Caravan owners take Clarence Valley Council to court over eviction bids

A dispute between caravan park residents and the local council will be fought in court, with locals claiming they remain in the dark just days before the deadline for their vans to be removed.

A dispute between Northern Rivers caravan park residents and the local council will be fought in court on Monday, with locals claiming they remain in the dark just days before the deadline for them to be evicted.

On Monday, more than 80 caravan owners from Iluka, Brooms Head, Minnie Water and Wooli caravan parks will face off against Clarence Valley Council at the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT) over a bid to oust them from their long-term sites.

The Sunday Telegraph revealed in April the council had advised more than 136 caravan owners via a letter that they needed to vacate by June 30 or their vans would be demolished to make room for short-term tourist sites.

The residents will allege in court that the council has orchestrated an undemocratic takeover of their properties, which would leave some of them homeless.

But despite the eviction bid being voted down in a council meeting the same month, where councillors agreed to issue new 12-month tenancy agreements to residents determined to stay, locals claim they have yet to receive confirmation the eviction date next week has been called off.

Clarence Valley council previously informed hundreds of semi-permanent residents they must clear out of local caravan parks, rendering many homeless. Picture: Natalie Grono

Caravan owner Simon Chase said the group had been left in limbo, and claimed council had refused to honour the agreement to walk back the evictions, which was recorded as an official resolution following councillors’ vote.

“We are seeking for the court to make an order to withdraw the termination notices and other orders, potentially looking at compensation for the stress and anxiety this has caused to a number of elderly people,” Mr Chase said.

The dispute will return to NCAT on Monday. Picture: Natalie Grono

Those not among the 80 residents before NCAT may face even greater risk because their evictions are not tied up in the courts and can technically go ahead in a matter of days.

Father-of-two Mark Phelps, 43, bought his caravan in Iluka for more than $100,000 last year before finding out just months later about the council’s bid to take back the site.

“As if I’d buy a van for $100,000 and get kicked out within 12 months. No one in their right mind would spend that money on a 1970s caravan just to lose it,” Mr Phelps said.

“(But) council hasn’t given us any information. I haven’t even really got my official eviction notice … it’s been all over the shop, none of its made sense to anyone.”

Residents’ confusion only mounted when Clarence Valley Mayor Ray Smith apologised to the gallery at a council meeting earlier this week after he blocked a motion to discuss withdrawing the eviction notices.

Mr Smith said he was “obliged” to follow Office of Local Government advice that prohibited the late motion, which was put forward by a group of councillors supporting the residents, after a motion with the “same intent” failed days earlier.

Clarence Valley Council did not respond to requests for comment.

Originally published as Caravan owners take Clarence Valley Council to court over eviction bids