Another Aussie council makes change to strict caravan rule: 'Huge difference'
As several councils across Australia move to limit where residents can park their caravans and trailers, and introduce red tape for landowners hosting short-stay travellers on their properties, one council has announced it's taking a decidedly different approach. It will formally allow people to park their motorhomes and tiny homes and live on private properties, in a measure aimed at offering some relief to the housing crisis.
Across Australia, several councils have recently introduced restrictions on where caravans and trailers can be parked, especially in residential areas, citing concerns about limited street parking and safety. Meanwhile a number of Queensland councils have made it harder for large land owners to accomodate farm stays for travellers in caravans.
But with a suffocating housing crisis gripping the country, the Shire of Manjimup, in Western Australia's southwest and taken the complete opposite tack.
Speaking to Yahoo News, Shire President Donelle Buegge said the council had adopted a policy that allows people to apply to live in caravans or tiny homes on wheels on private land for up to two years, offering a rare show of housing flexibility from local lawmakers.
Back in August, the WA government announced reforms to the Caravan Parks and Camping Grounds Regulations Act, which came into effect in September. The changes allowed local governments to approve the use of caravans or tiny homes on wheels as temporary accommodation on private land for up to two years, with the possibility of renewal – something the council is now embracing.
On Tuesday, the Shire of Manjimup voted to enact the policy and to allow council greater discretion to approve applications from those who are ageing in place, or facing other personal circumstances that require temporary accommodation.
"The state government was very broad with what we could do, this now gives us the policies, it gives our officers clear guidelines," Buegge told Yahoo.
"People can stay in tiny homes on wheels and caravans for up to two years as long as they meet health and safety requirements. As long as they have water, a place for waste to go, and things like that.
Buegge said the region is under increasing strain from a "huge housing shortage," with the rental market unable to keep up with demand.
"Every house that becomes available for rent is getting 30 to 35 applications. And we're not alone in this— it's happening everywhere," she said. "But we don't have a short-term fix. I know of around 37 kids who are couch surfing right now because they can't stay at home while finishing school. Even just a small sense of stability can make a huge difference."
Buegge said the new policy could provide that difference. "This gives people a little bit of leeway, a little bit of security while we continue to work towards longer-term solutions. Having your own space, even temporarily, can do so much for someone's self-confidence and sense of safety."
She also acknowledged that she believes many people had already been living this way.
"I think it's already happening — people just don't talk about it because they're worried they'll be told to move on. This policy removes that fear and legitimises what, for some, is the only option," she said. "If something this small can make life a bit easier for someone, then I think it's the least we can do."
It comes as Lockyer Valley Regional Council, 90km west of Brisbane, announced last week residential use of caravans will now be permitted for up to six months in a 12-month period if the person is parked on a family or friend's property.
The change in that local government area means the landowner and the caravan occupant will not require council approval and this arrangement has been locked in until the end of 2027.
"While the state and federal governments carry the responsibility for meeting housing demand, allowing for the temporary use of caravans is a practical step local governments can take," Cheryl Steinhardt, Lockyer Council's Regulatory Services Councillor said.
"Not only does it benefit people waiting for a rental to become available or for a property to settle, it also supports people doing it tough."
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