Nerang Country Paradise Parklands expansion to see house torn down despite housing crisis

A large suburban home is to be demolished to expand a park, angering a homeless man who says people like him are being treated like ‘the scum of the earth’. Here’s what he thinks it should be used for.

A man forced to live in his car amid the Gold Coast’s housing crisis says homeless people are being treated like “the scum of the earth”.

Matt Bullis said housing that could be used by homeless people was being torn down for public projects, including the expansion of the Country Paradise Parklands in Nerang.

Mr Bullis also said council rangers chased him away from public car parks at night, forcing him to sleep in remote and dangerous areas.

“It’s very stressful,” Mr Bullis said. “It’s uncomfortable sleeping in the car, and stressful worrying where you’re going to park for the night.

“The council rangers come and wake you up. They move you on from all sorts of parks and car parks.

“Pretty much anywhere that’s bitumen you’re not allowed to sleep in the car on the Gold Coast, and they threaten you with a $680 fine.”

Matt Bullis at the abandoned Nerang house as shelter, but he was moved on by Gold Coast City Council who owns the home. Picture Glenn Hampson

Mr Bullis, 40, said he once owned several properties but fell on hard times and ultimately became homeless after suffering injuries that meant he could no longer work.

Mr Bullis said he had tried sleeping in his car at The Spit, but was attacked by two men armed with a knife.

“They just walked straight up to my car and pulled out a knife and said, give me all your money. That was a bit of a hairy situation, with no money, nothing to give them. And they’re like, well, you’re gonna get stabbed if you don’t give us something,” he said.

“Luckily, I had some painkillers for my back. I said, hey, here you go, take this.”

Mr Bullis said he had on occasion slept in abandoned properties around the Gold Coast, including a Mudgeeraba house purchased to make way for a road project.

“I was there for almost three months squatting,” Matt says. “I had a dog that had bladder cancer. The weather was really bad, so I ended up moving in. It was a full house, had power. So I could cook in a kitchen, which is a great, great advantage when you’re homeless.

“... Two days after my dog passed the police came and threatened to arrest me for trespassing. I told them the situation and they let me go. Two weeks later, the whole house was completely demolished. Oven, shower, hot water systems, light fixtures, mirrors, doors, cabinets, the whole lot went into a bin.

“... and they still haven’t started the roadwork project yet. That block is still sitting there empty.”

Matt Bullis at the abandoned house in Nerang. Picture: Glenn Hampson.

He said he had identified another abandoned house in Nerang, which had a working hot shower, but was unable to sleep there because he was chased away by security.

The house is on land purchased by council to expand the Country Paradise Parklands.

Council sources told the Bulletin it had hoped to use the building as a community hub, but it has now been earmarked for demolition after being deemed unsuitable by officers.

Mr Bullis said it was extraordinary that housing was being cleared to make way for parkland when so many people needed places of shelter.

He suggested the property or others like it on the Gold Coast could be used as a drop-in centre such as Fred’s Place in Tweed Heads rather than face the wrecking ball.

“There’s families out there, single mums with kids,” he said.

“... There’s nine acres of property they’re going to use to extend the parklands. There’s really no reason to demolish this, just to make another thousand square metres of grass. This could be utilised.”

Mr Bullis said it appeared the goal of authorities was to drive homeless people from the Gold Coast, rather than help them in their hour of need.

“They want to separate us from the rest of society,” he said.

“My theory is they think, well, because we don’t contribute to society that we are less. They don’t realise that I have contributed to society. I’ve bought four houses and paid rates on four houses. I’ve done everything.

“They don’t realise that there’s a series of unfortunate events that have really done a job on me.”

DEMAND DOUBLES AT DROP-IN SERVICE

Fred's Place in Tweed Heads.

A popular drop-in service for homeless people run by the St Vincent de Paul in Tweed Heads has seen numbers double in just twelve months.

Fred’s Place on Boyd St provides basic needs such as hot showers, laundry facilities and a kitchen.

Team Leader Julian De Ridder said numbers had exploded in the last 12 months as cost of living and housing pressures tookhold.

“The last 12 months have been flat out,” Mr De Ridder said. “The last three months particularly have been very very busy.

“What we’ve seen recently are a lot of new people that we’ve never seen before.

“In the past, going back 12 months ago, it was quite consistent, the same homeless population.

“Now, every day we’re seeing someone new.”

Mr De Ridder said that in July to September 2021, there were about 3000 visits to the service. In the same months this year, there were 6000.

“We are seeing some families, but generally singles or couples,” Mr De Ridder said.

“The average age is that middle age range, and quite a lot of older people as well.”

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Originally published as Nerang Country Paradise Parklands expansion to see house torn down despite housing crisis