Charities in the potential path of Cyclone Alfred are asking to open evacuation centres for rough sleepers, warning that thousands of lives could be at risk as extreme weather intensifies.
Read: Woody Point Rough Sleepers Face Strict Bans on Pets and Camping
Northwest Community Group founder Paul Slater said he made several attempts on Monday, 3 March, to contact Brisbane for advice on evacuation centres but was yet to receive clear information.
Moreton Bay advised residents to check the council’s Disaster Dashboard for up-to-date information on evacuation centres but said crisis accommodation for homeless individuals was a matter for the Department of Housing. However, as of noon on Tuesday, the dashboard still showed no evacuation centres or refuge sites open as Cyclone Alfred nears.
Queensland’s social services body, QCOSS, warned that “a tent or car will not protect [homeless individuals] from the predicted brutality of strong winds and heavy rainfall.”
MPs wrote the Queensland Minister for Housing on Monday, expressing concern for people sleeping rough in the inner city. On Tuesday, Mr Max Chandler-Mather confirmed the Department of Housing had activated Critical Response Teams to visit known areas where homeless people reside and was connecting them with emergency accommodation.
Meanwhile, Nourish Street founder Beau Haywood, who provides outreach services throughout the Moreton Bay region, spent Monday night informing rough sleepers about the risks of Cyclone Alfred.
Moreton Bay Bans Homeless Camping Amid Worsening Crisi
The City of Moreton Bay has officially banned homeless people from camping in public spaces, making it illegal to sleep in parks, streets, or in vehicles across the region.
The move follows the repeal of the council’s Persons Experiencing Homelessness Camping Framework, which previously allowed some leniency for rough sleepers on council land.
The crackdown means that as of 12 March 2025, those found camping in public spaces may face removal, with enforcement carried out by eight new council officers alongside Queensland Police Service. Council will operate under a complaint-based system, responding to reports from the community.
The timing of this decision has drawn criticism, with many arguing that banning public camping just as a cyclone threatens the region puts vulnerable people at even greater risk.
“City of Moreton Bay is aware of how complex an issue homelessness is, and we acknowledge that this change will not be welcomed by everyone,” Scott Waters, City of Moreton Bay CEO announced.
“The health and safety of people experiencing homelessness is core to this change and repealing the Framework will enable these individuals to get the critical support they need.”
City of Moreton Bay CEO, Scott Waters
Woody Point’s Gayundah Arboretum Park Shut Down
The policy shift has had immediate effects, particularly in Woody Point, where the Gayundah Arboretum Park was closed on February 17 due to worsening public health and safety concerns.
Acting Mayor Jodie Shipway said a review of the site found human waste, drug paraphernalia, and active vermin breeding, making the area unsafe for both campers and the general public.
“It’s just not safe for people to be residing in these conditions, nor for the community to continue to use this public space,” Shipway said. The park has been fenced off, and remediation works—expected to take six months—will involve sanitation, ground maintenance, and restoration of vegetation.
Showgrounds as a Possible Alternative?
In response to the looming displacement of homeless people, Mayor Peter Flannery has proposed allowing rough sleepers to stay in state-owned showgrounds. He called on the Queensland Government to lift restrictions preventing their use as emergency housing and to fund necessary amenities such as security, water, and power.
The council’s tough stance has drawn mixed reactions. While some residents support the measures due to safety concerns, others argue that criminalising homelessness does not address the root causes.
Q Shelter, the peak body for frontline housing and homelessness services in Queensland, called the repeal “disappointing” and expressed concern that it will further disadvantage vulnerable individuals impacted by the worsening housing and homelessness crisis.
“We appreciate that homelessness and rough sleeping are highly complex issues, particularly when also managing public safety considerations. But the challenge remains that these highly vulnerable people are living in public spaces because they have nowhere else to go.”
Q Shelter Acting CEO Jackson Hills
Meanwhile, the City of Moreton Bay reassured the public that it will keep working with the State Government’s Department of Housing to help individuals find alternative accommodation and access necessary support.
Read: Woody Point: Navigating Disparities Between Affluence and Housing Insecurity
With homeless individuals now facing tighter restrictions, the focus will be on whether alternative solutions, like the use of showgrounds, gain government support—or if more people are left struggling to find shelter.
Published 4-March-2025
