ARV advises the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) has approved the planning permit for the Falls Creek Lakeside Development.

The planning permit for this development, which was approved by the Minister for Planning in April 2024, was objected to by a group of resort stakeholders. This resulted in the matter being heard before VCAT late last year with the original approval being upheld.

“We are pleased that VCAT has granted the planning permit for the Lakeside Development Project,“ said Melanie Kay, Acting Chief Executive Officer of Alpine Resorts Victoria.

“We look forward to continuing our collaboration with all parties to move the project forward and create a development that benefits the entire community,” she said.

ARV will now work through the planning permit requirements and continue to work collaboratively with stakeholders to seek the best outcomes for the resort and its stakeholders.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

The Lakeside Precinct development has been part of the vision for the Falls Creek resort and in the pipeline for many years. The Falls Creek Masterplan, developed in 2016, lists the Lakeside Development precinct as a key development node and the Victorian Alpine Resort Visitor Economy Development plan has further highlighted this precinct as a priority transformational project as the project will expand the significant number of year-round activities by developing the existing facilities and enhancing the visitor experience. This will be achieved by;

  • Driving further demand for alpine experiences, with a demonstrated Victorian market size of 1 million potential visitors for snow season and 996,000 for green season over 2 years.​
  • Grow the regional Victorian visitor economy through investment in experiences that will drive demand from interstate and international visitors.  ​
  • Grow year-round utilisation of assets, including the large number of accommodation bed spaces and food establishments that sit largely idle for 8 months of the year.
  • Extend the economic benefit provided to valley towns and regional communities beyond the snow season, with further investment in year-round experiences and motivating green season experiences that will drive demand.​
  • Achieve climate change adaptation through investments that will reposition the visitor economy offering to create a sustainable future. This includes public investment in demand-driving green season experiences, focus on nonski or snowboard activities and expansion of snowmaking.​
  • Provide for equitable and culturally diverse use by creating accessible, year-round destinations.
  • ARV has conducted extensive engagement with stakeholders and visitors, who overwhelmingly support the development of the Lakeside Precinct.
  • Cross country skiers will benefit from an upgrade of facilities that will be more centrally located to the 60km+ network of trails and reduced walking time during low snow periods.

The outcome of the hearing and issuing of the planning permit will allow Falls Creek Resort to continue with its strategic plans to enhance the Visitor Experience on a year-round basis. This will further cement visitation to the resort during the popular snow season and the growing ‘green’ season, known for hiking, biking, and relaxation from November to April.

Page last updated: 08/01/25