By Marina Gomide
CAMP sites were torn down and removed with an excavator by Moreton Bay Council last week at Eddie Hyland Park (EHP) as armed police officers looked on.
The dramatic move was the latest step in Council’s move to stop the homeless camping on public land.
In viral videos shared by non-profit organisation Nourish Street, which serves weekly meals to homeless residents of EHP, the excavator could be seen tearing down tents and disposing of the items in a rubbish truck on April 9.
Nourish Street’s Beau Haywood said park residents were given an hour to clear their camps.
“I watched someone’s home—everything they had—turned to rubble. Not just a tent. Not just some ‘camp’. A home,” he said.
“A place where they felt safe—where they could sleep without fear for a few hours, where they kept the few belongings they had left in this world.”
According to Mr Haywood, one resident had to be taken away in an ambulance after collapsing due to severe stress and anxiety.
“We’re seeing it every day now—people crying quietly in their tents, pacing in distress, breaking under the weight of constant uncertainty,” he said.
“They’ve been left in limbo—waiting to hear if housing will come, if its more than just a referral to an overloaded system or if they’ll be forced to move again.”
A further criticism was that park residents were not offered accommodation that day, as the Department of Housing (DOH) was not present.
A DOH spokesperson said a Critical Response Team visited the park the following day (April 10).
“The team ... (offered)temporary accommodation and connection to support services for people sleeping in the park, and will continue to support them into longer-term housing solutions,” the spokesperson said.
“Sometimes it can take time for people sleeping in these areas to build a relationship with the team, engage with and accept offers of support from the team and our partner organisations.
“It was pleasing the vast majority of people our team have spoken with, have been willing to accept temporary accommodation and agree to continue to work with us on long-term housing solutions.”
Several Moreton Bay councillors called the excavator videos “misleading”, with a Council spokesperson saying rough sleepers had been given over two weeks’ notice to remove their belongings.
This followed a change to Council’s local laws which made it illegal for all people to camp on public land as of March 12.
According to the spokesperson, Council officers “acted on notices that were not complied with”, issuing additional notices that day, which provided them with one hour to stop camping.
“Items that enable camping on public land, as well as items being stored on public land, were removed with consent,” they said.
“Due to the significant amount, and unsanitary nature of the rubbish, this could not be done by hand, so an excavator was used to ensure public health for Council officers and members of the community was maintained.”
The spokesperson said two of the sites cleared were abandoned, with Council working closely with the resident of a third one to help them gather their personal belongings and valuables before Council removed the rest.
In total, 12 people were camping at the park during the removal.
Additionally, Council claimed Queensland Police Service was in attendance due to the park having been identified as a “location of high risk” following “aggressive and antisocial behaviour including assaults”.
“Our community has raised significant concerns about the decline of public space access, amenity and safety in relation to people sleeping rough,” they said.
“Public spaces are not fit for habitation and people sleeping rough deserve secure accommodation.”
According to the spokesperson, all individuals who had previously been issued with compliance notices were offered the opportunity to be “referred” by Council to specialist homelessness services and the DOH. Mr Haywood said that was inaccurate.
“Anyone working on the ground knows: a referral is not a placement. It doesn’t mean housing, it doesn’t mean safety, and it certainly doesn’t mean shelter that night,” he stated.
According to Brisbane-based non-profit Northwest Community Group (NCG), who collaborates with Nourish Street, DOH told them they weren’t consulted by Council and DOH “don’t support” these recent actions.
“These services are doing everything they can, but they’re drowning,” NCG said in a statement.
“You only get two weeks in a motel, and you’re expected to ‘actively engage’. If you don’t comply, the support can be pulled.
“You can’t engage with a system that isn’t there. Often these people are left languishing in their hotel. You can’t find long-term housing when there’s nothing available, and there’s no one there to help.”
DOH did not answer direct questions from The Sentinel about whether it was consulted by Council and did or did not support its actions.
Anyone in the Moreton Bay Region who requires housing assistance can contact state-funded Specialist Homelessness Services, including Encircle 24/7 on 3465 3276 or The Salvation Army on 3832 1491, or visit or call the Moreton Bay Housing Service Centre on 5432 0700.
