Lease and Licence Opportunities

Who is this aimed at?

Innovative business owners or experienced operators with a passion for visitor experience and desire to help shape the future of Victoria’s parks are invited to consider commercial opportunities with Parks Victoria.

Parks Victoria offers lease and licence opportunities within some of the most iconic destinations and venues in Australia. With a balance of commercial, recreation, health and wellbeing and tourism prospects, our natural estate offers opportunities for business tenancies, restaurants and cafes, mobile trading, retail spaces, accommodation and more.


What you need to do

1. Keep up to date with current opportunities

Any trade or business conducted on public land generally requires a lease, licence or permit. An Expression of Interest (EOI) is a competitive process used by Parks Victoria to ensure fairness and transparency when seeking applications for commercial opportunities within our estate. The EOI process ensures that each applicant is assessed without bias and based solely on their ability to meet the EOI requirements.

Subscribing to the Commercial Opportunities mailing list is a great way to stay up to date with Parks Victoria’s commercial opportunities.

2. Register for an open EOI

If you’d like to apply for an open EOI you’ll need to register for Buying for Victoria before you get started.

All applications for Parks Victoria lease and licence opportunities must be submitted via Buying for Victoria. You will be able to download documents and register for site visits once you are logged into Buying for Victoria. 

3. Read Parks Victoria’s Expression of Interest User Guide

Parks Victoria’s Expression of Interest User Guide will help you navigate what is required to participate in an EOI process.

This guide will help you understand the Victorian Government legislative and regulatory context for the leasing and licensing of Crown land and what’s required of Parks Victoria to ensure our processes are fair, impartial and open.


The EOI Process

The EOI may be conducted as either a single or two-stage process:

  • Single-stage EOI – applicants submit all required information at once for review.
  • Two-stage EOI – applicants submit their vision and concept for the site during Stage One, with shortlisted applicants then invited to submit a full business case in Stage Two.

All EOI submissions are evaluated by a skills-based assessment panel appointed by Parks Victoria. The panel will consider and score proposals based on weighted evaluation criteria informed by Crown land leasing guidelines.

The EOI Process

Current expressions of interest

Tidal River General Store

EOI20241213S/1: Tidal River General Store (under assessment)

Parks Victoria is seeking a high-quality operator with the vision and capacity to manage and operate the Tidal River General Store), located within Wilsons Promontory National Park. EOI applications are open until 11 March 2025.
Mount Macedon Tearooms

EOI202404/2: Mount Macedon Tearooms (under negotation)

Parks Victoria is seeking Expressions of Interest from high-quality operators to deliver a contemporary food and beverage experience at the uniquely positioned Mount Macedon Tearooms. EOI applications are open until 20 June 2024.
Sandridge Wharf

EOI202404/1: Sandridge Wharf Berthing Licence (Pontoon Restaurant) (under negotiation)

Parks Victoria is seeking a high-quality operator with both the vision and the capacity to continue the delivery of a contemporary year-round Pontoon Restaurant at Sandridge Wharf. EOI applications are open until 29 May 2024.
Three friends chat together around a rock formation in an underground cave in Lower Glenelg National Park.

EOI202303: Princess Margaret Rose Cave (under negotiation)

Parks Victoria is seeking a qualified operator with customer service experience to provide engaging and high-quality cave tours for visitors to the Princess Margaret Rose Cave Precinct. EOI applications are open until 7 August 2023.

More information

  • Leasing policy
    When considering leasing or licencing in parks and waterway areas, the Leasing Policy for Victorian Crown Land 2023 or the Tourism Leases in National Parks Guidance Note are relevant, in addition to pertaining Crown legislation, permissible uses and other requirements.
  • Lease agreements
    Lease agreements offer a tenant exclusive right to occupy a particular site, building or defined area of land for a specified term. The agreement term is dependent on the reservation of the land, and the relevant legislation specifies the maximum lease term available (commonly 21 years). Under special circumstances the relevant Minister(s) may consider granting a lease for a longer term, if permissible under the specific legislation. Commercial agreements offered by Parks Victoria provide a range of options to assist the tenants’ operation of the site including sub leasing and licensing, development or improvement works, assistance with liquor licensing and assessing assignment of the agreement due to a potential sale of the business (subject to conditions).
  • Licence agreements
    Licences give permission to the holder to carry out a permitted activity without the right of exclusive occupation. Depending on the land reservation of a site, licence terms can range from one to 10 years.
  • Other Parks Victoria commercial activities

Past expressions of interest

Some of the unique business opportunities Parks Victoria has offered in the past.

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