Mount Gambier, Adelaide: Camping, campervan businesses report surge in sales

Businesses are reporting a surge in tent and campervan sales across South Australia as teens and young families are unable to find a home to live in.

Teens as young as 17 and young families are sleeping in tents or campervans as businesses report a surge in sales in regional South Australia and Adelaide.

Mount Gambier Aussie Disposals manager Tanya Knight said teens were among those coming into the store because they had no other means to sleep.

She said it had been an ongoing issue for years but the past six months had seen a sharp increase in sales.

Mount Gambier Aussie Disposals manager Tanya Knight said people were sleeping in pop up tents amid the growing housing crisis. Picture: Arj Ganesan

Mrs Knight said every week people were buying camping equipment because they were homeless.

“I was sitting in my nice warm house and I go, ‘Oh, gosh, it’s cold outside’ and then it dawned on me there’s little kids sleeping in tents,” she said.

“Imagine being homeless, nowhere to go, your mental health declines extremely quickly — once you’re down in a hole, getting back up is extremely difficult.

“No toilet — no shower — you don’t have access to hot water — imagine having to try and continue your job.”

Mrs Knight said the stereotype of homelessness must be challenged with many of those sleeping in tents having, until recently, had long-term accommodation.

Mount Gambier Aussie Disposals manager Tanya Knight said something needed to be done to solve the lack of affordable housing. Picture: Arj Ganesan

Mount Gambier homelessness organisation ac.care manager Trish Spark at the Limestone Coast Homelessness Centre in Mount Gambier where staff have been providing swags and tents to the homeless. Picture: Supplied

Mrs Knight said a family with two children under five were forced to pitch a tent in their friend’s backyard after they were forced out of their property they had rented for 10 years.

Mount Gambier homelessness organisation ac.care said it had helped more people secure or maintain a tenancy in the first half of the year than it would traditionally help in a year.

Chief executive Shane Maddocks said ac.care had been forced to hand out tents to provide some form of shelter.

“Things are becoming pretty desperate when a tent is the only option available for people to at least stay dry at night, especially during winter in country South Australia,” Mr Maddocks said.

“Sadly, there just are no other options available in a growing number of cases.”

SA Caravans owner Warren King said people unable to find affordable housing were buying caravan or campervans to put a roof over their heads.

Mr King said it was a result of available properties amid an increase in costs to rent a property.

“There needs to be more accommodation, particularly affordable accommodation,” he said.

“Where there’s demand prices are going to go up and unless you’ve really kind landlord they’re going to take advantage of the situation.”

A spokesperson from Housing SA said at the end of May there were 47,000 social houses in South Australia, 13,000 of which are privately operated with the rest managed by them.

“With this number of properties, there will always be some vacancies as people move in and out, and as old properties are demolished, freeing up land for new homes,” they said.

“Most vacant properties are having work done to them after a tenant has moved out, and before the next tenant moves in.”