Residents of a Moreton Bay homeless camp given seven days to vacate after serious public health concerns raised

Residents camping surrounded by human waste and drug paraphernalia at a Moreton Bay beauty spot have been given seven days to vacate before it is shut down by Council over public health fears.

Moreton Bay locals are outraged that the park has been trashed. Photo: supplied

A review into a Moreton Bay homeless camp has raised serious health concerns, with residents given seven days to vacate after “human waste” and “drug paraphernalia” found at the site.

The Gayundah Coastal Arboretum site at Woody Point has been left with litter, clothing, ripped tents and trolleys strewn across it, leading to the City of Moreton Bay saying it will close the site from February 17.

The Courier-Mail understands there have been around 12 permanent residents at the site.

The review noted an escalated public health risk and identified human waste, used syringes and associated waste, drug paraphernalia, significant general and food waste, active vermin and mosquito breeding.

Remediation works will include removal of some ground surface area and associated waste items, ground maintenance and sanitation, and restoration of remnant vegetation, the council said.

The Queensland Government’s Department of Housing, Queensland Police and Council will attend the site to inform residents of its closure, giving them seven days to vacate.

Tent city at Gayundah Coastal Arboretum in Woody Point. Picture, John Gass

City of Moreton Bay acting Mayor Jodie Shipway said this urgent response was due to serious public health and safety concerns.

“I was appalled and saddened by the recent review of the site that showed an escalated public health risk under the Public Health Act 2005,” Cr Shipway said.

This comes as Moreton Bay residents have previously expressed their concerns over the popular lookout being reduced to “squalor”.

“I genuinely hope that people do not exploit our legal obligation to clean up this site, by bringing into this conversation the very complex issue of homelessness. This is a serious public health matter, and we are obliged to respond,” she said.

Moreton Bay acting Mayor Jodie Shipway. Picture Lachie Millard

“The review noted recent human waste, used toilet paper, used syringes and associated waste, drug paraphernalia, significant general and food waste, and active vermin and mosquito breeding.”

Gayundah park will be closed for extended amount of time and the clean-up would cost Council more than $110,000.

Beau Haywood from homeless organisation Nourish Street said things at Woody Point had ”gotten out of hand” and that the area needed to be made safe.

“I’m just here to make sure, though, that housing are coming through here, and that people are getting housed appropriately. It’s all very well putting people into housing, but the housing needs to be suited for that individual,” he said. .

“Sending someone who’s got medical conditions up to Gympie, it’s not going to work for them.”

Mr Haywood said over the 11 months he has been running his operation, he had seen only 11 people housed.

“The wheels seem to turn very slowly, and I think it’s down to there not being enough accommodation, whether that’s temporary or full time accommodation for these people. I believe housing will be engaging more over the next week down here like I see,” Mr Haywood said.

Beau Haywood of Nourish Street says finding alternative accommodation is difficult and takes a long time. Picture: John Gass

Resident Aiden Quinn has been living at the park on and off for over 10 years and said he didn’t want to be put in a motel.

“It’s similar to being in a jail cell, a motel isn’t going to cut it for me and my dog,” Mr Quinn said.

Jacki Rose was moved into a hotel room that had no cooking facilities and said it’s not “appropriate.”

“It’s not appropriate just to shove us into motel rooms indefinitely, while they wait for something when there’s nothing in there. Motel rooms aren’t designed to live in,” she said, adding that the park dwellers felt angry about the move-on notice.

Cr Shipway said City of Moreton Bay Mayor had met with former and current Housing Ministers to express “concern” about the severe lack of local crisis accommodation in the City of Moreton Bay.

“As a Council, we will continue to push this matter until it is resolved by the State,” Cr Shipway said.

Homeless man Aiden Quinn Thomson at Woody Point. Picture: John Gass

“Although the area is unsafe, we have worked on a cross-government solution to give people at the site seven (7) days, including a weekend, to leave before it must be fenced off, due to the health and safety risks. We believe this is a fair, compassionate and safe way to manage the situation.”

QShelter acting chief executive Jackson Hills said the situation in the Moreton Bay region showed why councils, state government and support services needed to work together to address homelessness and rough sleeping.

“When you make specific policy changes in one location, the impact is typically felt in another area,” he said.

“The issue remains that when you move people on from somewhere, unless a long-term housing solution is available, they still have no other option but to sleep rough somewhere else.

“We encourage the Queensland Government to consider this a South East Queensland regional challenge and bring the various parties together to collectively tackle the issue as a region.”

Originally published as Residents of a Moreton Bay homeless camp given seven days to vacate after serious public health concerns raised