What a bumper summer of camping we had this year! Campers headed out in droves for a night or two in nature thanks to the Victoria's Great Outdoors half-price camping program.
Launched in 2019, the half-price camping program reduced site fees at every bookable Parks Victoria campground.
We've run the figures and found more than 55,000 people booked a site in one of Parks Victoria's paid campgrounds this summer. In fact, this summer we saw almost 15,000 more camping bookings compared to the summer before the half-price program began. This represents a $12 million saving in camping fees over four years for campers.
It's easy to see the appeal of spending a night under the stars. Parks Victoria manages more than 130 bookable campgrounds right across the state so there's a bookable campground to suit all types of campers – from eager beginners to seasoned pros and everyone in between.
And while many bookable campgrounds offer amenities like a spot to park your car, a barbecue, picnic table or toilets – not to mention the peace of mind that a site is reserved for you during busy periods – we also have loads of free campgrounds right across Victoria.
And soon campers will have even more campgrounds to choose from with the Victoria's Great Outdoors $44.6 million investment in building 30 brand new campgrounds and upgrading 30 existing campgrounds.
As part of this project, we have already upgraded Fairhaven Campground at French Island National Park and the Allenvale, Hammonds, and Big Hill Campgrounds in the Great Otway National Park.
And over the coming year or so, we'll be building brand new campgrounds around the state including at Greater Bendigo Regional Park, Jacksons Crossing on the Snowy River, Dyers Campground at Bunyip State Park and Glasshouse Campground at Lake Tyers State Park.
Throughout planning and construction, we're working together with Traditional Owners, local communities and stakeholders to ensure new facilities meet the needs of visitors, communities and local businesses.
And it's not only campers who reap the benefits of new camping spots and better camping facilities at more affordable rates. The infrastructure we build as part of the investment into Victoria's Great Outdoors creates jobs in regional areas and supports local economies to get back on their feet after a rough few years.
Learn more about the Victoria's Great Outdoors program or book your next camping adventure.
