Cape Conran Coastal Park Roofed Accommodation

Project status

Last updated: November 2025

Ongoing roofed accommodation and supporting works

  • Works are well underway on the visitor office and staff facilities building
  • Works have started on the activity centre.
  • All approvals for construction of the 10 new cabins have been received
  • Local Bairnsdale contractor is building the 10 new all-weather cabins off site.
  • One cabin has been delivered, four other cabins are now finished, and five have started construction
  • VicRoads permit for the transport of the cabins to Cape Conran has been submitted
  • The self-catering cabins are expected to be ready for visitor stays by summer 2026.
  • Planning permits for the services infrastructure were received in November 2025.
  • Enabling works for the water project are expected to start onsite in December 2025.
  • Read more about the water project in our July 2025, Cape Conran Bushfire recovery community update

Back and front view of two cabins with a third cabin showing a built-in outdoor seating area. The cabins have black roofs and green coloured timber cladding. There are black framed windows in the walls.

Pictured above: Completed cabins waiting transport to Cape Conran at our Bairnsdale based contractor.


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The project

The Black Summer bushfires destroyed three cabins and all five wilderness retreats at Cape Conran Coastal Park. Other remaining cabins in the park are also ageing and need to be replaced.

Parks Victoria is upgrading the lost and ageing accommodation with 10 new cabins. These will create more options for visitors of diverse backgrounds and abilities to stay at Cape Conran Coastal Park.

The new accommodation will use bushfire-compliant materials. The cabins feature environmentally friendly pellet heaters keeping visitors comfortable throughout the year.

The cabin designs are in keeping with the surroundings and they make the most of the coastal environment. The internal roads of the precinct will be changed to improve traffic flow and enhance accessibility to the accommodation.

Parks Victoria has consulted with park visitors and the local community. The community feedback has informed the final designs of the accommodation. 

Learn more about these bushfire recovery works at Cape Conran Coastal Park here.

 

Project benefits

Visitors

The existing accommodation at Cape Conran Coastal Park caters largely to visitors in the warmer months. The new accommodation will see visitors enjoying:

  • accessible overnight stays in the heart of park
  • heating and cooling for year-round comfort
  • kitchenettes with drinking water
  • bathrooms with showers and flushing toilets

The 10 cabins are being built with improved accessibility. The new cabins will ensure people of diverse abilities can enjoy overnight stays in this beautiful part of Victoria.

 

Environment

The roofed accommodation and supporting water project have been designed to protect local ecosystems and cultural heritage.

We are building safe access to drinking water and high-quality wastewater disposal systems.

The cabins and other roofed accommodation will be low maintenance, feature high durability, and are bushfire resistant.

The cabins are being prefabricated offsite to minimise environmental impacts during construction. The completed cabins will be brought to the park for re-assembly and services installation.

 

Community

The works at Cape Conran Coastal Park are part of the Victorian Government’s $18.5 million Gippsland Tourism Recovery Package. The package will:

  • build back tourism infrastructure
  • support local jobs across the Victoria’s east
  • restore visitor facilities after the Black Summer bushfires

 

Economy

The completed roofed accommodation and water project will attract more visitors to the park. The increased overnight stay capacity will deliver an economic boost for the local region.

The 10 cabins are being built by a Bairnsdale-based company. Where possible materials for the construction and install project are also being sourced from Gippsland suppliers.

The project will enable:

  • year-round accessible overnight stays
  • increased visitor capacity
  • upgraded education and community activity centre
  • drinking water in the roofed accommodation
  • access to flushing toilets for cabin stays
  • better wastewater services for campers
  • new visitor office and staff facilities.

 

Artist's impression of new Cape Conran Coastal Park roofed accommodation unit

Pictured above: Artist's impression of a new Cape Conran Coastal Park roofed accommodation unit.

 

Project funding

The new roofed accommodation is being delivered with bushfire insurance funds and support from two Victorian Government recovery programs.

The Victorian Government have supported the project with:

  • $3.5 million from the Gippsland Tourism Recovery Package
  • $2.9 million from bushfire recovery funding, and
  • $9 million approximately of insurance payments. 

 

Project timeline

We require a range of planning approvals and construction permits for works at the Cape Conran precinct.


Roofed accommodation projects: Works are underway for the activity centre and office buildings. These are expected to be completed in early-2026.

Expected completion of the cabins is late-2026.


Site services, planning for underground infrastructure and associated permit approvals:

The final planning approvals for the drinking water supply and wastewater upgrades were received in November 2025.

Construction works for the water project are expected to start in December 2025 and continue to late-2026.


