homelessness Archives - North Lakes Today

Wyllie Park Trial Brings Homelessness Support Closer in Petrie

For people experiencing homelessness in Moreton Bay, Wyllie Park in Petrie has become a temporary place to pitch a tent while staying within reach of local outreach and housing support during a 12-month trial.

Support Takes Shape Around Wyllie Park Trial

Encircle Community Services has been preparing for the camping ground by working with accredited organisations and services on a regular roster of support for people staying at Wyllie Park.

Its HOAP team was already visiting the park and other locations across Moreton Bay before the camping ground was announced. The team will continue attending Wyllie Park twice a week alongside other support services.

Just 650 metres from the park, Encircle’s Pine Rivers Neighbourhood Centre is also preparing for a possible increase in people seeking help.

The organisation has long advocated for safe locations close to support services where people experiencing homelessness can have some stability while accessing further assistance.

Other recognised support organisations, including government departments, will have ongoing access to campers at Wyllie Park, with services able to assist people towards secure accommodation.

Community organisation Nourish Street Inc also visited the site in late August as preparations were under way. At the time, it reported that people already staying in the park had described interactions with other park users as generally going well, with little tension.

Its update also raised the importance of support and pathways into housing operating alongside the camping area.

A Temporary Place to Stay

The Wyllie Park trial has 30 designated tent sites for no more than 60 people, with registration now open.

Campers must be at least 18 and registered to receive housing or housing support through the State before a site can be allocated.

Stays are limited to 21 days at a time and a maximum of 42 days in any rolling 12-month period. Longer stays may be considered at the authorities’ discretion.

The camping ground is free, but only tents can be used for overnight stays. Caravans, camper trailers, camper vans and motorhomes are not permitted to remain overnight.

Wyllie Park trial — *Photo Credit:* *Nourish Street Inc*/Facebook

Park Facilities Remain Shared

Preparations at Wyllie Park have included designated camping sites, lighting and security measures. The camping ground has toilets, waste bins and other public amenities, while showers were also identified among the facilities available to campers.

CCTV and regular security patrols are in place. Fires and generators are prohibited, while animals are not allowed except for guide, hearing or assistance animals.

The wider Wyllie Park remains available to the public, with campers required to keep their sites tidy, keep paths clear, minimise noise and use signed parking areas.

The camping ground is not intended to replace emergency housing, crisis accommodation or homelessness support services. Instead, the Wyllie Park trial operates as a temporary camping option while local organisations continue outreach and assistance for people seeking more secure accommodation.

Published 15-September-2026

New Tent Camping Site Announced for Wyllie Park in Petrie

A new free camping site for tents will be provided at Wyllie Park in Petrie, giving people experiencing homelessness another place to stay during a 12-month trial.

Read: Supreme Court Halts Plan to Clear Kallangur Homeless Encampment

The site was approved by the City of Moreton Bay and will offer a voluntary, no-cost camping option for people unable to access crisis accommodation, emergency housing or paid camping grounds.

Wyllie Park is on Gympie Road, close to Petrie train station, the University of the Sunshine Coast’s Moreton Bay campus and The Mill Waterpark. The existing overnight camping area has toilets and refuse facilities, with CCTV monitoring and regular security patrols planned.

A place close to support services

Encircle Community Services CEO Barb Power said demand for affordable and social housing was continuing to exceed supply, placing greater pressure on local services.

“Demand for affordable and social housing continues to exceed supply which is putting increased pressure on already stretched local services and is leaving those experiencing homelessness feeling like they have nowhere to go,” Ms Power said.

Ms Power welcomed the Wyllie Park site, saying it would provide people experiencing homelessness with an option close to support services, where they could have greater stability and not fear being moved on.

The site’s proximity to public transport is another practical feature, with Petrie train station nearby. Its existing facilities mean the trial will use an established overnight camping area with toilets and refuse facilities.

The new site is intended to provide an alternative to people sleeping rough in other public parks and spaces. The City of Moreton Bay has stated that Wyllie Park is not intended to replace crisis accommodation or longer-term housing.

Twelve-month trial

The 12-month trial will provide time for the new camping arrangement to operate under the planned monitoring and security measures. CCTV monitoring and regular security patrols are planned, while the voluntary arrangement will provide another option for people experiencing homelessness.

City of Moreton Bay Mayor Peter Flannery said the initiative was not a solution to homelessness across the region.

“The fact is we have seen an increase in people using our parks and public spaces, and there has been a reduction in services by crisis accommodation charities facing funding cuts,” Cr Flannery said.

