Fraser Coast Regional Council has confirmed it will move ahead with an upgrade of the Torquay Caravan Park, following what the council described as its largest community engagement effort to date.
The decision was made after a four-week consultation period that generated 4,385 completed survey responses, thousands of written comments and two petitions with more than 12,000 signatures combined.
Mayor George Seymour said the volume of feedback demonstrated the significance of the Torquay foreshore to residents and visitors.
“The Torquay foreshore is a much-loved place, and the community showed that clearly through the high level of engagement,” he said. He added that the council weighed the community input along with long-term planning considerations before determining the next steps.
“Council has carefully considered the feedback and balanced this with the long-term needs of the foreshore and the community in reaching today’s decision to proceed with upgrading the Torquay Caravan Park.”
The consultation period asked respondents to consider three options: upgrading the existing caravan park, converting the site to open-space parkland, or developing a larger park with playground, recreation and event amenities.
Of those who participated, 76 percent preferred the upgrade of the caravan park, 9 percent supported the open-space concept, and 15 percent favored the expanded playground and event space proposal.
Input also varied across age groups, with younger participants more likely to support parkland options and respondents aged 35 and over showing greater support for upgrading the existing caravan park.
“Council has heard this feedback and recognises the importance of providing spaces and facilities that meet the needs of younger people,” Cr Seymour said in a news release. The upgrade project is part of the region’s 10-year capital works program, with funding scheduled across the 2029/30 and 2030/31 financial years. The next phase involves detailed design and planning.
According to the council, the proposed upgrades will replace older assets with facilities designed to accommodate current visitor expectations and larger caravans and RVs.
“Upgrading the park will replace ageing infrastructure with modern facilities and a layout that better suits the larger caravans and RVs people use now,” Cr Seymour said. He added that the decision “provides a clear direction for the future of the site and allows Council to move forward with certainty.”
For operators and developers in the outdoor hospitality sector, the project highlights several industry trends influencing public and private parks. These include demand for larger RV-friendly sites, expectations for contemporary amenities and the increasing role of community consultation in shaping development outcomes.
The long project timeline also underscores how public-sector investment strategies may affect regional tourism competitiveness, creating both challenges and opportunities for nearby private caravan parks and holiday parks that may respond with their own upgrades or service improvements.