Death of Victorian couple in car the tragic 'face of homelessness'

The Salvation Army has said the deaths of a homeless Victorian couple in their car is a "real concern", and part of the face of homelessness.

The couple and their dog were found dead in a car near Ballarat, apparently killed by a gas heater they were using to keep warm.

Police say the 27-year-old man and 24-year-old woman, both from Ballarat, were believed to have been living in the car, and a butane gas heater they were using to keep warm may have contributed to their deaths.

Officers found the bodies when they checked on the car parked at Cardigan, near Ballarat, last night.

Dr Bruce Redman, of the Salvation Army, told the Herald Sun it was a sad indication of how tough some people were doing it.

"The fact these are local people from Ballarat who have been effectively forced into sleeping in their car is a real concern for us," he said.

"They obviously haven’t been able to find affordable accommodation, a place to stay with friends or anything like that, which is part of the face of homelessness.

“It’s not just people sleeping in parks, on the streets and things like that.

"The fact they’ve actually been forced to sleep in their car and tried to keep warm in an unorthodox means, which has possibly led to their deaths, is really sad.”

The deaths are not being treated as suspicious, and will be referred to the coroner.