Peterborough tourist park operators concerned about staff shortages

Great Ocean Road Tourism Park owners Dean and Sarah Hellessey have experienced their toughest two years in almost two decades of operation.

Mr Hellessey said the COVID-19 pandemic had hit the business hard.

"The last two years completely changed everybody's world - not just ours," he said.

"International travellers visiting the coast is huge and that's been non existent."

Mr Hellessey said the business had been able to survive through the support of visitors from across the region.

"We've been very fortunate that people from regional areas and Warrnambool have been coming to Peterborough," he said.

"But we feel our business has probably gone back 12 years."

Mr Hellessey said traditionally the region was busy from September to April.

"Traditionally we would have a very quiet winter," he said.

Mr Hellessey said in the past six weeks a number of international travellers had stayed at the park.

"We've had some from Asia, some from Canada and some from Europe - they're not the numbers that they were in 2019, but at least we're starting to see international visitors return."

In addition to that, Mr Hellessey said there had been a spike in the number of people buying caravans.

Many buyers are being told they will have a 12-month wait to drive away their caravan, which means there will likely be an increase in visitors to the park.

Mr Hellessey said he was uncertain about what the next 12 months would bring.

"The next year we will be looking at the pattern," he said.

He hopes international traveller numbers pick up and caravanners choose to stay in the south-west.

However, he is concerned he may be forced to limit the number of bookings due to staff shortages.

"It's not just us - everybody's having staffing issues," Mr Hellessey said.

He said the park was desperate to employ a number of cleaners.

"We need people to be able to clean our cabins," Mr Hellessey said.

"We've advertised but we haven't had any responses."

Mr Hellessey said he was concerned going forward about whether he would be able to run the park at full capacity.

He said there were a number of factors contributing to the staff shortage, including the high cost of housing in the area.

"Rental properties are pretty non existent on the coast and if there are rentals, they're very expensive," Mr Hellessey said.

"We can't get people to commute from Warrnambool either because of the fuel prices.

"Our concern is that once things do become a bit busier, with more people travelling and needing our cabins, we're not going to have the staff to service the park."

Last week, Member for South West Coast Roma Britnell spoke about the couple's situation in parliament.

She said she met with Mr and Mrs Hellessey recently.

"They struggled through the past couple of years of COVID border closures and restrictions but are hoping there is light at the end of the tunnel with international tourists starting to trickle back," she said.

Ms Britnell said their business was being hampered by a lack of staff.

"Hospitality, retail, tourism, agriculture, manufacturing-I have heard from so many different industries that are gripped with the same problem," Ms Britnell said.

"It has reached a crisis point. It has never been more important that the Labor government do more to ensure we get our young people not only prepared to enter the workforce but engaged and excited to do so.

"I urge the government to invest in more targeted programs and pathways that allow people to pursue jobs and career paths that they are passionate about, find new, innovative ways to connect businesses and industries with employees and support people to gain training and skills to develop a career in a field that inspires them."

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