General News
3 April, 2026
Right price: Local towns fit family holiday budgets
CENTRAL Victoria has emerged as a favoured destination as families grapple with rising fuel prices ahead of Easter.
Caravan parks at Bridgewater and Boort remained fully booked for the long weekend.
Organisers of Monday’s 153rd Rheola Charity Carnival are pitching their event as “well priced for a family day out”.
Diesel prices have jumped well above $3.50 a litre at the bowser in the past week and unleaded fuel is up more than 40 per cent since the Iran conflict started.
Rheola committee president Matt Catto is confident several thousand people will be at the carnival.
“The tradition will continue - our charity carnival is renowned for offering good value enterainment, food and drinks and that’s what families are looking for now and more than ever,” he said.
“The day remains affordable and our location surrounded by wonderfully supportive Loddon communities and larger towns like Maryborough, St Arnaud and Bendigo less than an hour away has our army of volunteers confident of a big crowd.”
Bridgewater Caravan Park’s Kristy Hourigan said indications were people would holiday closer to home this weekend.
“We’re hearing that while our bookings for Easter and the school holidays mean a full house, it’s Queensland and New South Wales caravan parks that are being hit by high fuel prices. One park in Queensland has reported 180 cancellations,” she said.
“People are cancelling long trips and staying in Victoria.”
Boort Lakes Holiday Park’s Wendy James said: “We haven’t had any cancellations. It’s a big weekend again with the tennis tournament and regulars returning.”
“And we’ve still got petrol. So we’re holding our breath and hoping for a good couple of weeks,” she said.