The DSE has appointed Mr Bill Storer as project manager for the Caravan Park Redevelopment Project. Bill is based in DSE Bairnsdale and his contact number is (03) 5152-0457. His email address is: william.storer@dse.vic.gov.au
A contract for the design and engineering of the new Park has been let to SMEC Urban in Traralgon, and work is now underway on design options.
ON-GOING CONSULTATION & FEEDBACK
During the project development process there will be significant opportunity for feedback from the Seaspray and wider Gippsland community in general, and from Caravan Park users in particular.
SMEC Urban will be undertaking a series of community consultations in Seaspray, Sale and Traralgon, and the Seaspray Website will be a focal point for keeping the community informed of developments and for providing feedback to the Committee.
PUBLIC MEETING HELD AT SEASPRAY HALL ON SATURDAY 29 NOVEMBER, 2009
The meeting was convened by the Seaspray Reserves Committee of Management and was attended by 48 Caravan Park and Community representatives. Notes of the meeting can be downloaded here.
The Committee representatives noted that one of the most important outcomes from the meeting is to get the views of those present on their expectations of the new Park – what patrons want from the new Park, and what they want from the process of shifting from the old Park to the new one. It was noted there will be a detailed consultation process around the design options early in 2010, with construction work likely to commence mid-2010 with a view to the new Park being available for occupation after Easter, 2011.
An issue of major concern to the Committee is the interests of existing Caravan Park patrons, and what the Committee can do to make sure that the process of transition to the new Park is a good as it can be and that as many of the existing patrons as possible are able to come across.
RESPONSES TO QUESTIONS RAISED
Question: Who decides which caravans will be able to go from the existing Park to the new Park?
Response: The Committee of Management will set down policies on the standard of vans or structures that will be allowed in the new Park. It was noted that the Park is on Crown land and the Committee is appointed by the Minister to administer the Crown land on behalf of the Seaspray and wider Victorian community. The Committee does this in conjunction with the DSE. There will not be any unilateral decisions taken on policy issues – the Committee will ensure the policies are consistent with DSE policies.
The Committee will aim to get the costs, rules and standards for the new Park out to existing Park patrons by Easter 2010 so patrons have 12 months to contemplate whether their van will meet the standards, whether they would want to move it or what approach they wish to take for the future.
Question: If my van does not meet the specifications, what happens to it?
Response: Once the existing Caravan Park is closed, patrons will have to move their vans, annexes or any other fixtures from the site.
Question: Will the Committee or DSE provide financial assistance to help move my van, or is that just out of my pocket?
Response: It is out of your pocket.
Question: What if I don’t want to move it?
Response: In the end the van is sitting on Crown land and the Committee will remove it and send you a bill for the costs of doing so. But this is not a desirable path, and the Committee will do all possible to avoid it. The Committee is not trying to make it hard for existing patrons to come across, or to set unrealistic standards. It wants as many current patrons who want to come across to be able to do so. The Committee wants to look after the people who love the Park, who love Seaspray and who want to keep coming to Seaspray. It is not trying to put unnecessary obstacles in the way at all.
Question: How many sites do we think there will be, and what percentage of those sites will be set aside for annuals?
Response: That is going to be a very difficult issue for the Committee and DSE to make a policy on because at present about 50% of sites in the Park are annuals, but the Committee does not believe this same proportion of annual sites will be applicable in the new Park.
Question: Could this give rise to a scramble for annual sites?
Response: There is a possibility of this occurring – that is why the Committee has said that existing park occupants will be given first priority for annual sites. The Committee do not expect that everyone who now has an annual site will want to take one up in the new Park.
Question: Will the Committee be doing a survey as to how many existing annual occupants will want to move?
Response: Yes the Committee will do that at the time it publishes the new Park rules.
Question: How long will people have to move?
Response: The Committee does not expect the process will be rushed. After the site has been cleared rehabilitation works will commence and new car parking infrastructure will need to be established.
Question: Will there be enough sites for all the people who want one – whether for a day, a week or annuals – how many sites are we going to have?
Response: The Minister in his statement said there will be more sites. There are currently 225 sites. The plan that was put up in January 2009 was for 240 sites. This was to meet the Minister’s commitment that there be more sites. The size of the sites in the new Park will affect the number of sites. The Committee hopes it can retain the proposed site sizes that were included in the previously circulated design, but this is still a matter of debate.
It was noted that Government policy in relation to Crown land Caravan Parks is that we cannot have a limited number of people occupying the whole Park on an ongoing basis. It is community land and community funding for the Park development – it is intended to provide a recreational opportunity for the wider community benefit – it is intended to enable as many people as possible who want to enjoy it to do so.
Therefore a significant number of sites will not be able to be booked year after year by the same users – they will be set aside for casual bookings. The Park has to be able to provide for a wide spread of users. The Park may end up with perhaps one-third of sites being annual, another one-third being subject to advance bookings (you can book these a year in advance) and the remaining one-third might be able to be booked from September onwards on a first-come, first-in basis. Alternatively, if the demand becomes quite high, there may need to be a ballot system introduced, much as applies at Tidal River.
If the Park ends up with 240 sites, then we might have 80 annual, 80 seasonal and 80 casual sites. If DSE policy wanted less annuals than this, the Committee would be arguing to retain these numbers. Our expectation however is that most people who want to move will be able to be accommodated.
Question: Will all permanent sites have their own en-suite facilities
Response: The Draft Plan circulated last December & January provided for 80 ensuite sites, but his number may be subject to change. The Committee is however absolutely of the view that ensuites should be part of a new modern caravan park. It is expected that all other sites (other than tent only camping sites) will have power, a sewerage point and a water point, along with a concrete pad.
FEEDBACK
You can provide comments and feedback to the Committee on any of the matters discussed above though the Feedback Page of this site.