Queensland council approves free camp site for homeless people
A Queensland council will set up a free camp for homeless people at a public park as a part of a 12-month trial.
The tent camp will be located at Wyllie Park in Petrie, north of Brisbane, after a decision by City of Moreton Bay Council on Wednesday night.
The tent camp will be located at Wyllie Park in Petrie, north of Brisbane. City of Moreton Bay Council
The free camp will include a mandatory registration process, campground terms and conditions, designated campsites and operational management procedures.
Councillor Jim Moloney said people were already living at the park “without registration, without conditions and without a management plan to guide how camping occurs at the site”.
“I say that not for effect, I say it because it defines the choice that is facing us today,” Moloney said.
“The question is not whether people experiencing homelessness will camp at Wyllie Park, they already do.
“The question is whether that camping is managed or unmanaged.
“I want to address a question some residents may ask as well, why Wyllie Park?
“The answer is actually quite simple, Wyllie Park was not selected because council wants camping to occur there, Wyllie Park was selected because camping is already occurring.
“It already has the basic infrastructure, it already has public access, it already has the capacity to contain camping within a defined area of the reserve.”
Camping will only be permitted within the declared camping ground area on a site allocated through council’s registration process.
People are not allowed to stay at the camping ground for more than 42 days within a rolling 12-month period, except in exceptional circumstances at council’s discretion.
Moloney said Queensland government data showed 1641 people were homeless or at risk of experiencing homelessness in June 2023.
More Queensland residents are turning to camping. File
He said that figure had increased to 3147 by March 2026.
“Almost double in less than three years,” he said.
“In that same time period, 446 additional social homes have been delivered in Moreton Bay, with another 716 under construction.
“Every one of those homes is welcome, but the reality is clear, the need is growing faster than supply.
“When the supply of social housing falls behind the demand, the consequences do not stay on a government spreadsheet.
“They show up in our communities, they show up in our parks and public spaces, and increasingly they show up at the doorstep of local government.
“I’ve said before in this chamber that local government is often left managing the symptoms of problems we do not have the power to solve, housing is one of them.”
Moloney appealed to the Queensland government to do more to address the housing crisis.
“I’ve said before in this chamber that local government is often left managing the symptoms of problems we do not have the power to solve, housing is one of them,” he said.
“Council is not a housing authority, council is not a health service, council is not a mental health provider and council cannot solve Queensland’s housing crisis through park management.
“That is why I want to make a direct call to the Queensland government today, if this trial is to succeed, it needs more than a registration process.
“It needs crisis accommodation, it needs homelessness outreach services, it needs mental health support, it needs health services, and it needs genuine pathways into permanent housing.”
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