A couple has been forced to shut down their business because they haven't paid for upgrades to a road they don't even own. Mark and Marie Johnson have been running all-year free campsite, Glenhope Bush Camp, in Cobar, Victoria, for the last nine years. But the couple have since been forced to close the business due to an ongoing battle with the Cobar Shire Council and the NSW Transport department.
Council Claims Lack of Approval
The council has claimed the family never submitted a development application, and have been operating the campsite without approval. But the family say they were only recently told they needed approval to run the site, which operates largely off donations left by campers. The council has granted them development consent, but has not given them full approval until they make upgrades to the road outside the camp, and the toilets on site.
The Johnsons' daughter, Kara O'Hara, told Daily Mail her parents were told by Transport NSW their farm connected to the Barrier Highway, which needed to undergo roadworks. Council agreed that 'minor upgrades' should be undertaken on the road outside the camp's entrance. Among the changes are the installation of a basic right turn and basic left turn so visitors have a lane to turn into the farm.
Traffic Engineer Finds No Issue
Ms O'Hara said her parents hired a traffic engineer, who told them there was no traffic issue, and no need for the upgrade to the road. She said in the nine years her family has operated the business, there has never been a crash or any issue regarding safety turning into the site. The Johnsons have now been left to foot the bill, with neither council or the roads department helping out with the funding, even though it's owned by the state.
'We, as a lease holder under Crown Lands, have been told we're not responsible for the upgrade, but because we applied for the DA and want to be an approved primitive campground, we have to pay ourselves,' Ms O'Hara said. In addition, the council's Notice of Development stated that their toilet facilities, currently long drops, had to be improved as well. 'The provision of environmentally and socially acceptable toilet facilities, which cater for people with disabilities or limited mobility, [is needed],' it said.
Family Willing to Upgrade Toilets, Not Road
The family has said they are happy to upgrade the toilets but don't believe the required upgrades to the road are necessary. In total, Ms O'Hara said costs could amount to $1 million, which prompted her to start a GoFundMe page. She said she hoped to keep the premises running because it was more than just a campground to the community of Cobar.
'It isn't just another place to camp, but something genuinely special and I believe it's worth fighting for,' she said. 'It's allowed people to stay in our town and spend money to help businesses. We opened the front paddock nine years ago due to council closing all free camping down in our town, but people had to go somewhere and be safe as well.'
Council's Perspective
Cobar Shire Council Mayor Jarrod Marsden told Daily Mail he wanted to see the business succeed, but added there were hurdles that needed to be overcome. 'The Glenhope Camp is a wonderful development that adds real value to Cobar and I understand the team behind the camp have been frustrated and angry over the amount of time, red tape, and issues that have been part of their DA process,' he said. 'I share that frustration, but reiterate that things need to be done to standards that meet all the departments that have a say in approving the camp, which is not just council. I continue to be supportive and am happy to advocate to the government on their behalf if required.'
Cobar Shire Council general manager Peter Vlatko also appreciated what the camp did for the community, but said they couldn't ignore that a DA was required. 'We're more worried about their safety and they need to be covered insurance wise [which would only happen when their DA is approved],' he said. Although the owners had already been operating the business for many years already, Mr Vlatko said they had been warned in the past. 'They had previously been doing this kind of development opportunity without a warrant. We sort of kept reminding them that it was illegal and they needed to submit a DA, but they sort of ignored that for a while.'
However, Ms O'Hara claimed council only approached them for the first time in July 2025, telling them they were operating without approval. When asked if council would consider helping the Johnsons financially, Mr Vlatko said that if they did, then it wouldn't be fair to others. 'If we help them, does it mean we have to help out everybody?' he said.
A TNSW spokesman confirmed the onus was on the owners to pay for the upgrades required to meet the DA's conditions. 'It is the responsibility of the operator to mitigate the impacts of their development and comply with any conditions of the DA consent,' he said.
