Abandoned Melbourne: Patterson Lakes, Dandenong, Ringwood among squatter hot spots
An abandoned retirement village in Patterson Lakes dubbed “a cesspool for crime” and a derelict Dandenong house are among locations where squatters have invaded. But can they be stopped?
Outer East
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Squatters are camping out at abandoned buildings across Melbourne, leaving neighbours living in fear.
Councils say squatters, hoarders and rough sleepers present serious and complex issues, and council staff encourage them to seek help from support services.
The role of moving squatters on falls to property owners and Victoria Police.
According to Legal Aid Victoria, squatting is not against the law, but police can charge people for being in a building or on land without the owner’s permission.
We’ve taken a look at some of the squatter hot spots in Melbourne.
BERKELEY LIVING RETIREMENT VILLAGE
The abandoned Patterson Lakes retirement village has turned into a “squatter’s paradise”.
Residents living nearby told Leader in May they’ve had enough, with some in the community fearing for their children’s safety.
“It’s totally trashed, there are people breaking in there and causing mischief,” neighbour David Butten said.
Kingston Council planning and development general manager Jonathan Guttman said in response to community concerns about vandalism at the abandoned property, the council had taken a proactive approach and arranged for the site to be boarded up to be made safe on a couple of occasions.
“Unfortunately, vandals and trespassers continue to force their way onto this privately owned site,” Mr Guttman said.
“Council has continued to monitor the site and where required has undertaken works to limit access to the buildings, at some cost to council. We have also alerted local police, who have attended the site on a number of occasions.
“Council has very limited powers to get involved with squatters or hoarding cases on private property unless the site is able to be deemed unsightly, the situation results in vermin, fire safety issues or when it is preventing access for occupants to evacuate in an event of an emergency.”
ABANDONED DANDENONG HOUSE
Furious neighbours told Leader in March a derelict house in Hemmings St had become a haven for squatters and drug users.
A neighbour said he had called police several times about the eyesore.
“We have seen people coming and going at all hours. There’s squatters and people injecting at the front. I’ve also seen multiple cars stopping for drug deals,” he said.
Mahmut Kahraman, who previously lived in the area for more than 20 years, said he was forced to move out due to his family feeling “constantly unsafe”.
FRANKSTON PANCAKE PARLOUR
The now demolished former Pancake Parlour was rife with squatters following its closure, which left many families too scared to visit the area.
Frankston detectives actively patrolled the area last year, searching the vacant buildings looking for squatters.
Leader reported in August desperate people left with nowhere to go were taking shelter in derelict and unoccupied buildings in the area.
Frankston Council chief executive Phil Cantillon said the owner of the former Pancake Parlour property on Nepean Highway applied and was approved for a permit to demolish the building. The building was demolished by a private business as part of the project.
Mr Cantillon said when an abandoned building was being illegally occupied the property owner and crisis support workers were notified.
He said support workers could help people experiencing homelessness find more suitable, legal accommodation.
RINGWOOD GATEWAY BRIDGE
Squatters have been sleeping rough in Ringwood, with mattresses, trolleys, couches, piles of cigarettes and rubbish found at both ends of the Ringwood gateway bridge next to Maroondah Highway and EastLink.
About 100m away, an abandoned car and a vandalised shed was filled with trolleys and rubbish was found next to powerlines and Hungry Jack’s.
Ringwood police Senior Sergeant Colin Andrews told Leader officers were aware of people sleeping rough at the bridge.
Sen-Sgt Andrews said it was not illegal for people to sleep on the EastLink trail and they would offer to refer any homeless people they found there to welfare agencies.
DRUG CRIME AT RESERVE
A public park in St Albans, close to alleged squatter houses, has become such a hotbed for drug activity that terrified families are too scared to visit.
Matthew, who declined to provide his real name out of fears for his safety, said junkies and drug dealers were regulars in the area.
“You’ve got dealers in the street, there’s squatters in the houses,” Matthew said.
“They go to the dealer’s house and just go to the parks and shoot up or one of the squatting houses.
“Who’s going to take their kids there when they see syringes lying on the ground? … I don’t think I’d let me niece or nephew play in the long grass.”
HOARDER AND SQUATTER PROPERTIES IN COUNCIL AREAS
City of Port Phillip chief executive Peter Smith said the council had received six complaints from the public about squatters occupying buildings in the past year.
Mr Smith said during 2020, council officers had also come across 12 hoarder properties, which had been referred to Fire Rescue Victoria.
Glen Eira acting chief executive Ron Torres said the council had received one complaint in relation to a squatter at a private property in Caulfield in the past year, and there were five known hoarder properties in the area.
The council has spent more than $53,000 cleaning up properties in the past two and half years.
Knox Council’s community services director Tanya Scicluna said when reports were made to the council of people squatting or sleeping rough, where possible its team would co-ordinate assistance and support.
Ms Scicluna said hoarding was a complex issue involving mental health, social isolation, public health and local laws.
“Over the past two years, council has seen a steady increase in reports of properties affected by hoarding behaviours and it is estimated that it impacts four to six per cent of the population,” she said.
Whitehorse City Council general manager corporate services Peter Smith said it had not received any reports related to squatters in the past 12 months.
The council was working with two property owners to address issues relating to hoarding.
Mornington Peninsula Shire environment protection manager John Rankine said the council had received very few complaints about squatters on private property, with more complaints received regarding squatters on public land.
Bayside Council community and customer experience director Bryce Craggs said hoarding and squatting were complex issues and could often indicate a person was experiencing vulnerability or homelessness.
“Bayside has a small number of known hoarder properties and has made five referrals to the MFB’s Hoarding Notification System over the past year,” Mr Craggs said.
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