Camping fees at Parks Victoria campgrounds across the state will be kept at half-price for the next two years.
Half-price camping was first introduced in 2019 as part of the $105.6 million Victoria’s Great Outdoors initiative, which included funding to create or upgrade 62 new camping grounds in parks and state forests.
An additional $1.7 million went towards camping ground maintenance, repairs and operating costs.
In 2024, the state government introduced the $9 million free camping initiative until June 30, 2025, giving campers free access to 131 bookable campgrounds managed by Parks Victoria across the state.
From the start of July camping fees will return, but the allocation of $10.5 million in Tuesday’s state budget means they will return to half rather than full-price until at least 2027.
Parks Victoria’s executive director of visitor experience, Lisa Patroni, has welcomed the move.
“Since 2019, half price camping has made the great outdoors more accessible than ever for many Victorian families and we’re delighted it will continue thanks to the support of this government,” Ms Patroni said.
“Visiting our parks is the perfect way to spend time outdoors without breaking the bank, with more than 130 bookable campgrounds to choose from.
“Not only is half price camping helping visitors create wonderful memories in nature, it’s also extremely important in supporting regional towns and businesses.”
Bookings will open at 10am (AEST) from Monday June 2 for stays from July 1 to December 17, 2025 and will be staggered throughout the week depending on the location to manage high demand.
For more information, visit: www.parks.vic.gov.au/where-to-stay/booking-information