Cultural, environmental and heritage management

Cape Conran Coastal Park has 11 ecological significant vegetation areas and communities. It is also home to 41 mammal species and 170 species of birds, including:

  • White-Bellied Sea Eagle
  • New Holland Honeyeater
  • Victoria's biggest lizard, the Lace Monitor
  • Southern Brown Bandicoots
  • Long-nosed Potoroos
  • Wombats

Parks Victoria has partnered with key stakeholders on cultural, environmental and heritage assessments to ensure the protection of areas.

The assessment reports also support bushfire planning and environmental protection. To comply with the bushfire assessment and to improve access, some trees have been removed from the site.

The project’s assessments, permits and reports give us important information on how to manage the park’s cultural, environmental and heritage assets.

 

Putting safety first

Visitor safety is our number one priority when considering risk in parks. While nature will always be unpredictable, our projects and maintenance are planned with safety as our top priority.

When visiting a park where projects and construction are happening:

  • please follow the direction of signs
  • keep to tracks and pathways
  • stay out of fenced and restricted areas
  • please follow advice of Parks Victoria staff and work crews.

Parks Victoria is responsible for continuously managing and maintaining over 50,000 pieces of infrastructure across the state annually.

We are delivering new projects and facilities to help more visitors get into nature.

 

Access changes

We will do our best to minimise disruption to visitors during construction. Access to some areas of the park will change to keep people safe.

We plan works and update park access before works begin. Updates to access and change of conditions are published on the Cape Conran Coastal Park page.


FAQs

What is currently happening at Cape Conran Coastal Park?

  • July 2025: works started on the Parks Victoria office building. The office is also used by staff to provide visitors with park information.
  • August 2025: approval of the planning permits for the construction of the 10 cabins. The permits assist us in planning the onsite construction. It also supports understanding of and protection of cultural and environmental values during the works.
  • September 2025: works started on the community activity and education centre.
  • November 2025: approval of the planning permits for the service infrastructure and water project to support delivery of the 10 cabins.
  • Late-2025: works to prepare for the installation of the cabins and the water project are expected to begin on site.
  • Early 2026: drinking water and wastewater project works are expected to start.
  • From March to October 2026: Banksia Bluff campground full and part closure as we complete the water project.
  • Late-2026: safe access to drinking water and wastewater project completed.
  • Summer 2026: cabins expected to open for visitors to enjoy overnight stays at Cape Conran.

Where will the accommodation be built?
 The new accommodation with be built in the area of the accommodation that was lost during the bushfires at Cape Conran Coastal Park.

How were visitors and the local community consulted during the project?
 Throughout 2021 we held community information sessions online (due to pandemic restrictions). At the online sessions we heard from:

  • Cape Conran visitors
  • community members and groups
  • local businesses
  • key stakeholders

The consultation provided feedback on the design of the roofed accommodation.

We have regularly communicated with Traditional Owner groups to ensure they are informed and involved in the project's development.

 

How many cabins will there be?
There will be 10 new cabins in total.

How many people can each cabin accommodate?

The cabins will offer one- and three-bedroom accommodation.

One-bedroom cabins:

  • six of the cabins have one bedroom
  • can sleep up to four people in each cabin
  • have a queen bed, and
  • pull-out double-bed sofa.

 

Three-bedroom cabins:

  • four cabins have three bedrooms
  • can sleep up to eight people in each cabin
  • have two queen beds, and
  • two twin-single bunks.

What features will each cabin have?

Each cabin will have:

  • a kitchen with drinking water
  • bathroom with hot showers and flushing toilets
  • bedroom/s
  • living area
  • outside decking, and
  • storage.

To keep visitors, cool in summer and cosy in winter each cabin has:

 

  • ceiling fans
  • an environmentally friendly pellet heater
  • high-quality insulation
  • double-glazed windows
  • top rated door fittings.

Why are the old cabins being decommissioned?
The old cabins are being decommissioned as they no longer meet safety, accessibility, and bushfire compliance standards. These cabins will be removed from the site during installation of the new roofed accommodation.

Is the roofed accommodation funding part of the bushfire recovery response?
The new roofed accommodation project has received over $6 million in Victorian Government funding. The project funding programs are:

  • $3.5 million Gippsland Tourism Recovery Package — Department of Jobs, Skills, Industry and Regions (DJSIR)
  • $2.9 million from bushfire recovery funding — Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA)

Program support also includes approximately $9 million in insurance funds.

Parks Victoria is delivering over $29 million of new, and recovery works across the Cape Conran Coastal Park. 

Learn more about other bushfire recovery activities at Cape Conran Coastal Park.

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