Margaret River to survey homeless population as housing crisis bites holiday hotspot
Alice Marshall lives in a caravan and is working to find housing solutions for others. (ABC News: Georgia Loney)
In short:
The Shire of Augusta Margaret River is using rangers and volunteers to survey homeless people.
It says the shire's wealthy reputation is hindering support for the vulnerable, and wants more state government support.
The median rent in Margaret River is $800 a week.
One of Australia's top holiday hotspots has been told it must prove it has a homelessness problem — despite entire families living in tents and caravans.
Margaret River, about 270 kilometres south of Perth, has been described as a playground for the wealthy, with multi-million-dollar properties sitting alongside its famous wineries and surf breaks.
But the Shire of Augusta Margaret River believes the area's perceived wealth is a barrier to support for a serious housing shortage and homelessness problem.
It wants more social housing, and funding for locally based services to help people living in parks, cars and tents or couch surfing.
Data collection
The shire says it has been told by state government agencies more data is needed to build a case for more services.
It is now training its rangers, alongside housing advocates, to survey people sleeping rough in a bid to quantify the problem.
Food is being handed out in Margaret River as part of efforts to help those affected by the housing crisis. (ABC News: Georgia Loney)
Home Advocacy Group project coordinator Shona Hunter organised out-of-town services to visit the shire's community centre last week, to help its homeless community, while volunteers collected data.
About 20 people had visited the centre to fill in the surveys in the first two days.
"That's very high – considering that probably only 10 per cent of the people currently experiencing homelessness might have got in touch with us," she said.
Lack of homes for locals
Ms Hunter said the town's status as a holiday hotspot was hurting people who had grown up in the area.
"Houses that are getting taken up for short-term accommodation and tourism uses are not for locals anymore," she said.
Just Home advocacy group secretary Alice Marshall lives in a caravan with her son, at a park south of town.
She works as a cleaner and much of her work involves servicing the holiday homes in Margaret River and surrounding communities.
Her mother helped her buy a caravan after finding a rental proved impossible.
Alice Marshall's living room is a canvas annexe on a caravan. (ABC News: Georgia Loney)
"There was no rentals, and if there were, they were about $600 a week, which is out of anyone's budget if they're not earning $150,000 a year," Ms Marshall said.
"If you live in a caravan it gets very hot; you can only use one appliance at a time.
"But in the grand scheme of things I have a roof over my head … and I know of families living in tents with four kids."
Data needed to justify support
Augusta Margaret River Shire President Julia Jean-Rice said the council had been told to collect nationally accredited data to present to the state government.
Ms Jean-Rice said she was trying to change the perception of the area as a place of privilege.
"It's commonly referred to as a place of wealth and milk and honey, and we know the situation on the ground is quite different,"she said.
Julia Jean-Rice says the shire's rangers are carrying out nationally accredited surveys to quantify homelessness. (ABC News: Georgia Loney)
"This is one way of collecting data to reinforce our position."
The state government says it funds a range of homelessness support services across the South West.
But the shire wants services based in Margaret River, rather than relying on visiting services from Busselton or Bunbury.
Measure the problem
Ms Jean-Rice said shire rangers had been trained in the use of the nationally recognised Australian Homeless Vulnerability Triage Tool to help audit residents.
While beyond the rangers' usual remit, the 15-minute survey asks about people's needs and experience of homelessness.
Margaret River local volunteers were trained to carry out surveys of the homeless. (ABC News: Georgia Loney)
"But by the nature of their role, they are the people on the front lines," Ms Jean-Rice said.
"They know where people experiencing homelessness are and how to connect with them."
Rents topping $800pw
Real Estate Institute of WA data shows property prices in Margaret River have risen 20 per cent in the past year, to $950,000, while the median rent has risen nearly 10 per cent to $800 a week.
Disability pensioner George Piahana has lived in the town for more than 30 years.
George Piahana is staying with friends because he can't afford a place to rent. (ABC News: Georgia Loney)
He lives with friends, because he cannot afford a property.
"Rents have risen and it's hard to find a place where you can pay rent,"he said.
A state government spokesperson said 231 social housing properties had been added in the South West since 2021.
The spokesperson said $5 million in funding had also been provided to support homelessness services across the region in the past year.