Cr Flannery said the site was an attempt to balance the needs of residents with those of people experiencing homelessness.

Read: Hope Centre Moreton Opens Doors To Homeless During Cyclone

The site will provide people experiencing homelessness with a free place to camp in Petrie, with basic facilities, nearby public transport and a location that Encircle says is close to support services. The 12-month trial will show how the new arrangement operates and whether it provides the stability described by its supporters.

Published 18-August-2026

Free Camping Site Opens at Wyllie Park in Petrie

A free camping site in Moreton Bay has opened at Wyllie Park in Petrie. For people who need somewhere to stay, it gives a no-cost option in a monitored public space.

The site sits within an existing overnight camping area. It has toilets and refuse facilities. City of Moreton Bay says it will also keep watch through CCTV and regular security patrols.

Council responds to pressure on parks

Mayor Peter Flannery said the site is not crisis accommodation or long-term housing. He said the State Government remains responsible for those services.

Still, he said Council has seen growing pressure on public parks and open spaces. That pressure has pushed Council to look for a practical response.

Division 8 Councillor Jim Moloney said Council faced a difficult task. He said it does not run crisis accommodation. However, he said public parks have come under increasing pressure.

Cr Moloney said Wyllie Park offers a viable alternative to public parks. He also said it provides a free camping option for people who need it.

A place close to support

Council says the site is voluntary and no-cost. It also says the location keeps people close to support services.

That matters. For people living rough, distance can make every step harder. A site near help may offer a little more stability when life is already uncertain.

Encircle Community Services welcomed the move. CEO Barb Power OAM said the organisation has long pushed for better housing outcomes and stronger support for people experiencing homelessness.

She said demand for affordable and social housing continues to exceed supply. That shortage, she said, keeps pressure on already stretched local services.

Ms Power said the free camping site in Moreton Bay may give people a place with more stability. She also said it could help them stay near the support they need.

A local issue with no easy fix

Council has been clear that the site is not a solution to homelessness across Moreton Bay or South East Queensland. It has also called on the State Government to back not-for-profit groups that provide crisis accommodation across the region.

Even so, the move will be noticed across North Lakes and surrounding suburbs. Housing stress is not something that sits in the background anymore. It shows up in local conversations, in service demand, and in the strain on public spaces.

The new free camping site in Moreton Bay is a practical step, not a final answer. But in a climate like this, practical steps still count.

For now, Wyllie Park is open as a free camping option for people who need it.

Published 12-August-2026

Tent Cities Expand in Rothwell, Deception Bay and Surrounding Areas

Photo Credit: New Hope Care

As makeshift campsites and tent cities proliferate across South East Queensland, the plight of homelessness intensifies, with Rothwell emerging as a focal point of the growing crisis, alongside Deception Bay, Eagleby, Shorncliffe, Beenleigh, Redcliffe and Woody Point.

The situation has reached a critical point, with families, individuals, and even full-time workers finding themselves without stable accommodation.

Rising Desperation Amidst a Housing Crunch

Among these, a family of eight with six children, now living in tents at Mckillop Park in Rothwell, recounted their struggles since losing their rental property in August 2023. The parents resorted to paying exorbitant fees for powered campsites and enduring lengthy commutes to ensure their children attended school.

Reports indicate that some rough sleepers are declining crisis accommodation provided by homelessness services, citing concerns over safety and suitability.

The tent cities present unique challenges and concerns. Volunteers and support workers highlight the shifting demographics of homelessness, with single mothers, workers, veterans, and individuals facing housing insecurity seeking refuge in these makeshift shelters.

However, instances of violence and insecurity underscore the precarious nature of life within these tent cities, amplifying the urgent need for comprehensive solutions to address Queensland’s housing crisis.

Response Amidst Lingering Challenges

Despite the Queensland government’s initiatives to tackle the crisis, such as promising the construction of 53,500 more social homes by 2046, the situation remains dire.

The Department of Housing, Local Government, Planning and Public Works has assisted over 500 individuals at risk of homelessness in inner-city Brisbane over the past year. Housing Minister Meghan Scanlon has emphasised the government’s commitment to ramping up construction efforts, with nearly 1000 homes under construction and plans to exceed 2000 homes per year on average.

Housing Accomodation — *Photo Credit: QLDGovt*

Additionally, expressions of interest have been invited for a new streamlined approvals process aimed at fast-tracking affordable housing developments.

However, with more than 43,000 Queenslanders on the social housing waitlist, the scale of the problem continues to outpace available solutions. Statewide data highlights the magnitude of the housing crisis, with wait times for social housing stretching to an average of 28 months.

Published 1-May-2024