State government says it can only renew Dicky Beach lease to council

Sunshine Coast caravan park residents are expressing their worries over a lease set to expire in 2026. See what the state government and council has to say about it.

Residents of a Sunshine Coast caravan park say they face an uncertain future as a 20-year lease agreement over the land they live on runs out in 2026.

The Dicky Beach Family Holiday Park is home to 83 permanent residents.

The land on which they live is leased to the Sunshine Coast Council by the state government’s Department of Resources.

On May 18, 2026, a 20-year lease between the council and the state government will expire.

Sunshine Coast Councillor Terry Landsberg said the council also recently introduced two-year fixed-term tenancy agreements to the residents to comply with new state government legislation.

Dicky Beach Family Holiday Park is home to 83 residents. Picture: Letea Cavander

Michael Wiedman has lived at the caravan park for 11 years.

The retired police officer said he initially bought a run-down caravan and made about $70,000 worth of improvements to his home once he moved to the caravan park.

Michael Wiedman outside his home at the Dicky Beach Family Holiday Park. Picture: Letea Cavander

“When we went to put a new place in, the council brought in rules and regulations to say you had to have plans drawn up by a qualified architect, had to be submitted to council for approval and certified after completion,” he said.

Mr Wiedman said it worried him that if the 2026 lease was not extended, the residents faced an uncertain future.

He said a lot of older pensioners living in the park would have few options if they were forced to leave.

“Everyone is concerned for everyone else’s welfare,” Mr Wiedman said.

He said park management had been “really good” and open and honest in his dealings with them.

Several other residents expressed concern over the 2026 lease expiration but did not want to go on the record.

Others who also wished to remain anonymous said they could not understand what the fuss was about.

Mr Landsberg said the council was not looking at removing anybody and that the council had been in contact with the state department to ask what their intentions were but were yet to get a response.

Sunshine Coast Councillor Terry Landsberg.

“For us to make comments past 2026, I wouldn’t like to make any comments as to what the state government directions are after that date,” Mr Landsberg said.

A Department of Resources spokesman said the department would begin a lease renewal process about two years before the 2026 lease expires.

“The department can only renew a lease to the current lessee, in this instance Sunshine Coast Regional Council,” he said.

“The department is not party to the tenancy arrangements between the Sunshine Coast Regional Council and permanent residents.”

It was understood that generally, a renewal of a term lease would be issued for the same term as the current lease.