ranger patrols and often no pit toilet.
There's also a chance FEE HIKES AT BETTERSERVICED CAMPSITES will be removed, with Parks Victoria being asked to "review all other camping options to make sure we are getting the balance right between affordable holidays and funding for new facilities".
"We want Victorian families to have an affordable holiday and get a chance to experience our great national parks," said Neville.
"The Coalition reduced Parks Victoria funding by $88 million since 2011, making families pay - charging them a fee for pitching a tent in a park."
I was told about this today by word of mouth from travellers who were talking to Information Centre people in Ararat and also received a call from friends in Tassie who were notified by Caravan and Camping Sales about this also. So I have copied/pasted from their site as will be interesting to see if this is correct.
Great to hear as travellers ourselves but even better for the Victorian Public who had frequented these Park camps before the ridiculous JUMP UP of Camping Prices last year.
Hello Kim and Kevin, how you guys doing, how far have you got to ?? I am back at greens just yesterday, four weeks to the day since my op. Got gearbox fixed;, so easy for me to change gears now, camper had service and new water pump. Camper and myself have a clean bill of health, just happy to be camping.
We have only made it to Ararat and camped this last week at Green Hill Lake ( No Water in Lake). $5 a night with town water and stinking HOT showers, it was a little busy over Easter but back to normal now. We have had our Flu shots and been waiting for some mail to arrive which come today. We have been given 5 nights for free in a Halls Gap van park so will be heading there in the next few days.
Great to hear that you have a clean bill of health and the Kombi gearbox repair has fixed the gear changing problems you were experiencing. We have met up with Kel whom we met at Nyah this time last year and also Sue from Tassie whom we met at the 2013 Peace Festival,she drove past our camp. Kim thought she recognized the motorhome so rang her number as she went to the other end of camp, so she turned around and camped beside us for a couple of days.
I think she would have stayed longer but her daughter and grandson turned up in a renter M/home so she left with them for a stint.
It's not very often that an incoming government removes charges & fees imposed by their predecessors. Great to hear the good news. What happens when they get back into government though?
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Cheers Desert Dweller.
Our land abounds in Natures gifts. Of beauty rich and rare.
Hi kim and Kev - good news isn't it, re Vic National Parks. Glad to hear you are on the road again - where are you headed? We are still in Qld, couple more months yet, then heading over to WA again.
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jules "Love is good for the human being!!" (Ben, aged 10)
Good morning Kim and Kevin, the parks your talking about, no dogs aloud yes ?? John and I are going over to where you are so handy to know about camps, John hasn't been to Bendigo so hopefully we will get a look about, that not till John comes back from qld. Chat soon <3<3
