Wantirna Caravan Park battlers fight to save homes from developers

HUNDREDS of battler residents of a caravan park in Melbourne’s east fear they will be left homeless with the new owner planning to evict them to pave the way for a major development.

Residents of a Melbourne caravan park are up in arms as a Chinese investor plans to boot them out of their long-term homes. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

HUNDREDS of battler residents of a suburban caravan park fear they will be left homeless with the new owner planning to evict them to pave the way for a major development.

Up to 300 people who call the Wantirna Caravan Park home, some of whom have been there since it opened in 1988, have been given a vacation notice just weeks before Christmas.

Many are pensioners, disabled and suffering terminal illnesses and have nowhere else to go. Nola Nugent, 76, who has lived there for 28 years, was “devastated”.

“I raised my two children here,” she said.

“To think a bulldozer could just come in and raze it all is just horrendous.”

Nola Nugent, 76, has lived at the caravan park for 28 years. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

The park closure notice came two weeks after the residents won a battle through Consumer Affairs Victoria over the owner’s intent to hike up the weekly rent.

Chinese-born investor Yunhe “Andrew” Yu, man­aging director of privately owned property dev­elop­ment company LongRiver, bought the park for $35.6 million in August.

Mr Yu, 32, has not revealed what he envisages for the prime 8.33ha of land on Mountain Highway east of Melbourne, only saying in a letter to residents it “will include development”. He has not offered the vulnerable residents any compensation.

Mr Yu yesterday declined to be interviewed by the Herald Sun.

Wantirna Park Action Group member and resident Peter Gray called on Mr Yu to show some compassion and reconsider the closure or at least offer compensation to residents.

“Many are distraught, in tears and worrying about their futures,” Mr Gray said.

As the longest resident in the park, Ms Nugent moved in when the it opened in 1988. “I raised my two children here. We’ve all got our money in our houses. I’m thinking of my garden and my plants,” she said.

Peter Fry, 70, who has emphysema, said the notice of closure letter greeted him when he returned home from four weeks in hospital.

“That’s my Christmas present,” Mr Fry said. “I’m sick with worry. It almost put me back in hospital.

“We’ve had one woman in the park try to take her own life. All the other parks are full. There is nowhere for us to go.”

Peter Fry, who suffers from emphysema, says the letter almost put him back in hospital. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

The park’s permanent resi­dents own their homes, some valued at up to $140,000, but lease the land. They can move their houses, but it would cost $30,000 to transport them on a truck.

The park was sold as a “going concern” — a business that is operating and making profit — on August 2.

On Sep­tember 8, residents received a letter telling them the rent for relocatable homes would jump from $118 to $170 per week; while permanent caravans would be charged $188 instead of $124.

CAV negotiated with the owner and, as of November 14, residents in relocatable homes have paid $144 per week and caravan owners $154.

In a letter to residents two weeks later, park management said the owner had decided to close the park following a “detailed business analysis”.

“It is likely that the future of the site will include develop­ment,” the letter said.

The site is zoned general residential schedule 1 and is likely to become a suburban estate, like neighbouring areas.

But Knox Council is yet to receive a planning applic­ation.

Mr Yu has given residents until January 2018 to move. They were also annoyed after reading his company’s website, where he states his mission is to “create extra­ordinary spaces, to build lasting value and relation­ships”.

The Herald Sun can reveal he lives in a multimillion-dollar home in Canterbury. A Mercedes 4WD was parked in the driveway yesterday.

Residents have called on the Andrews Govern­ment to help. Liberal MP Nick Wakeling, the local member for Ferntree Gully, raised the issue in parliament last week.

He called on Martin Foley, Minister for Housing, Dis­ability and Ageing, to intervene and work with residents and the council on finding housing.

“This is a difficult time in their lives,” Mr Wakeling said.

Mr Foley said it was a “sad outcome” but that the gov­ernment would “ensure that these residents are accommodated as far as we possibly can”.

Anyone in need of help should call Lifeline Australia on 131 114

Wantirna Caravan Park. Picture: Lawrence Pinder

TIMELINE:

April 2013: Wantirna Caravan Park was reportedly turning people away as Melbourne’s east was gripped with housing crisis. Up to 100 desperate people on a waiting list to move in.

July 2016: Residents informed the property would be sold as a “going concern”.

August 2: The park is purchased by Chinese investor Yu Yunhe and renamed Wantirna Park Estate.

September 8: Notice given of major rent rise to be effective from November.

September 27: Consumer Affairs Victoria began investigating rent hike after receiving letter from Park Action Group on behalf of about 80 residents.

November 14: CAV negotiates new rent price much to the delight of residents.

December 2: Residents receive letter notifying park will close on March 31, 2018. They all must vacate by early January 2018.

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