Rochester Riverside Caravan Park - change of name, change of management

21 January 2019 - Media release

Campaspe Shire Council is progressing the handing back of management of the Rochester Caravan Park to the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP).

Mayor, Adrian Weston said the caravan park is on Crown Land and is currently managed by council with the operation of the park leased to a private operator. The lease expired last year and the park has been operating on an interim arrangement with the lessee. Council recommended to DELWP that the Rochester Recreation Reserve Committee of Management would be a suitable organisation to manage the park in the future.

“DELWP accepted council’s recommendation and has established a management arrangement with the committee of management,” Cr Weston said.

“The current lessee will manage the park until the transition process is complete. Some long-term tenants have moved with the lessee to a new site and some are staying.”

“The committee will focus on increasing the tourism market, providing a great holiday park beside the Campaspe River and central to the Rochester township. The committee will rename the park ‘Rochester Riverside Holiday Park’.”

Council staff have been working with the lessee, the Rochester Recreation Reserve Committee of Management and DELWP for the past year on the transition arrangement.

The lessee will move off the site in the coming month, with the Rochester Recreation Reserve Committee appointed as the committee of management and taking over the park’s day-to-day operations and infrastructure.

“These new arrangements will be a great outcome for the Rochester community as the committee of management already manages the adjacent recreation reserve,” Cr Weston said.

“It will see the whole area under the responsibility of one manager with a keen focus on increasing visitation to the caravan park and the town.”

The committee of management is developing a website for the park so potential visitors can find out about its facilities and services. Future bookings for the Rochester Riverside Holiday Park can now be made with Bruce and Eileen Kilpatrick on 5484 1622 or 0473 222 030.