Neighbours once tolerated a homeless settlement. Then rubbish started piling up

A homeless settlement on a council car park in Melbourne’s north has swelled into a mountain of hard rubbish, prompting frustrated residents in nearby houses to question why safe accommodation isn’t being provided while the site is left derelict.

Experts in the homelessness support sector say the matter exemplifies how acute the state’s housing crisis has become.

A homeless settlement at a Reservoir car park has recently grown with a significant amount of hard rubbish.Credit: Justin McManus

The settlement has been at Reservoir’s Edwardes Lake Park car park – just opposite homes – since the start of 2024. It is now overflowing with timber offcuts, damaged furniture and old bike parts.

Residents say they did not have a problem when the settlement was just a campervan or two, but it has ballooned to take up about seven car spaces after Darebin Council’s annual winter hard rubbish collection.

Chris, who lives near the car park and asked not to use his surname due to community division over the issue, said his anger was directed at Darebin Council.

He and others have been contacting the council and say they are baffled by its inaction.

Chris said his wife had become too afraid to exercise at the park, and he feared the junk pile was a fire risk while attracting pests such as rodents. “We’re just concerned about the amount of rubbish that’s being accumulated. This junk is ridiculous,” he said.

“The council’s inability to actually take a strong stance and say: ‘We’re fine for you to remain here while we find you public housing, but you cannot be just hoarding all this rubbish.’

“It’s terrible, these people don’t have a home … but at the same time, other people have to live in the area as well.”

Another resident, Mark, criticised the council for not containing the clutter on its land or fulfilling its role to serve and protect the whole community. “It defies logic,” he said.

The site is close to homes and a dog park.Credit: Justin McManus

“When they [the homeless] were there without this mess, it wasn’t an issue but now, that set-up is a risk to health, safety and public order.

“A line has very clearly been crossed from what should be appropriate from a humanitarian perspective, and where the situation is now.”

Darebin Mayor Susanne Newton said staff were working closely with the people sleeping at the car park to provide support. “We will continue to monitor the site from a safety perspective and work collaboratively with Victoria Police to address any safety issues as they arise,” Newton said.

She said the council ran a Darebin Assertive Community Outreach program, which responded to 276 cases last financial year connecting people to services.

Homelessness is not an offence but there are local laws against camping on council land and unsightly properties.

A police spokeswoman said the council was the lead agency for enforcing its bylaws, and Victoria Police’s priority was to help people sleeping rough find services.

Support services have been warning of an urgent need for investment in public housing to deal with a sharp rise in homelessness across Victoria.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics recorded 30,660 homeless people on the night of the 2021 census, a 24 per cent jump since 2016 and almost five times the national average.

Locals say the site is a potential fire hazard, and fear it could attract pests.Credit: Justin McManus

In Darebin, residents have noticed a growing number of tents pitched on public land.

Research by Launch Housing identified Darebin as one of the key areas where young people are most at risk of becoming homeless and dropping out of school.

Council of Homeless Persons chief executive Deborah Di Natale said her organisation was seeing more people resort to living in cars and tents due to a severe housing shortage. “With this particular case in Reservoir, I’m sure those local neighbours just want what we all want for people living in their cars, and that’s for them to be given a home that they can afford to live in.”

Di Natale empathised with residents and encouraged them to lobby state and federal MPs for more social housing, so people were not forced into unacceptable positions.

“The last thing any of us want to do is demonise people who are really on the margin,” she said.

Get the day’s breaking news, entertainment ideas and a long read to enjoy. Sign up to receive our Evening Edition newsletter here.