Councillors and staff from Northern Grampians Shire Council greeted Mary-Anne Thomas MP, Victorian State Government Minister for Regional Development, at St Arnaud Caravan Park today to discuss planned improvements funded by the Regional Jobs and Infrastructure Fund. The Victorian Government is providing $270,000 to upgrade the caravan park. This funding is part of more than $2.8M investment in caravan park upgrades across the Wimmera and Southern Mallee regions.
The caravan park is the sole park situated within St Arnaud township, sitting on crown land owned by Department of Environment Land Water and Planning. Council leases it to the caravan park operators. The park is comprised of caravan sites and cabins and has seen a downturn in visitor numbers during the Coronavirus pandemic. Its popularity was impacted by the absence of a waste disposal point for caravan users within the park; Lord Nelson Park was the only disposal point.
The funding will bring the park in line with the expectations of modern caravan park users making it a more attractive stay.
The park will benefit from the following upgrades:
- Electrical and plumbing upgrades and additional power outlets installed to increase the capacity of the caravan park
- The delivery of safer internal roads around the park, including new bollards and road realignment to a new disposal point
- The installation of synthetic grass at various locations to increase environmental sustainability
Ms Thomas was escorted through the park by NGSC Mayor Cr Murray Emerson, St Arnaud councillors Dr Eddy Ostarcevic PhD and Cr Tony Driscoll, CEO Liana Thompson, council staff and St Arnaud Caravan Park Managers Torrance and Rhonda Drendel.
Stawell Caravan Park will also benefit from the same pool of funding receiving $185,000 to improve amenities and create a new recreation room for park visitors.
Minister Thomas said this funding would help local councils revitalise small towns as they recover from the pandemic by creating more jobs and improving tourism and community infrastructure.
“This funding for accommodation at the gateway to the Silo Art Trail will have a huge flow on-effect for regional businesses – allowing more tourists to stop and stay in our small towns and providing a real boost to local economies,” Ms Thomas said.
NGSC Mayor Cr Murray Emerson said the funding came at a critical time for the shire.
“It is wonderful to be able to welcome Ms Thomas to our shire and we are very thankful to the Victorian Government for financing these upgrades to our caravan parks,” Cr Emerson said.
“Our towns and tourism operators have endured a significant downturn in tourist numbers and local spending over the course of the pandemic due to continual lockdowns restricting visitors to our region.
“St Arnaud will always be a popular destination for botanical and history buffs, gold fossickers and now thanks to the mind blowing realism of local artist Kyle Torney’s murals, a legion of public art enthusiasts.
“These upgrades will improve the experience for our caravanning and camping tourists and hopefully encourage them to stay longer, spread the news to their friends and to return again to our getaway gems in the Wimmera region.”
