By AIDAN KNIGHT

 

LATROBE City Council has opened community consultation on the future of the Moe Gardens Caravan Park.

The move sparked concern among residents, who fear the long-running site could soon close.

Located on Mitchell Road, the caravan park sits on 3.2 hectares of Crown Land within a recreation zone that also includes the Moe Racing Club, Joe Tabuteau Reserve, Apex Park, the Scout Hall, and Moe Pony Club.

The park’s current leaseholder has operated the site since 2017, but the agreement is due to expire on May 31, 2026, with no option to extend under the existing terms. Council says the decision-making process is guided by the state government’s Crown Land Leasing Policy, which requires open and impartial processes for future use of the land.

Latrobe City Mayor, Dale Harriman said council had not made any decision on the future of the site, but that it was important the community helped shape what comes next.

“The use of the caravan park has evolved significantly since the start of the current lease in 2008, with a reduction in short-stay caravanning and holiday camping,” Cr Harriman said.

“The time is right to consider how the site can be used to its maximum potential. Council has met with the caravan park operator and current site holders and will continue to work with them while we undertake community consultation.”

Suggestions include continuing to operate as a caravan park, creating an open market space, or transforming the area into a broader recreation reserve.

But not everyone is reassured. Regular guests and permanent residents say they fear consultation could be a precursor to closure.

Park resident Ron Witt, who attended a community meeting on September 23, said the park regularly accommodates around 100 people each week, including seasonal workers and retirees.

“It really is a valuable asset to the Latrobe Valley. We have people who are transitioning from Melbourne to the Latrobe Valley, women who have been subject to family violence, people using the park for respite from their families. We have around 50 or 60 permanent residents, many of whom have disabilities and depend on this park,” he said.

Mr Witt has been a resident at the park since 2020, and has worked in the office on occasion for the owner, Paul Arnold, and says one of the first things customers have asked when being served is ‘where do I get a good meal around here?’, indicating just how good the park is for the economy at a ground level.

This is actually supported by council’s recent media release, announcing the success of “Events continue to boost Latrobe City’s local economy”. The release, circulated on September 29, touted the “ripple effect” of major events on the Latrobe Valley’s economy, claiming that tournaments and conventions held across the 2024/25 financial year had generated $23.5 million in economic activity and 42,000 overnight stays.

“Attracting major events strengthens our tourism economy,” Cr Harriman said in that release.

“Each event brings a surge of visitors that supports our accommodation, hospitality and tourism sectors.”

However, residents argue the Moe Gardens Caravan Park, a low-cost accommodation option for many of those same visitors, is being overlooked in the broader economic picture.

“We have NBN workers who can safely park their large trucks, overseas farmers who need accommodation, and sporting event attendees. If we’re in the midst of a housing crisis, how could we even consider shutting it down?” Mr Witt said.

The park resident admits he has no problem with the council procedure of consulting the community on the lease, but views the comments and suggestions made have been unnecessarily negative and illogical, and detrimental to the community.

Mr Witt claims the park had been told by council officers that it had been the subject of “adverse reports”, which would likely have a bearing on whether or not the lease is renewed. Mr Witt fervently disputed this.

Resident Sandra Wilson also wrote to the Express expressing frustration after site holders were issued a council letter advising of the consultation.

Mr Arnold has been noted by residents to actively maintain and upgrade the facilities as residents leave, renovating units to keep them a quality accommodation, despite council officers making mention of it’s “dilapidated” state.

While council’s consultation aims to explore “maximum potential use” of the land, it is in question as to whether process raises broader questions about consistency in planning priorities, and if economic growth narratives are being applied equally across the municipality.

While the consultation aims to explore a range of ideas, the debate has underscored broader questions about the future of Crown Land assets in growing townships such as Moe, where once-peripheral spaces are now surrounded by residential development.

Council’s survey on the site’s future will remain open until later this month, with feedback to inform a report to council before the lease’s expiry in 2026.

Residents can voice their thoughts at: https://yoursay.latrobe.vic.gov.au/moe-gardens-caravan-park/surveys/future-of-1-mitchells-road-moe

The survey closes Friday, October 31.