Cape Conran Coastal Park Roofed Accommodation
Project status
Updated June 2026
Renewal and recovery works at Cape Conran are progressing, with the arrival of the first of the new cabins, and the newly completed office and activity centre.
Behind the scenes, essential work to install water and wastewater systems to the accommodation, office and campground centre began in early May. The campground will also see new septic tanks and pump stations installed.
Ongoing delivery of roofed accommodation and supporting works
- Construction of the office and activity centre was completed in April, restoring permanent facilities for visitors and staff.
- Construction of the new roofed accommodation is underway, with the first cabin delivered to site and remaining cabins manufactured and ready for progressive delivery over the coming months.
- The self-catering cabins are expected to be ready for visitor stays by summer 2026.
- Works to provide safe and reliable water and wastewater infrastructure is underway to support new roofed accommodation, the office and activity centre, and long term visitor use at Cape Conran Coastal Park.
- Wastewater infrastructure across the Banksia Bluff precinct is being upgraded to replace ageing systems - improving environmental performance and reliability.
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. Check for updates and change of conditions on the Cape Conran Coastal Park page.
Pictured above: Completed cabins awaiting transport to Cape Conran from our Bairnsdale based contractor.
The project
The Black Summer bushfires destroyed 3 cabins and all 5 wilderness retreats at Cape Conran Coastal Park.
Parks Victoria is upgrading the lost and ageing accommodation with 10 new cabins. The new accommodation has been designed to improve accessibility, safety and year round use, supporting visitation beyond peak seasons and providing a better experience for a wider range of visitors.
The new cabins replace ageing and bushfire affected facilities with modern, compliant accommodation designed to support long term use while remaining sensitive to the surrounding park 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. Community feedback informed the final designs of the accommodation.
You can learn more about bushfire recovery works at Cape Conran Coastal Park in our July 2025 Cape Conran Bushfire recovery community update.
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, featuring:
- heating and cooling for year-round comfort
- kitchenettes with drinkable water
- bathrooms with showers and flushing toilets.
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. They will feature environmentally friendly pellet heaters keeping visitors comfortable throughout the year.
The cabins are being prefabricated offsite to minimise environmental impacts during construction. The completed cabins are being brought to the park for re-assembly and onsite 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 Victoria’s east, and 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 and increased visitor capacity.
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
- approximately $9 million of insurance payments.
Parks Victoria is delivering over $29 million of new and recovery works across the Cape Conran Coastal Park.
Project planning and timelines
A range of planning approvals and transport and construction permits were required for works at the Cape Conran precinct.
- August 2025: approval of planning permits for construction of the 10 cabins. The permits assist in planning onsite construction and supports protection of cultural and environmental values during the works.
- November 2025: approval of planning permits for service infrastructure to support transport and delivery of the 10 cabins.
- Final planning approvals for drinking water supply and wastewater upgrades were received in November 2025.
- Late 2025: works to prepare for the installation of the cabins and the water project begin on site.
- Early 2026: drinking water and wastewater project works start.
- March to November 2026: Banksia Bluff campground staged closures as we complete the water project.
- Late 2026: drinking water and wastewater project completed.
- Summer 2026: cabins expected to open for visitors to enjoy overnight stays at Cape Conran.
Cultural, environmental and heritage management
The project’s assessments, permits and reports give us important information on how to manage the park’s cultural, environmental and heritage assets.
Parks Victoria has partnered with key stakeholders on cultural, environmental and heritage assessments to ensure the protection of areas.
Cape Conran Coastal Park has 11 ecologically significant vegetation types. It is home to 41 mammal species and 170 species of birds.
Assessments 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.
Putting safety first
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.
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 and Parks Victoria staff and work crews, keep to tracks and pathways and stay out of fenced and restricted areas.
Visitor and community consultation
Throughout 2021 we held community information sessions online for feedback on design of roofed accommodation. We heard from:
- Cape Conran visitors
- community members and groups
- local businesses
- key stakeholders.
We regularly communicate with Traditional Owner groups to ensure they are informed and involved in the project's development.
About the cabins
Where will the accommodation be built?
The new accommodation with be built in same location of the accommodation lost during the bushfires at Cape Conran Coastal Park.
How many people can each cabin accommodate?
The cabins will offer one-bedroom and three-bedroom accommodation.
One-bedroom cabins:
- can sleep up to four people in each cabin
- have a queen bed, and pull-out double-bed sofa.
Six of the cabins have one bedroom.
Three-bedroom cabins:
- can sleep up to 8 people in each cabin
- have 2 queen beds, and 2 twin-single bunks.
Four of the cabins have 3 bedrooms.
What features will each cabin have?
Each cabin will have a kitchen with drinking water, a bathroom with hot showers and flushing toilets, one or more bedrooms, a 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 and double glazed windows.
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.
Related information
Read our July 2025 Cape Conran Bushfire recovery community update.