More than six years after the devastating 2019/20 Black Summer Bushfires, the first replacement cabin has finally been relocated to the Cape Conran Coastal Park, sparking both a sense of relief and sharp criticism over the length of the delay.
While the arrival of the cabin marks a milestone in the region’s long recovery, local leaders say the timeframe has been unacceptable, pointing to broken promises and “bureaucratic bungling.”
Gippsland East Nationals MP Tim Bull, who has been advocating for the return of roofed accommodation to the park for years, labeled the six-year wait as “disgraceful.”
“Originally, I was told they would be in place within 12 months and ready for the 2021 summer. That then got pushed out to 2023 and then 2025. Here we are well into 2026, and we have only the first in place,” Mr Bull said.
For more than four years, the replacement cabins have been visible to locals sitting idle in a paddock on Forge Creek Road, awaiting administrative sign-off to be moved to the coast.
Mr Bull clarified that his frustration was directed at Melbourne-based departments rather than local Parks Victoria staff, whom he said were equally frustrated by the lack of progress.
“For a government that said it would do everything to assist our economic recovery, it has been a farcical response,” Mr Bull said.
“Some of the hold-ups related to cultural heritage matters, but it was departmental dithering and an inability to progress matters more than anything else.”
Shayne Boyd, president of the Marlo Ratepayers and Residents Association, endorsed the MP’s concerns, noting that even this small victory required “intense community advocacy and pressure” that should never have been necessary.
“It is always easy to make a grand statement of support for local communities in the aftermath of a bushfire with promises of real repair and community infrastructure improvement,” Ms Boyd said.
“It is much harder to actually deliver the promises.”
Ms Boyd pointed to other stalled projects, such as the promised Shared Pathway between Marlo and Conran, as further evidence of a failed response.
“The failure to proceed with the Shared Pathway is a very poor reflection on the integrity of the bushfire response,” she added.
Despite the hurdles, there is hope that the park will soon return to full capacity. Mr Bull said he is now pushing for the remaining cabins to be moved immediately, with the goal of having them fully booked for the September school holidays later this year.
