Dozens of Victorian national and state parks and reserves may not be opened from Saturday morning and continue to be affected for nine days, as Parks Victoria staff step up protected industrial action in their long-running campaign for fair pay.

Entrance gates may not be unlocked, bins may not be emptied, toilets may not be cleaned, and other access may be affected at public parks and reserves across the state until midnight on Monday night 27 July, as Parks Victoria (PV) staff implement work bans. 

The Community and Public Sector Union said staff were taking this protected industrial action as part of a long-running campaign for fair pay and conditions, with multiple levels of PV pay grades below the new national minimum wage; and well below the rest of Victoria’s public sector. 

Several major national and state parks and reserves across the state may be affected. 

PV staff are some of the hardest-working, but lowest paid of our state’s public servants. Left with no other options, staff are taking this extraordinary step due to management’s failure to produce a decent pay offer after more than a year of negotiations. 

Victorians deserve safe, accessible, and well-maintained public reserves, supported by properly paid staff. Our regional tourism sector relies on this important work. Just like PV management, our members are asking for pay parity with their Victorian Public Service colleagues, to bring their pay into the modern era and reflect the value of the work they do. 

Poor pay and low resourcing drive our best staff to leave, while creating cost-of-living stress, reducing the quality of public facilities, and making it harder to deliver wildlife and conservation projects. 

PV staff also provide essential firefighting and emergency response surge capacity during fire seasons, helping to keep all Victorians safe. 

We encourage all Victorians to support PV staff in their fight for better wages and conditions by signing our online petition. 

Quotes attributable to CPSU Vic Secretary, Jiselle Hanna: 

“These actions are unfortunately the result of management’s continued failure to put forward a fair deal for PV staff.” 

“These people represent the very best of our public services, but are paid as the worst. This could all be resolved with the Minister and Parks Vic exec choosing to do the right thing by their staff, and commit to a fair pay deal.” 

“We want the public to understand that the decision to take this protected industrial action was not made lightly, and we urge them to join us in sending a message to management and the Minister via our petition.” 

List of Parks Victoria Locations that may be affected

• Alfred Nicolas memorial gardens
• Alpine National Park – Cobberas Track,Macfarlane Track, Ingeegoodbee Track
• Arthurs Seat State Park – lower station
• Arthurs Seat State Park – Seawinds
• Bendigo Regional Park – Larni Yirrip Campground
• Braeside Park – Redgum Picnic Area
• Braeside Part – Red Gum Picnic Area gate
• Budj-Bim National Park – camping area
• Bunyip State Park - Nash Creek Camping Ground, Bunyip Weir, Freemans Mill Camping Area, Dyers Camping and Picnic Ground, Mortimer Camping and Picnic Area, Lawson Falls Picnic Ground, Forest Road Unloading Area and Cannibal Creek Horse Unloading Area
• Burnley
• Cape Schanck Lighthouse Station
• Cardinia Creek Parklands – Grasmere picnic area
• Cardinia Reservoir Park
• Castlemaine Diggs National Heritage Park – loop access track
• Churchill National Park – entry and picnic area
• Coolart Wetlands
• Croajingolong National Park – Genoa Peak
• Dandenong Ranges - Grants Picnic Ground
• Dandenong Ranges Botanic Gardens
• Dandenong Ranges National Park - One Tree Hill
• Dandenong Ranges National Park – Doongalla Picnic Ground, Eagles Nest Picnic Ground, Ferntree Gully
• Dandenong Ranges National Park – Valley Picnic Ground
• Devilbend Natural Features Reserve
• Frankston Nature Conservation Reserve
• Gembrook G203 Bushland Reserve
• Glenelg National Park
• Grampians National Park – various picnic and day visitor areas
• Greater Bendigo National Park – One Tree Hill picnic area
• Greenvale Reservoir Park - Somerton Rd
• Hattah-Kulkyne National Park – levee areas
• Kinglake National Park – biolink area
• Kurth Kiln Regional Park – Ure Road, Toms Track
• Lysterfield Park – Horswood Rd entrance 
• Macedon Regional Park – Cameron Drive
• Maribyrnong Valley Parklands - Brimbank Park
• Maroondah Reservoir Park
• Mount Buangor State Park
• Murray-Sunset National Park – Taparoo Homestead Ruins
• Organ Pipes National Park – Jacksons Creek
• Patterson River Overflow carpark
• Peachtree Creek Reserve – camping areas
• Point Cook Coastal Park entrance 1, entrance 2, bird hide
• Point Gellibrand Coastal Park – picnic area
• Point Nepean – Quarantine Precinct
• Point Nepean National Park – entrance, Gunners Cottage, Police Point and camping area
• Portarlington Harbour – entrance and Northern Breakwater
• Queenscliff Pier
• Rifle Range Reserve (Warrandyte-Kinglake Nature Conservation Reserve) 
• San Remo Jetty
• Serendip Sanctuary – farm gate and toilets
• Silvan Reservoir Park – picnic area
• Tarra-Bulga National Park – access to Corrigan Suspension Bridge
• Toorourrong Reservoir Park – sliding gate
• Upper Yarra Reservoir - campground
• Warby-Ovens
• Warrandyte State Park - Jumping Creek Reserve, Mt Lofty Reserve, Pound Bend Reserve, The Common (Warrandyte State Park), Kearneys, Pontville, Tikalara, Morrisons, Seawards, Longridge, Overbank/Gaybrooke Block, One Tree Hill and 
• Werribee Park - South Drive and Gate 5 and Main Visitor Entry
• Werribee Park Mansion
• Werribee Regional Park – William Thwaites Drive gate
• Wilsons Promontory – seasonal gates
• Wonthaggi State Coal Mine – farm gate
• Woodlands Historic Park – Somerton Road entry
• Yan Yean Reservoir
• Yarra Bend Park – Westfield toilet area
• Yarra Ranges National Park – Badger Weir, Donnellys Weir
• Yarra Valley Parklands - Westerfolds Park, Montpelier Reserve, Birrarrung Park, Yarra Flats, Banyule Flats (Parks Victoria), Banksia Park, Yarook Tambore Wetland, Glynn’s Reserve and Murundaka Swamp
• Yarra Valley Parklands – Longridge Campground, Yarra Flats, Birrarung Park
• You Yangs Regional Park – entrance, Kurrajong MTB areas, Stockyards MTB area