IMPORTANT, The Caravan Parks Grant Program

With the summer holiday season quickly approaching, there has never been a better time to make some improvements for your caravan or holiday park, like new laundry equipment. Why not do that with help from the Australian Government?!  We often praise the benefits of Speed Queen commercial laundry equipment because it can revolutionise your laundry operation (Click here if you'd like to know more)! But, like many commercial items, it (initially) comes at a cost. Many of our distributors have financing options, but recently another opportunity for new and existing caravan park owners has become available. 

The Caravan Parks Grant Program

The program has the potential to award between $10,000 to $100,000 of new infrastructure to your operation.  There is a total pool of $10 million.  Applications close on the 22nd of December 2022.  If you'd like to read more yourself, check out the official page here, but here's our quick summary; 

Why is the Australian Government doing this?

The overall purpose of the funding involves increasing both the number of visitors, and their quality of stay in caravan parks. The laundry clearly falls under this purpose, as visitors will be able to quickly clean their garments, with less hassle. 

The goal is to:

1. Increase the number of visitors seeking caravan park accommodation at a destination.
2. Increase a destination’s attractiveness or capacity to meet visitor needs through new and improved infrastructure and facilities at local caravan parks.
3. Increase the capacity and improve the quality of caravan park infrastructure and facilities for visitors at a destination.

What can you use it for?

Here's a list of eligible options, however projects are not limited to this list. (Commercial laundry equipment qualifies!)

• developing new caravan/camping sites
• increasing the number of powered sites
• installing new cabins or substantial renovations of existing cabins
• installing new or upgraded recreational facilities
• installing new or upgraded visitor amenities
• upgrading sites, cabins or amenities to make them more accessible, environmentally friendly or reduced carbon impact.

What CAN'T you use it for?

This list is similarly not exhaustive, as the grant money usage must support the objectives of the grant program. 

• administration costs, for example, costs related to obtaining resources used on the project, advertising and recruitment, project management costs, staff training and development costs
• costs incurred prior to a grant agreement being executed
• costs of purchasing, leasing or depreciation of land
• IT assets, IT software, office furniture or equipment
• loans, debt financing, financing cost, including interest and bank fees
• maintenance or general repair costs
• marketing or promotional advertising costs
• projects better suited to other Commonwealth or state/territory grant programs
• projects already funded by other Commonwealth or state/territory government grant programs
• routine or business-as-usual operational expenses
• site preparation activities which are not directly related to, or for, the main purpose of the project
• staff accommodation.

The commercial difference

But why should you spend this grant money on a commercial laundry system? A commercial machine may initially seem more expensive for your holiday park, however, the lifetime ROI will more than cover the initial cost.  When you buy a Speed Queen, you won’t be replacing it for many years.  More cycles in less time will also reduce your utility costs. Similarly, your businesses will incur less maintenance and repair costs because of commercial machines' superior durability. And if it does break down, our distributors have the means to service your machines in even the most remote parts of Australia. 

We have all the traditional payment methods available (coin slide, coin drop, token) however if you want total control and visibility then our commercial machines also offer an unparalleled user experience with tools such as the Speed Queen user app which allows them to pay for their laundry using their smartphone. The app also allows them to view the remaining time on the wash cycle and receive a notification when their washing is complete.

For more information about how we can help you, check out this page!

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