The Central Goldfields Shire Council chief says a caravan park at the football ground in the town of Talbot is 'not appropriate housing for anybody', despite residents saying they have been placed there by community services.
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The council is considering the future of the caravan park after the park's manager, the Talbot Football Netball Club, indicated it was unable to raise about $200,000 to bring the facility to a standard compliant with current Fire Safety regulations.
Permanent and semi-permanent residents of the park are concerned for their future and security. They spoke on the condition they are not identified.
Some have spent sizeable amounts of their limited income on their homes, and are angry the rent they pay has not translated into improvements at the council-managed, club-run Crown Land reserve.
One said the money had been spent on 'piss and player payments'.
"I spend every Sunday afternoon helping clean this place up - we all do - and we find out that none of our money has gone into a fund to look after the place."
Another said considerable time, effort and money had been spent on the caravans and annexes in the park by residents, and they were concerned for their future if the park was forced to close.
"We've spent hundreds of dollars bringing soil in for the garden, putting in plants, making sure our homes are clean; and we don't know what's going to happen to us?
"There are problems, yes. People, anyone, can come in here and use the facilities, the showers. We've had people here showering for 45 minutes, washing their clothes, even their animals in the showers. If you turn the hot water on in the laundry, the shower will be freezing cold. If you turn the cold on, someone in the shower will be scalded to death.
We looked at a lease setting it up as a caravan park, but it's not an appropriate location: there's not enough space, and it would require significant upgrades.
- CGSC CEO Lucy Roffey
"The football club comes to us and says, 'Why are the water bills so high?', but there are people just driving up and filling water tanks on trailers here all the time. Anyone can come in here, even though we live here."
The 11 permanent residents of the park pay $60 a week rent for their powered sites.
Some residents have built permanent additions onto caravans, while others say they have been moved to the park by community services. One man said he had been placed in the park after having been moved from community housing 'next to the hospital' in Maryborough.
The Maryborough District Health Service was asked whether clients had been moved to the park from Maryborough. MDHA operations manager of strategy and governance Tara Cramer said the service was unable to discuss individual matters and any queries should be directed to the residents.
It has been claimed some people have been living at the park for two years on sites with septic pits designed for two-week stays.
Ms Roffey says a key issue is there is no formal lease agreement with the TFNC outlining their responsibilities.
"That would usually happen with a park set up for the purposes of being a caravan park, but this was set up many years ago by the football club as a revenue raiser. We looked at a lease setting it up as a caravan park, but it's not an appropriate location: there's not enough space, and it would require significant upgrades."
The park is registered under the Residential Tenancies Act 1997 until December 2020.
Mr Roffey said CGSC is committed to working with the residents to find alternative accommodation if closure becomes inevitable.
"We've spoken with Haven Home Safe and they can provide support; not all of the residents will need that... but those who are struggling we will do everything we can to for them to find them accommodation."
CGSC's meeting agenda states council 'has met with representatives of the TFNC committee on a number of occasions to discuss the implementation of the schedule works and the future of the caravan park. It is clear through these discussions that complying with the schedule of works is beyond the financial and technical capacity of the committee.'
TFNC president Darren Murrell says the club is working with the council to find the best and most suitable outcome, especially for the residents of the park.
CEO Lucy Roffey says another issue for the TFNC is the caravan park is one of their sources of income.
"It is a considerable source of revenue," Ms Roffey said.
"If the future of the caravan park is that it has to close, that is an issue for them. We are committed to work with them to explore of methods of ongoing financial sustainability."
The Talbot Football Netball Club received $45,000 worth of grants in the 12 months to February 2019, including a $23,000 Sport Australia's Community Sport infrastructure grant for new fencing.
