Visitation rise culls annual van sites at holiday park

UP to 34 annual van sites at NRMA Bright Holiday Park are being transitioned to short-term accommodation in expectation of an uplift in Bright’s visitor economy, forecasted at around 30,000 new visitor nights per annum.

The annual sites will be converted to 30 short-term sites and eight short-term accommodation units.

Subject to council approval, sites and accommodation are expected to be completed late 2025.

In August 2023 there were 98 annual sites, but following changes in late 2025, there will be 80 long-term sites at the park.

The changes, first announced in July 2023, meant annual guests had to make a decision to move to a new site and many will need to undertake modifications to make their caravans and annexes compliant for the state regulations of the new site parameters.

An NRMA spokesperson said an extended transition period was offered to annual guests.

“We understand this change was disappointing for our annual guests, and an extended transition period was offered so guests could enjoy holidays at the site for a further 12 months which ends on August 31, 2025,” the spokesperson said.

 “Since the initial notice in July 2023, all guests that were interested in moving to a new site have been offered a new site through a ballot process to ensure fairness to all guests. 

“The site agreements for long-term sites were due to end in August 2024.

“Since this time, as the park operates on crown land, Alpine Shire Council has requested new applications for the new site locations for each of the 16 guests relocating.

“The relocating guests have since been extended an offer of an additional 12 months on their current site to provide time to complete this process. 

 “Guests who chose not to transition to a new site were offered a number of free nights at the park on powered caravan or camping sites and a 25 per cent discount for bookings on other sites at the Bright Park until September 2026.   

“Annual guests are able to stay up to 180 nights during their contract year on annual sites but cannot stay more than 59 nights consecutively.

“On average, annual sites at Bright are used for 31 nights per year.”