Long-term Moana Tourist Park residents ‘can’t sleep’ worrying about leases expiring

People living at a seaside tourist park can’t sleep and are living in fear as their leases are set to expire - and say they they’ve been blindsided by council.

Long-term residents of Moana Beach Tourist Park fear their only option will be the street if their council doesn’t agree to renew the upcoming lease.

Onkaparinga Council says it will work with the residents on their ongoing tenure arrangements, but resident Terry Wills, 72, said the situation has been a blindside.

“We haven’t had anything from council other than them requesting to have individual meetings with the residents, which we rejected,” Mr Wills said.

“They haven’t enlightened us in any way. It’s blindsided all of us that have been there under five years.”

Mr Wills, chairman for the Moana Beach Tourist Park residents’ committee, said the park had quickly become home to him, after moving a little more than two years ago.

Long-term dwellings at the Moana Beach Tourist Park. Pic: Onkaparinga Council

“I bought in there thinking I would be more settled, it’s a lovely place to live, the people are wonderful and it’s a secure environment,” he said.

“If I knew that this would be an avenue that they would take, I wouldn’t have bought it, I just would have packed up and moved on.

“We’re all pensioners of some description, we can’t afford $400 to $500 a week on rent.

“There are a lot of us stressed out, not sleeping and eating.

“If we don't get our leases renewed we are going to be on the streets.”

The park has 17 long-term residential sites where occupants licence the land their home is on from council, but own their individual dwellings.

All current long-term site licences for the park are set to expire on December 31, 2024, leaving the residents concerned about the future of their agreements and many of their homes they have put “significant investments” into.

“Council will work with the residents of these sites in relation to their ongoing tenure arrangements, to respond to our legislative obligations and to meet the housing needs of the residents,” the spokesman said.

“Renewal of the long-term site licences will be considered by council early in 2024.”