Mallacoota Foreshore Holiday Park and Eagle Point Caravan Park have started refunding park bookings impacted by the bushfires, or those with advance bookings.

East Gippsland Shire Council’s General Manager Place and Community Stuart McConnell said the Mallacoota community, including the large holidaying crowd at the Mallacoota Foreshore Holiday Park, have been severely impacted by the bushfires.

“Our intention on offering a full refund or credit during this time is simple. We want people to come back to our towns and support the rebuild and recovery of the local economy, but we won’t pressure our guests in any direction regards to their refund decisions,” Mr McConnell said.

Only essential park services will continue during the closure, such as the cleaning of toilets and waste removal.

Mr McConnell said all guests with bookings for February 2020 will also be contacted.

“We are very cognisant of the need to balance recovery efforts, including economic recovery, and capacity of fire ravaged places to support visitors. We’ll reopen as soon as possible,” he said.

“We will not be open new bookings until after the immediate bushfire relief and response effort, and when the park’s short-term operations are finalised.”

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Mallacoota Foreshore Holiday Park refunds:

A full refund or credit will be applicable to people who were aware of fire danger and cancelled a booking prior to arriving at the park. This will be based on the date of the day the initial East Gippsland fire danger warnings were made public.

A full refund or credit will be applicable to people who evacuated the park and/or remained in the park at the time it was advised people in Mallacoota should be evacuated, and evacuations started (29 December 2019). This refund won’t include days prior to the evacuation.

A full refund or credit will be applicable for all bookings in January as the park is not intended to be open for business this month.

Eagle Point Caravan Park refunds:

A full refund or credit will be applicable to people who were aware of fire danger and cancelled prior to arriving to the park. This date will be based off the day the initial East Gippsland fire danger warnings were made public.

Council will advise of the refund option via email and text message to impacted customers with bookings up to January 31, 2020, via social media and its website. Customers will need complete a refunds form and select if they wish to have a refund or credit to their account.

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