Residents will hold a garage sale this weekend as they prepare to move out of their Golden Square caravan park.
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Last November about 100 permanent residents of Central City Caravan Park learnt they would have to leave after current business owners were unable to negotiate an extension to their lease.
This weekend a number of residents plan to band together for a garage sale – an early step on the way to clearing out their homes before the lease expires in March 2018.
Caravan park business owner Christine Norman organised the garage sale after hearing residents had begun selling items.
She expected at least five residents to get involved.
“We might organise more garage sales in the future. We’ll see how it goes this weekend. If other residents see a good response they might want to get involved at a later date,” Mrs Norman said.
Joan and Noel McMaster are two residents planning to sell items, including CDs, glassware, garden furniture, walkers and a wheelchair.
“If we haven’t used it in the last 12 months it is going,” Mrs McMaster said.
“We can’t take everything with us when we leave.”
The couple had come to terms with the news they would have to move.
“It was a kick in the guts for everybody. I had a gut-ache for a month,” Mr McMaster said.
“Then I said to (Mrs McMaster) that it’s going to happen, no matter what. We can’t do anything about it.”
Mr McMaster said much of the couple’s savings had been spent on their house, including a shed, garden beds, fencing, paving and water tanks.
Much of it would have to go before the McMasters moved out. Even the house itself would have to be sold and moved off site at some point in the future.
It was unclear where the couple would go after Central City. They had already had to move out of another caravan park in Kangaroo Flat when it was sold to make way for a development.
“If the worst comes to the worst we will find a place to rent. We don’t want to move away from Bendigo. We have too many friends here,” Mrs McMaster said.
Business owners Christine Norman and husband John took over operation of the Central City business 13 years ago.
They had hoped to extend their lease long enough to attract a buyer, which would have meant residents could stay at the caravan park.
But negotiations with the property’s owner were unsuccessful.
The community garage sale takes place from 8am to 4pm Saturday.
Organisers have asked bargain hunters not arrive early to avoid waking elderly residents.