Background

Bellarine Bayside’s Camping and Accommodation Strategy (CAS), created in 2017, identified that there are opportunities at Portarlington Holiday Park to expand accommodation options, including low season accommodation options, as well as increasing funds to reinvest into the Crown land reserve, particularly to replace aging infrastructure. One of the identified opportunities was to increase the number of twelve-month permit (TMP) sites by in-filling vacant sites and using land that is currently unallocated for any other use. The unallocated land identified can accommodate a total of 28 new TMP sites.

The introduction of more TMP sites will both improve equity of access to coastal Crown land and meet the demand for more TMP sites, as evidenced by Bellarine Bayside’s current TMP waiting list.

The location of the new TMP sites is consistent with legislation, will allow for ease of connection of utilities, and will have minimal impact on cultural and environmental values or recreational open spaces.

The project seeks to:

• Deliver on the total allocated number of TMP sites suggested in the Bellarine Bayside Camping and Accommodation Strategy.
• Meet the high demand for more accommodation within the region.
• Alleviate the pressure associated with Bellarine Bayside’s current TMP waiting list.

Allocation of sites

Consistent with the Department of Environment Land Water and Planning (DELWP) policy guidelines, Bellarine Bayside has an established waiting list of people wishing to purchase on-site vans or access a vacant site.

The site allocation process for the 28 new, vacant TMP sites will be in adherence to Bellarine Bayside’s existing TMP waiting list and offered in order of priority on the list.

Timeline

Our indicative timeline to establish the new TMP sites is:

COMPLETE

• Mid – March 2022
  Minor on-site works commence to prepare sites.
• May – June 2022
  Connection of utilities and services
• April 2022 – January 2023
  Allocation of sites to new permit holders in line with Bellarine Bayside’s established waiting list of people wishing to purchase on-site vans or access a vacant site.

CURRENT

• Ongoing
  New permit holders to begin establishing on-site vans.