Plan for Ellendale to become home to up to 30 ex-offenders

RESIDENTS of a Tasmanian town thought having three paedophiles living near them was bad. But is a small “village” on the horizon?

Minimalist afternoon landscape of trees in a hill clearing underneath purple and orange copy-space clouds. Ellendale Tasmania

A TASMANIAN town could be rolling out the welcome mat for as many as 30 ex-offenders.

The proposal for the town of Ellendale, 75km north of Hobart, won’t thrill those that live nearby, who were already unhappy that three former sex offenders, including two paedophiles, were going to be housed there.

One of those men had committed nearly 25 sex offences against 15 boys, most under the age of 17.

The plans are being driven by Elizabeth Coleman, a former state finalist for Senior Australian of the Year, who has opened her home to many former prison inmates. But her plan to purchase a small plot of farmland in town and make it a home for former prison inmates has horrified many locals.

The Australian reported today the Freedom Centre had tried to set up a “satellite village” for up to 30 ex-offenders.

It would do so by taking a lease of a rural property — however the plan appears to have been scuttled because the owner has declined to retain it in its current form.

Ms Coleman told The Australian she hoped to find another suitable site to continue the “village” proposal elsewhere.

Pictured from left are Nathan Ransley, Maree Davidson and Tony Donaghy of Ellendale who are concerned about a home that has been set up for sex offenders. Picture: The Australian

When her initial plan was revealed earlier this month, Ms Coleman said the three men were excited about growing vegetables and tending to a small farm. She said she was confident they would not reoffend.

In a letter to residents in Ellendale, the founder of the Hobart-based Freedom Centre wrote: “We wish to allay your fears and perceived threats to the safety of your neighbourhood. Three elderly men have been with us for some time and are excited to at last have their own place to live.

“They have been with us for quite some time now and are very nice people with skills that could help your township. We ask you to accept them into your community.

“They will not harm anyone and we are sure you will like to get to know them and find them quality people. After all, we all have offended in some way during our lives. None of us are really entitled to throw stones at others. As Jesus said: ‘He who is without sin, let him cast the first stone’.”

Elizabeth Coleman wants to build a home for former prisoners in Ellendale.

The letter was not been received well. At a packed town hall meeting, those in attendance let Ms Coleman know all about it.

“Our major concern is that these people will be using public transport and there is only one bus out of Ellendale and 99 per cent of the people on that bus are school kids,” resident Wayne Booth told the meeting.

There has been a similar sentiment in response to the village plans.

The Freedom Centre already hosts former inmates at a small farm south of Hobart. A statement on the organisation’s website declares: “The Freedom Centre is aimed at helping reintegrate men on parole and ex-offenders, helping to reduce the rate of recidivism, which will build better relationships hoping to make therefore a better society.”

For her work, Ms Coleman is highly regarded in Tasmania. She was a state finalist for Senior Australian of the Year in 2015.

Originally published as Plan for Ellendale to become home to up to 30 ex-offenders