mmg.com.au

Campaspe Shire is considering court action against a Bamawm holiday camp for breaching a prohibition notice and operating an unregistered premises.

Campaspe Shire’s environmental health co-ordinator Alissa Herd said Murrigum Holiday Camp, Bamawm, was found to be operating without a registration certificate in late December.

The name outside the premises has a paper sign with ‘Rich River Tomatoes Workers Workers Camp’ written on top of the camp’s original sign, which Ms Herd said had not been registered with Campaspe Shire as an accommodation premises.

Ms Herd said the centre had been deregistered as an accommodation premises by Campaspe Shire in March last year for breaching the Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008 and for other planning and building issues.

Campaspe Shire had been monitoring the premises since March to ensure it was not being used for accommodation purposes, she said.

Following a routine visit in December, eight to 10 farm workers were found to be using the property as accommodation.

Ms Herd said regulations on accommodation included meeting a certain level of cleanliness, adhering to the maximum capacity rules, providing adequate water supply, fire safety regulations and general maintenance.

She said the centre was non-compliant with the regulations and was deregistered as a result.

The camp was not accommodating people when a second inspection was conducted by council last week, however several people were seen to be staying at the owner’s home on the property.

Ms Herd said it was legal to have up to five people staying at the residential address.

Ms Herd said Campaspe Shire was yet to decide whether to pursue legal action as the owner was showing some level of co-operation with council.

Campaspe News contacted the owner and he agreed to an interview but was not present when we visited.

Attempts to contact the owner since have failed.