Advocacy

Since its inception, the association has been a powerful voice for Victorian caravan park operators. We represent, advocate for and support park members to optimise their viability, profitability, sustainability and connection with each other. Our strong advocacy platform includes pre-emptive advocacy to influence policy or regulatory change that would impede members’ success, as well as reactive advocacy against unjust decisions.

Successful free camping protest

The association strongly argued against a Victorian Government decision announced in October 2024 to remove fees from 131 bookable state park campgrounds for six months, instead recommending a more equitable voucher scheme option to mitigate against member revenue lost from unfair competition.

With growing camper frustration over ghost camping (booked sites left vacant by campers), we maintained pressure through submissions, meetings and the media to argue that free, unregulated camping was contrary to the governments’ competitive neutrality policy and was impacting regulated park bookings.

In May 2025, following our sustained campaign, the government announced it would return to half price camping fees from 1 July 2025. This is a powerful example of how the association can pressure the government of the day to reverse poor decisions impacting our members.

Residential park advocacy

In June 2025, we released our landmark Policy Statement, Accelerating Affordable Housing – The Residential Land Lease Solution, providing the Victorian Government with a roadmap to improve the investment climate and encourage more development.

This comprehensive statement positions Residential Land Lease Communities (RLLCs) as an important part of Victoria’s housing future, providing 16 recommendations to the Victorian Government to unlock land, streamline planning and reduce regulatory barriers to future land lease development.

The association also represents the residential sector as the government considers recommendations in the Life in Residential Parks report, and has been instrumental in helping the government consider reform that both enhances the resident experience and the investment climate.

Our involvement in the Parliamentary Inquiry into the supply of homes in regional Victoria, contributed to the finding that “caravan and residential parks increasingly provide affordable accommodation and community connection” and is being leveraged into our residential advocacy program.

Pictured: Shadow Minister for Planning, Housing and Building David Southwick with CRPVic’s Doug Giles, Scott Parker, Gary Anderton and Sam Cohen.

Supporting members affected by Grampians bushfires

Following the Grampians bushfires of summer of 2024-25, we secured a successful outcome for a tourist park member whose wetland water supply was critically depleted during firefighting efforts.

Despite promises from government and relevant agencies that their water would be replenished, Grampians Paradise Camping & Caravan Parkland was later advised it would have to pay for this.

We intervened to ensure the park owner’s concerns were heard. Through a coordinated advocacy approach, and with the support of local Nationals MPs, the matter was raised directly with the Minister for Water, ensuring it received direct parliamentary attention and subsequent resolution.

Pictured: Aidan Banfield from Grampians Paradise Camping and Caravan Parkland watches his wetland waters being re-stocked for free after CRPVic intervention.

More advocacy in action

• In 2024, the association successfully opposed several proposed amendments to the Residential Tenancies (Caravan Parks and Movable Dwellings Registration and Standards) Regulations 2020 considered likely to add additional unnecessary burdens. Extensive advocacy resulted in the CFA confirming the 2024 CFA Caravan Park Fire Safety Guidelines would not apply retrospectively. Caravan parks operating before 29 June 2024 may continue complying with the 2012 guidelines

• CRPVic successfully lobbied for a concessional loan scheme and provided evidence to the Parliamentary flood inquiry, successfully arguing that damaged parks be eligible for an automatic lease re-negotiation trigger to enable access to finance for clean-up and recovery after natural disasters. The Inquiry also recommended recognising caravan parks as essential businesses and providers of housing and emergency support, ensuring access to Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements.

• After sustained lobbying in 2022, CRPVic secured exclusion of caravan parks from a proposed Victorian Government statewide ban on existing embedded electricity networks. The government accepted our argument that one-size-fits-all was inappropriate, that no viable alternative technologies existed and the Victorian Default Offer already capped electricity charges for embedded network customers.

• In March 2020, caravan parks were forced to close under COVID-19 Chief Health Officer Directions. The association challenged government misconceptions about park operations and infection control capacity. Through education and strong lobbying, caravan parks were permitted to re-open on 1 June 2020 alongside most industries. Over 18 months, we secured ongoing financial support, ran a regional marketing campaign and provided clear guidance by interpreting complex Directions.