Park family takes GORCC to court

The family behind Anglesea Beachfront Family Caravan Park has taken legal action against a Great Ocean Road Coast Committee (GORCC) takeover.
A media release from the caravan park on Thursday said the Morris family’s legal proceedings had commenced in the Victorian Supreme Court.
Surf Coast foreshore manager GORCC announced three weeks ago it would take over the park after completing a public tender process for its lease.
Thursday’s release said the Morris family had won orders requiring GORCC to provide reasons for its decision “in determining the tender process and its proposed take-over of operations” of the park.
“Honourable Associate Justice Ierodiaconou made declarations and specific orders that the Great Ocean Road Coast Committee is a tribunal for the purposes of the Administrative Law Act,” the release said.
“The application was made ex-parte to the Supreme Court by the current tenants, the Morris family.”
The Morris family was “bitterly disappointed with the conduct of GORCC during the tender process and was forced into seeking intervention of the courts”, the release said.
The family would make no further comments about the legal proceedings.
The matter returns to the Supreme Court on 10 August.
A public forum of Anglesea businesses and campers last week supported a move to have the GORCC lease takeover nullified.
Business and Tourism Anglesea and concerned campers said they organised the forum over fears for the future of the caravan park.
The meeting voted to have the decision “declared null and void due to a conflict of interest and that the whole tender process be independently reviewed”.
The meeting agreed to submit a letter to Environment Minister Lily D’Ambrosio calling for “immediate action”.
GORCC was committed to “maintaining the park to at least its current standards“, GORCC chief Richard Davies said in the 10 June Geelong Indy.
The takeover would not affect campers, visitors or permit-holders, he said.
“It will retain local business and tourism arrangements and commit to no job losses.”
Mr Davies said the Morris family had “made an enormous contribution” to Anglesea with its “wonderful park on Crown land”.
A camper’s petition at change.org had 3583 supporters up to Thursday. The issue has inspired an Anglesea Community Voice Facebook page.