A controversial change to tenancy agreements at a holiday park has been adopted after an emotion-charged Sunshine Coast Council meeting.
The council will gradually phase out 82 long-term tenancies at Dicky Beach Holiday Park by adopting a “natural attrition” policy, which means if a tenant no longer resides there the site is returned to the park for use as short-term tourist accommodation.
The council has stressed that under the policy current tenants will not be required to leave, but residents say the changes will make their homes virtually worthless.
A council officer’s report ahead of the meeting recommended the change be adopted at Dicky Beach to bring it into line with the five other council-managed holiday parks on the Coast, which have had the natural attrition policy since 2005.
The six council-run holiday parks operate on state government land under a trustee arrangement with the council, but the state has indicated long-term occupation by tenants is contrary to the purpose of the reserves.
Councillor Terry Landsberg, whose Division 2 covers the holiday park, proposed an alternate motion, that the council not adopt the policy and instead develop a management plan that would “recognise the unique legacy, social value and community contribution of the long-term residents at the Dicky Beach Holiday Park”.
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“The site serves a distinct and valuable role in providing affordable housing and community stability, and should be considered separately from the other Sunshine Coast holiday parks,” his motion said.
“(We) request the chief executive officer to develop a management plan for the Dicky Beach Holiday Park that enables ongoing residential use … within the current state leased area, and recognises the park’s contribution to affordable housing and community wellbeing.”
After a lengthy and emotive debate, which was paused several times for Mayor Rosanna Natoli to request silence from the public gallery, Cr Landsberg’s motion was defeated six votes to four (with Councillor Winston Johnston absent).
Councillor Taylor Bunnag then moved that the original officer’s recommendation, for the adoption of the natural attrition policy, be adopted.
“The reality of it is we are not kicking people out – that’s what this boils down to. I don’t want there to be a misconception in the community that this means that 82 dwellings will go,” he said.
“When we talk about how we treat people, I can’t just consider the 82 dwellings in Dicky Beach; I consider the 14 (remaining permanent residents) in Cotton Tree, the 10 in Coolum, the 10 in Mudjimba and the five at Maroochydore. How do I go and doorknock each of those people and say that half an hour down the road we’re treating people differently?”
The original motion was passed after being endorsed by councillors Bunnag, Jenny Broderick, Tim Burns, Ted Hungerford, Maria Suarez and David Law, with Mayor Natoli and councillors Landsberg, Joe Natoli and Christian Dickson opposed.
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Cr Landsberg – who during the meeting also successfully moved to have the item considered first due to public interest – had earlier pleaded with councillors to adopt his alternative motion.
“I’m bringing this motion up for consideration due to our commitment in maintaining the sense of belonging and security for the residents of the Dicky Beach Holiday Park,” he said.
“We are today dealing with past legacy decisions that have enabled a whole community of people to reside in Dicky Beach. Many years ago, when the council of the day sold off or transitioned caravan parks at Golden Beach, Kings Beach and Tripcony caravan parks, the residents were relocated to Dicky Beach.
“We have members of our community who have lived in the park for over 40 years. This park has continued to provide affordable accommodation for valued residents who contribute to our local economy.
“What makes Dicky Beach Holiday Park different from the other five parks is that a legacy decision by the then-Caloundra City Council on April 27, 2006, set the guidelines for the establishment of permanent caravan sites.”
Cr Landsberg was also critical of the council’s handling of the matter, saying residents were only consulted three days prior to last month’s meeting (when the issue was on the agenda but withdrawn), and said “discussions around financial contribution compensation” had taken place as part of the proposed management plan but no details had been worked out with the state.
He also presented a petition to the council from the residents of the Dicky Beach Holiday Park, with more than 900 written and online signatures, asking to maintain the “status quo” to protect the current living circumstances at the park.
Cr Bunnag earlier described the issue as “a self-made mess”.
“For decades, successive councils starting with Caloundra City and now Sunshine Coast have allowed 82 permanent dwellings to be bought and sold at Dicky Beach to permanent tenants despite a recognition that this state land is for recreational camping purposes,” he said.
Cr Hungerford said he was approaching the issue from a financial perspective, pointing out the 82 residential sites at Dicky Beach generated about $871,000 annually, compared to $1.7 million for the same number of tourist sites, and that tenants did not pay rates.
“When I look at this, I get the feeling this is like winning the lottery because what other ratepayers have we got that would like to have lifetime rates free and not have to pay for their services, and be able to sell their land?” he said.
“I thought to myself, how do I explain this to my community, the other ratepayers, and worse still, how do I justify it? I cannot. This is an anomaly, as written in from the state government.”
Cr Natoli, who was the mayor of Maroochy Shire in 2005 when the natural attrition policy was introduced at the five other parks, said he now favoured the adoption of a management plan.
“Circumstances back then, nearly 20 years ago, were completely different than what it is today,” he said. “In terms of affordability, rentals, purchase of homes, there were many options, a lot more than what we have today. The Coast has grown significantly, and unfortunately, housing supplies have dried up, land has dried up, the cost of housing has almost doubled in the last six years.
“I hope councillors understand that almost 20 years ago, I made a different decision, but circumstances were different and today I make this decision based on what I think are legacy decisions that were made by Caloundra.”
Mayor Natoli said it was the responsibility of the council to help ease the housing crisis.
“There are two ways to look at this issue,” she said. “One way is through a consistency lens, a financial lens, a business lens, a lens that looks at what the site is meant to deliver in terms of outcomes for holidaymakers and in terms of return to council.
“The other way of looking at this is with a people focus, with a view to the fact that 106 people live in this caravan park, have purchased their homes. Some of them have taken out loans. They’ve been sold to by real estate agents. They’ve had building work completed, with applications made to council.
“We need to think differently about how housing is approached in this country because what we are doing currently, and have been doing for decades, doesn’t appear to be working right now. So let’s not get rid of affordable, smaller homes by attrition at a time when replacing them elsewhere is impossible.”
The policy is set to be introduced in tenancy agreements from May 2026.
