Clarence Valley casual holiday van sites to be returned
Published on 14 March 2025
This week, Clarence Valley Council issued notice to holders of casual holiday vans in Brooms Head, Iluka, Minnie Water and Wooli Holiday Parks, advising of the termination of long term (casual occupation) agreements.
Under a long term (casual occupation) agreement, holders are permitted to use the site for up to 180 days per year, meaning that for the other six months of the year they sit vacant and unable to be used by other visitors. Casual holiday vans are not primary places of residence.
Clarence Valley Council, General Manager, Laura Black said that the demand from visitors for tourist sites has grown significantly over the last decade.
“These sites are on public land and it’s important that all visitors to the Holiday Parks have the same opportunity to use these sites when holidaying with their families and friends.”
“We’ve been able to accommodate casual agreements for some time but with greater demand, we have made the decision to return these sites for all to use.”
“We are not ‘evicting’ residents, these are casual agreements and cannot be used as a permanent residence. All users are required to have a primary place of residence elsewhere offsite.”
Council is working closely with holiday park managers and holders of casual agreements, providing 110 days notice to terminate agreements and waiving all rental fees from 13 March to 30 June. Under the Act only 90 days notice is required.
“Some of these agreements have been in place for many years, and we realise that people may be disappointed or upset by this decision.”
“Council is taking steps to assist holders of casual agreements by increasing the notice period by 20 days, waiving fees while still occupying these sites and has offered to assist with removal of any semi-permanent structures that users don’t wish to take with them.”
Council welcomes all users of casual agreements to continue using our Parks, under the same booking terms and access as all other visitors. For media enquiries please email:communications@clarence.nsw.gov.au or phone 0427 894 745.
Release ends 14 March 2025
Frequently Asked Questions
Notice is being issued to Holiday Van owners to vacate sites by 30 June 2025. This instruction does not affect residents of permanent sites who reside in their primary place of residence at a Holiday Park.
These holiday parks are located on public (Crown) land, and permanent structures on these sites restrict public access for half of the year. Over the past decade, demand for tourist sites has increased significantly, with more people owning caravans and choosing holiday parks for their vacations. Moving forward, all sites, except those occupied by permanent residents, will be available to all future visitors to the Clarence Valley.
As Crown Land manager, Clarence Valley Council is the Holiday Park owner.
A Holiday Van is a moveable dwelling, typically a caravan and annexe.
Holiday Vans are also referred to as semi-permanent vans and long term casuals.
Holiday Van Agreements are an agreement between a Holiday Park owner and the occupant of a moveable dwelling for the installation of the occupant’s own moveable dwelling on a designated site at the caravan park.
The Agreement is formally referred to as Occupation Agreement Holiday Parks (Long Term Casual Occupation).
The occupant of the moveable dwelling can not reside in the dwelling. The occupant of the moveable dwelling must reside in a principal place of residence somewhere other than the site at the caravan park.
A moveable dwelling can only be occupied for a maximum period of 180 days in any continuous 12 month period.
The occupation agreement has an initial term of 12 months.
Following that 12 month period, a park owner may give 90 days notice for the termination of the agreement and return of vacant possession of the site.
Within the Clarence Valley Holiday Parks there are the following number of Holiday vans at each parks?
- Brooms Head - 20
- Iluka - 28
- Minnie Water - 57
- Wooli - 31
Termination of long term (Casual Occupation) agreements, referred to as Holiday Vans) for Brooms Head, Iluka Riverside, Minnie Water and Wooli on 13 March 2025.
Council has provided 110 days notice, which is 20 days greater than the minimum requirement.
The Holiday Vans need to be removed by 30 June 2025.
Holiday van owners who have entered into an Occupation Agreement since 13 March 2024 will be subject to a 90 day Notice on the anniversary of their 12 month Agreement.
The parks are located on public (Crown) Land and by virtue of having permanent structures on these sites, the sites are unable to be used by anybody for the remaining 6 months of the year.
The demand for tourist sites has grown immensely over the last decade with increasing numbers of people owning caravans and choosing caravan parks as a preferred holiday destination.
All sites at the holiday parks, excluding those which are occupied by residents of the parks, will be available to all future visitors to the Clarence Valley.
No. These are not principal places of residence.
The owners of the Holiday Vans will have the same access as all other visitors to the clarence.
That’s right, and they will be able to continue coming to the parks on the same basis as other guests.
The removal of Holiday Vans from other caravan parks along the coast has resulted in improved occupancy and revenue at the Holiday Parks.
The removal of Holiday Vans from other caravan parks along the coast has resulted in local economy improvement as increasing numbers of guests with disposable holiday budgets visit the areas.
