Sunshine Coast Council evict homeless man from Alexandra Headland

A homeless man living in a popular park has been evicted by the Sunshine Coast Council after locals lodged numerous complaints about his behaviour.

A homeless man who had set up a campsite under a rotunda at Nelson Park in Alexandra Headland has been evicted from the site by the Sunshine Coast Council.

The man’s eviction comes after several complaints by residents were made to authorities about the man’s behaviour, claiming he was yelling loudly during the day and getting drunk on some evenings.

A council spokesman said they took action against the man for public safety reasons on January 10.

“In the interests of public safety, the man was asked to remove his belongings and was provided information to assist him with housing options,” he said.

“Council respects people experiencing homelessness and their right to access public space and public amenities and will only engage with a person if public health and safety issues are identified, they are not complying with a relevant law or regulation, they are in need of assistance, or their belongings affect the use of public space or amenities.”

Locals in the area say the man had previously stayed in the same spot last year before he was reportedly evicted for the first time and had returned around a month ago.

The homeless man, who did not wish to be named, said he was told by council and police officers that he had to leave the park by Tuesday afternoon with his belongings or they would be confiscated.

“I’m a fisherman, a homeless person, I go to the caravan park to have a shower,” he said.

“They said I’ve got to 4pm (Tuesday, January 11) to move my stuff. That’s all I’ve got, that’s all I’ve got to my name, it means a lot to me.”

“Now I’ve got to find another campsite.”

He has since moved from the site.

Jennifer from Buderim, who asked to be only referred to by her first name, regularly visits the parks and described the man’s behaviour as startling but unthreatening.

“This one guy has been there for months and months and he does have friends with him that come and go,” she said.

“I've heard one night about a month ago where it was the same thing, he was completely off his tree and the police came and took him away.

“When he’s like that I just feel sorry for him, but a lot of people would be really offended, they just wouldn’t walk past it (the rotunda).”

The Homeless man who had been staying by a rotunda in Nelson Park, Alexandra Headlands was told to move on by council. Picture: Patrick Woods.

IFYS Accommodation Services team leader Tania Larter said homelessness remains an increasingly prevalent issue on the Coast which has been compounded by the pandemic.

“Job insecurity definitely is one, people losing employment, businesses shutting down, people not being able to go to work who are on casual contracts and due to having to isolate and therefore not having the income to support their rental,” she said.

Figures released by the Residential Tenancies Authority last year showed median rental prices for a two bedroom flat in the Sunshine Coast Council region were $450 in the last June quarter, up from $365 from the same time in 2020.

Noosa’s median price was $500, which was a $100 increase from 2020.

Ms Larter said IFYS crisis accommodation services on the Coast were stretched to capacity from the rising demand in emergency shelter.

“Last year with youth homelessness we had over 200 referrals that went unmet,” she said.

The Homeless man who had been staying by a rotunda in Nelson Park, Alexandra Headlands was told to move on by council. Picture: Patrick Woods.

“We have six beds in our youth crisis accommodation for the Sunshine Coast which is fairly low given that 200 numbers that went unanswered.

“In terms of adults, we have a sixty bed crisis accommodation and that is also always full and always has a significant waiting list.”

The Queensland Government launched its Queensland Housing and Homelessness Action Plan 2021-2025 in June last year, which included 137 new social housing homes to be built on the Coast over the next three to four years.