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11 Y VIC PARK USER FEES Z
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eople will be asked to pay for the first time at over 100 campsites around Victoria. Premium campsites that currently have charges will also gain a significant fee increase.
facilities and services due to budget cuts. According to a Victorian park ranger there have been talks for some time of increasing fees, as it was seen as a preferred alternative to site closures.
The first introduction of fees is due to be rolled out in March next year and consequent changes rolled out by 2015. The proposed fee structure will see premium parks that currently charge on average $33 hiked up to an average of $59 per night. And over 100 new campsites that are currently free will require booking fees by 2015.
Government representatives argue that a user-pays model will lead to better maintenance and provision of facilities. They state that the proposed fees are necessary in order to keep parks operating and avoid closures due to lack of maintenance.
The decision has come as a result of Parks Victoria struggling to maintain
Campsites at Lake Eildon, Wilsons Promontory and Mt Buffalo are amongst the premium sites which will see significant fee hikes next year. Fees
as high as $90 per night have been reported for group booking sites at Wilson's Promontory. The government have put forward a Regulatory Impact Statement (RIS) explaining the decision and providing a number of fee structures aimed at increasing revenue and making camping more sustainable into the future. A copy of the RIS can be found here. The public are invited to express their opinions regarding the RIS prior to 22 of November 2013. Contact them at camping.ris@depi. vic.gov.au From MudMaps Blog
Y DRIVE-IN AND DINE AWAY… Z technology, while the sound system has been upgraded and is all replayed via FM stereo signal directly to your vehicle.
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ifty years since opening, the Blacktown Drive In has undergone a $1 million refurbishment. Relaunched on the 25 October as the Event Cinema’s Skyline Drive In, it offers Sydney cinema goers a nostalgic yet new experience as New South Wales’ only twin drive-in movie theatre. Movies aside, the new ‘Happy
Days’ style diner – the Skyline – offers a range of treats and snacks from milkshakes to hamburgers and hotdogs to frozen soda. It also features everything a traditional American diner would, with all memorabilia, furniture and fittings imported from the US. The drive-in is also equipped with the latest digital cinema
“The Skyline Drive-In represents a distinct part of Sydney’s history,” said AHLs Group Managing Director, David Seargeant. “Being the only remaining Drive-In in Sydney, we saw a duty to preserve this part of history and develop it even further to create a truly unique and nostalgic experience for our cinema customers.” For more information, session times or to purchase tickets head to www.eventcinemas.com.au