Shire of Manjimup Progresses RV-Friendly Town Initiative

MEDIA RELEASE: 23 March 2026

The Shire of Manjimup is progressing its RV-Friendly Town initiative, a decision made by Council at its Ordinary Meeting on 25 February 2026, to enhance tourism opportunities and support local spending by providing designated short-term overnight parking areas for fully self-contained recreational vehicles (RVs).

Council has endorsed a staged approach, beginning with securing RV Friendly Town status for Manjimup. This initial stage will enable the Shire to test and refine service levels and the management model before extending sites to Northcliffe and Walpole. The approach is designed to ensure long-term delivery is practical, sustainable and tailored to the needs of each town.

To ensure RV locations are practical, supported and aligned with local needs, the Shire undertook targeted consultation with chambers of commerce, visitor centres, adjacent businesses and nearby residents. Feedback focused on site suitability, potential impacts and opportunities to strengthen planning and management. As a result, refinements were made, including the removal of the Northcliffe Visitor Centre carpark from consideration.

Council confirmed preferred RV locations across the Shire as part of its February 2026 decisions. These sites were selected to balance visitor access with local amenity. Pemberton currently has no preferred site, as it does not yet have a free public dump point – an essential requirement for RV Friendly Town accreditation.

Manjimup: Allambie Park (48-hour parking), Heritage Park – Giblett St (5pm–8am), Manjin Park – south carpark (5pm 8am)

Northcliffe: Town Centre Carpark – inner bays (24-hour parking)

Walpole: Pioneer Park – western side (48-hour parking; RVs up to 11m in length)

Designated RV sites help encourage visitors to stop, stay and spend within the region. Visitors wishing to stay beyond the permitted short-term limits will be encouraged to use local commercial accommodation. Council has also endorsed including a link to the local Visitor Centre website on RV site signage to promote nearby caravan park options.

Council will consider an allocation of $22,000 in the 2026/27 budget for preparatory works in Allambie Park, signage at the overnight sites and the dump point in Manjimup, as well as remote monitoring equipment if required. The Shire will also take responsibility for maintenance and repairs of the Northcliffe Visitor Centre dump point, with day-to-day management remaining with the Centre.

Once works at Allambie Park are completed and operational, the Shire will submit an application for RV Friendly Town accreditation. A six-month monitoring period will then assess compliance, usage and operational impacts, informing the staged rollout to Northcliffe and Walpole.

Shire President, Donelle Buegge, said:

“We’re happy to be taking the next steps to obtain the RV Friendly Town accreditation, to make our community more welcoming to travellers exploring the Southwest. These visitors contribute to our local businesses, from cafés and shops to fuel stations and attractions, helping strengthen the local economy. Council is committed to practical, well-managed solutions that balance tourism growth with the needs of our community.”

The Manjimup overnight parking sites are expected to open in September 2026. Until then, visitors can utilise existing caravan parks and accommodation sites.

-ENDS-

Authorised by Donelle Buegge, Shire President
Contact: 0409 114 681

Benjamin (Ben) Rose, Chief Executive Officer
Mikayla Ginbey, Corporate Communications Officer