BALLAN caravan park resident Helen Baker has said she will have to be “bulldozed” out of her home of more than five years if the Department of Sustainability and Environment wants her to leave.
The 62-year-old, who has a broken coccyx and cannot walk far, is one of 21 residents who have been asked to leave their homes by July 25.
Some of the residents have been living in the Ballan Caledonian Caravan Park for nearly 10 years.
The DSE, which manages the land for the state government, handed out eviction notices to the residents on Thursday.
It is evicting the tenants because the caravan park does not comply with its permanent land-use policy.
DSE regional director south-west, Laurie Dwyer, said the department had also not been able to secure ongoing management for the park.
Mr Dwyer said the department had given residents six months’ notice, in accordance with the Residential Tenancies Act 1997.
“The department has had discussions with DHS (the Department of Human Services) and Uniting Care to help make residents’ transition to suitable accommodation as smooth as possible,” Mr Dwyer said.
Ms Baker said she had a meeting with a UnitingCare representatives and was told she may be eligible for public housing but there was a two to eight-year wait.
“They asked me if I was prepared to move to Daylesford or the Grampians and I said no,” Ms Baker said.
“I am staying put.
“They will have to bring a bulldozer or something because I am not going.”
Only one of the town’s three real estate agents has rental properties available. But the caravan park residents say at $200 or more, private rentals are beyond their budget. Resident Brenda Praed, 59, also vowed to stay on in her home of two-and-a-half years.
“If the Department of Housing can’t find me a house, I am not moving,” Ms Praed said.
“Instead of helping us they are just giving us phone numbers and application forms.”
Ms Praed, who lost her only son 16 months ago, looks after his pets as well as her own. She said it would be hard to find a private rental.
“If I applied for a rental there’s no way I would get a place,” Ms Praed said.
“They are my son’s pets and mine. They ... are my family.”
Mr Dwyer said there were no plans to sell the land. “Future use of the area will be considered following closure.”
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