Tents pitched beside road leading from Gold Coast Airport as homeless numbers rise

The Gold Coast’s homelessness problem has been brought into sharp relief by the appearance of camps near the city’s airport and along the light rail line. Full details.

Welcome to the Gold Coast – where even the homeless are running out of places to stay.

A homeless camp has popped up near the city’s airport and another along the light rail line.

Tents have been pitched on a site sandwiched between the Gold Coast Highway and Coolangatta Rd, just south of the airport’s main entrance, visible to thousands of motorists passing daily.

Tents have also been pitched adjacent to a light rail stop at Queen St in Southport, giving passing tram users a daily reminder of city housing issues.

People living in the camp near the airport had been contacted by service providers to try and help them, sources told the Bulletin. It is understood further contact is planned in coming days.

The homeless camp beside the Gold Coast Highway in Bilinga. Picture: John Gass.

Housing Minister Meaghan Scanlon said she had asked her department to “urgently” look into it.

“As soon as the matter was raised with me, I asked the department to look into the matter urgently,” Ms Scanlon said.

“I understand Uniting Care, an organisation we provide funding to, have since made attempts to reach out and offer support. I’ve made it clear I want my department to have that support ready to go, should they want it.

“We provide support to anyone experiencing homelessness and have provided increased funding to organisations to ensure people have a roof over their head.

“We all need to act and address housing and homelessness. Whether that’s council, the state and federal governments, organisations and industry – we need to address the longer term issues of affordable supply.”

Items seen at the camp, which is a short distance from the Gold Coast Airport. Picture: John Gass.

Mayor Tom Tate said council had employed specialist officers to help the homeless connect with agencies, but on occasion they declined assistance.

“The State Government has responsibility for providing housing and homelessness services,” Cr Tate said. “The City has employed specialist Public Space Liaison Officers (PSLOs) who engage with individuals experiencing homelessness and connect them with the agencies they may need.

“People, however, cannot be compelled to engage. As Mayor, I believe those in need of health and social services should be supported as much as possible.

“But likewise, anti-social behaviour from anyone in the community must be dealt with by the authorities because public safety should always be the number one priority.”

Tents visible from the light rail line on Queen St in Southport.

In the four years to 2021-22 homelessness in Queensland rose by 22 per cent compared to only 8 per cent nationally, according to a report last month from the Queensland Council of Social Services (QCOSS).

Gold Coast charity Orange Sky – which helps people experiencing homelessness with laundry and other services – said it had seen demand for its programs rise 40 per cent in 18 months.

Meaghan Scanlon speaks during a press conference at Parliament House in Brisbane on Monday. Photo: Steve Pohlner.

Luke Lindsay from Uniting Care, which runs a homelessness hub near the site of the airport camp, said the charity had also seen increasing demand, much from families with young children and single women 55 years and older who’d never previously experienced homelessness.

But he said some of the rise was down to a greater community understanding of services available, and a willingness by ordinary people to reach out to rough sleepers and help them find assistance.

“A lot of the work we’re doing in our outreach is encouraging shopkeepers and community groups to have a conversation with that person, say are you ok, is there anything I can help with, do you have support? And actually refer them to us,” Mr Lindsay said.

“Our outreach team will come out and see them the same day.

“Yes we’re busier because of higher volumes and numbers. But at the same time, we’re actually finding that we’re getting an increase in referrals from community members who have actually started having a conversation with the homeless rather than just moving them on.”

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