Council
26 February, 2025
Cruice Park residents say please hear us
Long-term residents of Woodford’s infamous Cruice Park are speaking out in the hope they can turn around negative perceptions about homelessness.
Facing what they claim is unnecessary hostility from authorities and, following the forced closure of a nearby homeless camp, park residents say they are struggling through the most difficult time of their lives with increasingly less support and empathy.
They say changes to Moreton Bay Council’s policies including banning animals, and not allowing public space camping in caravans, camper trailers and other vehicles embellished for the purposes of camping has only exacerbated their issues.
Council also recently instructed all Operations and Safety staff to remain 50 metres away from People Experiencing Homelessness (PEH) and illegal camp sites in public spaces, with them only being allowed to service public amenities when accompanied by security and “where it is possible and safe to do so”.
This move had led to some delays in regular servicing of bins and amenities in public spaces.
James Roberts Bell, 83, said divorce, family issues and having his rental unit sold from under him had forced him into homelessness.
He said after two years at Cruice he had learned the ebbs and flows of the park and what made it run smoothly.
He said in recent months - specifically after council made moves seemingly against the welfare of residents - did it feel as though they were being overlooked.
“Not once, at any time at all, did the Council take the trouble to talk to anyone, to talk to any of us,” the resident of two years said.
“They allow their people to drive through, make comments about the dirty bins, which were correct, and blaming not the caravanners who were coming through to dump their rubbish or the locals of the area who come to dump their rubbish, but blaming the long-term campers.
“That gets me annoyed because we weren’t doing it, and they weren’t talking to us.”
Mr Roberts Bell, along with several other residents The Sentinel spoke to, including Julie, her partner Gary, Michael and Max, claimed they were just as disgusted by the rubbish being left behind, with all of them doing their best to keep the area clean.
“For over a month we didn’t have toilet paper,” Julie said.
“The Folk Festival was on and people would come here and make a mess or want to use the toilets and I would lend them a toilet paper roll to try to make it better.
“We live here. That was next to where we live. We don’t want that here just as much as anyone else.”
Julie, who is 62 years old, moved to the park three years ago, after her rental of 20 years was sold.
She ended up meeting 57 year-old Gary while living at the park.
Gary moved there two years ago, after his father passed away.
A Council spokesperson said that they had “not made any assumptions about who is dumping rubbish at this location and appreciates the efforts of all public space users to dispose of their rubbish responsibly”.
The spokesperson added that rubbish at Cruice Park has been “manageable”, with a few exceptions during last year when there was an increase in campers and in December when Council stopped servicing the bins for a 2-week period, until they could find a solution to manage the safety risks associated with servicing all locations.
This was not isolated to Cruice Park.
“Our servicing schedule stayed the same and met requirements,” they said.
Safety concerns
Mr Roberts Bell, Julie, Gary, Michael, and Max, who have all lived at Cruice Park for over a year, said they were offended to be considered dangerous by Council, with some fearing they were going to be moved on as they live in caravans and own pets, despite council not having ultimate jurisdiction over the state-owned park.
Council officers clean the amenities and maintain the bins, but Cruice Park is actually owned by the Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) and is operated as a rest area with a maximum stay of 22 hours.
Residents unanimously agreed that troublemakers sometimes come through, but not enough to make people fear for their own safety.
Max, who is now 69 years old, moved to Cruice Park after his father, who he was the full-time carer for, had to be moved into a nursing home, resulting in the house getting sold.
Shortly after, Max had to undergo major heart surgery, requiring constant care for recovery.
According to Max, Cruice Park and the support he got from the other long-term residents “saved his life”.
Despite this, there is drug use and, separately, a domestic violence incident took place two weeks ago, on February 10, when a 47-year-old man allegedly tried to burn his partner alive, by setting a tent and camper trailer on fire while the woman was inside.
The woman escaped uninjured and the man has been charged with one count each of acts intended to cause grievous bodily harm (domestic violence offence), endangering particular property by fire, and wilful damage (domestic violence offence).
He has been remanded in custody and is due to reappear in the Caboolture Magistrates Court on April 10.
A Council spokesperson also said that, due to “a recent assault of a Council worker” in Cruice Park, the park is currently designated as high-risk for Council staff and as such, Department of Housing and Specialist Homelessness Services are not attending without Queensland Police Service (QPS) support.
“Safety is non-negotiable and Council fully supports our staff,” the spokesperson said.
“City of Moreton Bay has zero tolerance for occupational violence and aggression towards its employees. Like every other workplace, we have a legal obligation to keep our workforce safe.
“Council’s latest guideline changes were in response to a range of factors, including public amenity and accessibility, as well as safety issues. Nowhere has Council stated that every public space has safety issues.”
A QPS spokesperson said local police regularly patrol Cruice Park, with police attending to “keep the peace” and assist the responsible agency who may act under relevant legislation where appropriate.
The QPS spokesperson reiterated that “it is not a criminal offence to camp illegally”, but police will take enforcement action if “a person’s behaviour constitutes an offence”.
“The priority for police is to ensure community safety,” they said.
Lack of engagement with PEH
A key frustration long-term residents of Cruice Park said they feel in regards to Council, is the lack of one-on-one engagement with them.
“It seems to be the thing Council are opportunely missing the point of,” Mr Roberts Bell said.
“Council has made decisions on assumptions and inputs from one side. They’re not getting both sides of the story.
“I’m not there because I want to be there. There is nobody there long-term who wants to actually be living there. We just have nowhere else to go.”
Max, who lived at the park for a year until recently getting housing accommodation in Toowoomba, said the only thing he has ever gotten asked by an authority figure while living there, was by police when he first set up camp.
“I was only three days out of hospital and a police officer asked why I was living here and I said because it was halfway between the two hospitals I’m under the care of and he said I got myself a pass and that was that,” Max explained.
Plan 2023-2028, a key strategy document which guides Council’s response to homelessness,” they said.
“Results from a previous ‘Moreton Says’ survey highlighted that homelessness was one of the community’s top concerns and a priority for Council to respond to.”
The state’s duty and response
“I’m not there because I want to be there. There is nobody there long-term who wants to actually be living there. We just have nowhere else to go.”
“Nobody spoke to me ever again after that.”
A Council spokesperson said officers from Community Development and Local Laws engage with PEH across City of Moreton Bay on a regular basis to provide support, connect them with support services, and “ensure compliance” with Council’s PEH Framework.
State Member for Glass House, Andrew Powell, said it distresses him to see the number of families that have “resorted to living in temporary structures at Cruice Park”.
He said the State Government is committed to working with all levels of government and the community housing sector to address the issue, acknowledging “it cannot be fixed overnight”.
“Council did consult with people who have experienced homelessness in the development of the Housing and Homelessness Action Plan 2023-2028,” he said.
“There’s a lot to be done, but every Queenslander deserves a place to call home,” he said.
“The State Government is committed to providing many more social and community homes, approvals are other ways we can help boost supply sooner.”
including through the $2 billion Housing Investment Fund.
We also have policies in place to boost after hours outreach homeless services, and the delivery of eight youth supported accommodation services.
“Removing Red Tape in the building industry and streamlining housing approvals are other ways we can help boost supply sooner.”
Anyone in Moreton and Somerset who requires housing assistance can contact their local Housing Service Centre by calling 13QGOV or qld.gov.au/housing/public-communityhousing/
