Residents fear safety in the CBD as tent city starts again in Southport’s Carey Park

Southport’s reputation is taking another hit - branded a slum and dangerous for residents as a new tent city for homeless appears next to the CBD’s main shopping centre. See the photos

Southport’s reputation is taking another hit - and being branded a slum and dangerous for residents as a new tent city for the homeless appears next to the CBD’s main shopping mall.

Young men and a woman have set up the campsite at Carey Park opposite Australia Fair shopping centre and fronting the Gold Coast Highway and Broadwater Parklands.

They are using a nearby toilet and on Wednesday morning were on their bicycles to get food and other necessities from the nearby shops.

The tent city where the homeless are again camping out in Carey Park at Southport.

Southport councillor Brooke Patterson, contacted on Wednesday, said: “On Monday I asked for an urgent response through the CEO’s office. I am as yet to hear back.

“As you know, I cannot demand action nor direct officers,” she said, referring to a recent “guidelines” given to her by council administration, amid Bulletin revelations she was the subject of staff complaints.

“However, I do expect our City’s administration to do everything in their power to ensure our public spaces are liveable for residents and ratepayers.

“I will continue to hold both the state government and our own City administration to account.”

The return of vagrants to the prime parkland occurs as residents on Ms Patterson’s Facebook page warned how the CBD streets had become more violent in winter.

A woman wrote: “I won’t take my son to Southport because of the junkies hanging around. Especially at the library and shops close to there.”

Homeless have returned to Carey Park at Southport to camp out.

A young man branded the CBD “a toilet” saying he had watched about a dozen people “get smashed”.

“Drinking, shooting up in broad daylight, annoying anyone who may have a dollar and of course most of them are back to smoking – I was also followed by kids who ironically likely wanted my vape (or shoes),” he wrote, on Ms Patterson’s Facebook page.

A retired police officer said it was not “the true homeless” causing the problems. He blamed the state government.

“Charity groups and (an) activist have had a free run in Southport and treated it as a dumping ground for every drunk, druggie and itinerant in the misguided belief that they are all the poor homeless souls that need support,” he said.

“We have local CBD residents (who) won’t use Nerang Street after dark due the ever-expanding number of miscreants and inconsistencies in policing.

A tent city has returned to Carey Park at Southport where the homeless have again begun camping out.

“I walk down Nerang Street most evenings and see offences being committed. I volunteer at Australia Fair and observe theft every single day by the same group of people that charity groups and others support.”

Another resident asked Ms Patterson whether she understood the issue was for the government and not the council.

She said it was council’s responsibility “for engaging and upholding local laws in our parks”.

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Originally published as Residents fear safety in the CBD as tent city starts again in Southport’s Carey Park