A camp filled with rough sleepers in Woody Point will be shut down after officials from the City of Moreton Bay declared the site a serious public health risk, forcing the unhoused to vacate within seven days.
Human waste, drug paraphernalia, and vermin were cited as the key reasons for the move, stating that the area at the Gayundah Arboretum will require six months of remediation work costing more than $110,000.
Community Concerns and Council’s Decision
On Monday, 10 February, eviction notices were issued to around a dozen unhoused individuals living in the park. City officials, along with Queensland Police and the Department of Housing, oversaw the closure, with fencing expected to be installed to block access.
Acting Mayor Jodie Shipway said the decision was based on urgent health and safety concerns rather than a broader discussion on homelessness. She said using syringes, toilet paper, rotting food, and breeding mosquitoes posed a risk to the camp’s residents and the wider community.
Residents had previously voiced frustration over the park’s state, saying it had become unsafe and unclean. Some community members welcomed the action from officials, while others questioned the lack of permanent housing solutions for those being moved.
Impact on Unhoused Locals
For many of the park’s residents, eviction is another destabilising blow. Aiden Thomson, who has been living at Woody Point on and off for years, said he and others feel like they are being punished for the actions of a few.
While some individuals at the camp may have hoarding tendencies, he said, the entire group should not be made to suffer. Thomson added that many will simply move to another park, as affordable housing options remain out of reach.
Jaki Rose, a 59-year-old hospitality worker, said she had been promised temporary accommodation but was given no indication of whether it would be permanent or suitable. She had previously been denied social housing because her income was slightly over the eligibility threshold, yet she still couldn’t afford private rentals in Moreton Bay’s soaring market. She described the situation as falling through the cracks, with no real pathway to stable housing.
Temporary Housing: A Short-Term Fix?
In a previous eviction at Woody Point, the rough sleepers were temporarily placed in motels for a food and wine festival. Some fear the same cycle will repeat—a short-term solution without lasting support.
Advocate Beau Heywood, from Nourish Street, said he hopes the housing provided this time is long-term and suited to individual needs. He has been working with homeless individuals in Moreton Bay for nearly a year and said the process of securing stable accommodation is painfully slow, with only 11 people housed in 11 months.
For some, temporary accommodation is not an option. Aiden Quinn, a long-time park resident, said he would rather stay on the streets than be placed in a motel, which he compared to a jail cell. Others pointed out that motel rooms lack basic facilities like cooking appliances, making them unsuitable for long-term living.
While Council insists the Woody Point eviction is a health matter, homelessness advocates argue that without proper support, those affected will simply be displaced again.
Published 12-February-2025
