Directional and tourism (way finder) signage

Types of signs

Tourist attraction signs (white lettering on brown background)

Tourist attraction signs indicate tourist establishments and features of interest which meet the criteria established by VicRoads and Tourism Victoria.

To qualify for a tourist attraction sign, the 'core business activity'* must be tourism based with a strong commitment to servicing visitors. Tourist Attraction signs include: Wineries, Art Galleries and Craft Outlets, Museums and Historical Properties, Accommodation, Primary and Secondary Based Industries.

* Core Business Activity (Tourism) - Refers to a business where the principal motivation, or one of the motivations, is the provision of an experience ardor service to meet the needs of tourists (ie the business earns more than of its annual revenue from tourism activities). A demonstrated commitment to high standards of customer service should be central to the business philosophy. Membership of, and active participation in. the marketing programs of local and regional tourism organisations may also be taken into consideration when the 'core' business of a tourism order to determine ts eligibility for tourist signing.

Examples of signs:

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Service signs (white lettering on blue background)

Service signs direct motorists to essential facilities and services. Generally, the name of the service is not permitted on the signs if there are multiple services signed at one location.

Service signs include:

  • Caravan and camping areas
  • Visitors information centres
  • Restaurants and cafes
  • Service stations.
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Community facilities signs

Community facility signs are used for community facilities such as:

  • Churches
  • Golf courses
  • Swimming pools
  • Sports facilities
  • Parks
  • Police stations
  • Civic centres
  • Shopping centres.
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Eligibility

Eligible businesses can apply to have signs placed on roadside reserves. We determine the eligibility of businesses using the VicRoads Tourist Signing Guidelines when assessing eligibility for signs, your type of business determines which guidelines are relevant. Please review these to ensure your business is eligible or use the checklist below :

Signage on major and state arterial roads require approval from the Department of Transport and Planning (DTP) so must also be referred to them.


Costs

If you proceed with an application the following assessment fees apply:
  • $441.00 - Application for one sign
  • $880.95 - Application for two or more signs.
Please be aware that Shire’s assessment will ultimately determine eligibility and application fees will not be reimbursed if the application is not successful.
 
Signage on major roads and state arterial roads require approval from the Department of Transport and Planning (DTP).

If approved, a fee of $1622.25 (per sign) for manufacturing and installation will be charged. Once installed if a sign incurs damage or needs replacing, this expense will be met by you, the applicant.

Considerations

Mornington Peninsula Shire and/or you (the applicant) may consider the aggregation of smaller signs into one sign. This may often involve the replacement of references to individual attractions with a generic descriptor. For example, instead of signing to several individual wineries, galleries or accommodation properties, a larger general sign to ‘Wineries’ or ‘Galleries’ may be appropriate.

The need to rationalise signing will be made in consultation with existing stakeholders. However, we are the final arbiter in decisions to rationalise and aggregate tourist and services signing on our roads.


Apply

If you would like to submit an enquiry to the Traffic and Transport Team complete a Directional Signage Enquiry Form.

You can read more signage information in the Shire’s Signage Policy.

 

Created: July 2025

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