A neighbouring council has taken a different approach to homelessness — and it’s now raising questions about whether the Sunshine Coast should consider something similar.
The City of Moreton Bay has opened a 12-month trial at Wyllie Park in Petrie, providing 30 registered camping sites for up to 60 people experiencing homelessness.
The site has toilets, bins, lighting, CCTV and regular security patrols, with support organisations continuing to provide assistance and pathways into more secure accommodation.
Moreton Bay Mayor Peter Flannery says the initiative is not a replacement for crisis or emergency accommodation, but a practical response to growing pressure on public parks.
Could something similar work here?
Sunshine Coast Council has not indicated whether it would consider a designated camping site, instead pointing to the State Government’s responsibility for housing and homelessness and highlighting advocacy, outreach and community initiatives already underway.
The Queensland Government says five organisations currently deliver 12 Specialist Homelessness Services across the region, providing 152 places of temporary supported accommodation, while its HOME outreach team operates across 23 Sunshine Coast locations.
More than 140 people have reportedly been supported into temporary or long-term accommodation over a two-year period, with almost 250 homes also being delivered through a registered community housing provider.
But Nambour community advocate Helen Tagg, who has campaigned for action on homelessness and safer public spaces, says the Petrie model is a pragmatic approach worth considering — provided it is carefully managed.
She believes safe camping could be used as a temporary bridge while governments fast-track temporary accommodation, affordable housing, health services and longer-term solutions.
She also says the Sunshine Coast needs a more coordinated regional approach, arguing that Nambour should not carry a disproportionate share of homelessness support simply because it has historically had strong community organisations and services.
