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.

Current expressions of interest
EOI20241213S/1: Tidal River General Store (under assessment)
EOI202404/2: Mount Macedon Tearooms (under negotation)
EOI202404/1: Sandridge Wharf Berthing Licence (Pontoon Restaurant) (under negotiation)
EOI202303: Princess Margaret Rose Cave (under negotiation)
More information
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Leasing policyWhen 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.
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Lease agreementsLease 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).
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Licence agreementsLicences 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.
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Other Parks Victoria commercial activitiesParks Victoria also offers tour operator licenses, research activity access agreements, mobile trading permits, event permits and filming and photography permits.

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