Wantirna Caravan Park: Residents promise rally, daily protest in fight for compensation

PEOPLE being turfed out of Wantirna Caravan Park have promised not to give up in their battle for compensation — and will start with an indefinite protest on one of Knox’s busiest roads.

Wantirna Caravan Park residents Con Constantinidis, David Filliponi, Peter Gray, Judy Kiraly, Stephanie Templeton, John Gordon and Phil Cocking are calling for compensation from the State Government. Picture: Chris Eastman

• ’It’s a personal failure I will carry with me’
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• Agency vows to help caravan park evictees

WANTIRNA Caravan Park evictees are ramping up their fight for compensation, planning an indefinite protest on one of Knox’s busiest roads.

Wantirna Caravan Park Action Group spokesman Peter Gray said they would hold a rally on July 1, then planned to have a presence outside the park — which is on Mountain Highway — “daily”, complete with signs and a banner to alert people to their plight.

HAVE YOUR SAY: Should the caravan park residents be compensated? Tell us below.

Meanwhile, plans to transform the Wantirna Caravan Park into a 294-dwelling housing estate have been revealed.

The plans — which include subdivision of the land, removal of native vegetation and alteration of road access — were lodged with the council in December.

Some of the designs proposed for the Wantirna Caravan Park site.

But details have only recently been published on the council’s website.

The owner of the park, Andrew Yu, has so far refused to pay residents compensation, and Mr Gray said they now wanted the Government to provide it.

“The (State) Government is totally responsible for the welfare and wellbeing of the people they serve,” Mr Gray said.

“Every day that goes by now is a day that people are suffering and we’re saying very loud and clear the sooner we get compensation the sooner we’ll be able to get on with our lives.”

He said the Government should make the welfare of caravan park residents, many who own their own units worth tens of thousands of dollars, their priority.

Residents say they are determined to fight for compensation. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

“It’s not good spending to me, to spend $100 million on the tennis centre (Melbourne Park) when you have people owning homes who are about to lose them,” Mr Gray said.

The State Government has been contacted for comment.

The council’s city development director Angelo Kourambas said the council had also sent letters to residents and landowners to notify them of the plans.

APP Property and Infrastructure Specialists, on behalf of Mr Yu, refused to answer Leader’s questions.

Mr Gray said politicians had been invited to speak at the rally, which will be held on the nature strip outside the park from noon to 4.30pm.

Wantirna Caravan Park permanent residents have been told they must vacate the site. Picture: Kylie Else

Pat Hutchens, spokesman for Consumer Affairs Minister Marlene Kairouz, did not say whether they would give Wantirna Caravan Park residents compensation.

But he said the Government was looking at ways to strengthen protections for caravan park residents and movable dwelling owners in residential parks.

“We are aware of the issues raised by those living in the Wantirna Caravan Park and are working with community agencies to assist the remaining residents find new places to live,” Mr Hutchens said.

Knox Council city development director Angelo Kourambas said council is aware of the planned protest and respects the right of residents to protest in a lawful manner.

Mr Kourambas said residents were allowed to protest in the location because it was public land.

He said council officers had met with protest organisers and had provided advice on the protection of public assets and the requirement to not obstruct any footpath or roadway during the protest.