Elderly Couple Pleads with Gold Coast Council to Halt Eviction from Caravan Park
An elderly couple, Beryl and Doug Roberts, are facing eviction from the Kirra Beach Tourist Park on Australia's Gold Coast by June 2028. The City of Gold Coast Council notified permanent residents in 2018 that the park would be converted back to short-term tourist accommodation to meet high demand. The Roberts, who purchased their caravan in 2011 for $60,000 and invested significantly in renovations, rejected a council buyback offer of the same amount. They argue that soaring housing costs, with median rents reaching $850 weekly and house prices hitting $1 million, make it impossible for them to afford alternative housing. While the council has spent approximately $10 million buying back other homes and insists the ten-year notice period was fair, the couple fears homelessness. Mayor Tom Tate confirmed no deadline extensions will be granted, citing public interest laws. Housing advocates highlight the severe shortage of social housing, with over 2,100 households on waiting lists, underscoring the broader crisis affecting vulnerable residents in the region.
Wire timeline
Elderly Couple Pleads with Gold Coast Council to Halt Eviction from Caravan Park
An elderly couple, Beryl and Doug Roberts, are facing eviction from the Kirra Beach Tourist Park on Australia's Gold Coast by June 2028. The City of Gold Coast Council notified permanent residents in 2018 that the park would be converted back to short-term tourist accommodation to meet high demand. The Roberts, who purchased their caravan in 2011 for $60,000 and invested significantly in renovations, rejected a council buyback offer of the same amount. They argue that soaring housing costs, with median rents reaching $850 weekly and house prices hitting $1 million, make it impossible for them to afford alternative housing. While the council has spent approximately $10 million buying back other homes and insists the ten-year notice period was fair, the couple fears homelessness. Mayor Tom Tate confirmed no deadline extensions will be granted, citing public interest laws. Housing advocates highlight the severe shortage of social housing, with over 2,100 households on waiting lists, underscoring the broader crisis affecting vulnerable residents in the region.
Just In