For 33 years John Lawson has called Broome's Roebuck Bay Caravan Park home, but his future on its picturesque shores is uncertain.
Key points:
- Roebuck Bay Caravan Park is slated for a $9m redevelopment
- Long-term residents are anxious about losing their homes
- The park's operators pledge to find residents new sites within the park where possible
Mr Lawson is one of around two dozen long-term residents who might have to make way for a multi-million-dollar redevelopment planned by operator Discovery Parks.
Construction is due to begin in the coming months and residents face the prospect of having to find somewhere else to live by the Christmas holidays in a town experiencing a once-in-a-generation housing shortage.
Representatives of Discovery Parks planned to meet with residents this week but had to cancel due to the COVID outbreak.
Chief operations officer Matt Lang said the company was committed to working with residents to find them new sites within the park where possible.
Change is coming
The park is owned by the Shire of Broome and occupies prime real estate in the far-flung tourist town on WA's northern coast.
Visitors enjoy million-dollar views for the price of a budget holiday.
Over the years, a small but close-knit group of veteran residents have settled in among the tourists.
Their kitschy domiciles, featuring self-contained annexes, pavers and even a few garden gnomes, stand out from the seasonal vacationers.
While there is an appreciation for its unpretentious character, many believe the popular facility needs a facelift.
Efforts to modernise the park began last year after the shire signed a 21-year lease with Discovery Parks, one of Australia's largest caravan park operators.
The deal came with a $9 million redevelopment plan that will bring the park up to four-star status and include a lagoon pool, more than 30 tourist cabins, a new camp kitchen and barbecue area.
There will be an estimated $3 million economic benefit to the town during construction and an annual $4 million injection into the local economy, according to the company.
But the revamp will come at the expense of the long-term residents, with 29 of their sites sitting in the bulldozers' path.
Discovery promises cooperation
Mr Lawson is anxious as he waits to find out if he will be affected.
Adding to the confusion is that many residents, especially those who have lived at the park for decades, say they do not have formal tenancy agreements.
"I'm supposed to have an agreement with Discovery, but I've never signed one," Mr Lawson said.
"Everybody tells me in the office I have, but I've never signed one."
In a statement, Mr Lang said the company was prepared to work with residents to minimise the impact.
"We will be working with each resident to find the best solution for them."
To smooth the transition, a series of meetings have been organised between the Shire, WA Consumer Protection and Discovery Parks.
But at the most recent meeting there were still many questions that remained unanswered, partly because the company's representatives were absent due to the latest COVID travel restrictions.
Christmas holiday deadline
The ABC understands residents will be notified by the company if their plot is affected, and those without a formal agreement will have 180 days to clear their sites.
The deadline is expected to be around the Christmas-New Year period.
It is unfortunate timing given Broome, like many regional towns across Australia, is experiencing a housing shortage.
The shire has repeatedly expressed concern over the housing crunch and initiated a series of measures, including opening temporary campsites and loosening short-stay regulations.
President Harold Tracey this week called for vacant government-owned houses to be rented to the public.
In a statement, Deputy President Desiree Male said the Shire hoped there would be minimal impact to long-term residents but that ultimately the agreements were between residents and Discovery.
"Shire officers will continue to work with [the state government] to ensure that long-stay tenants' obligations and rights are managed in line with the Caravan and Campgrounds Act 1995," she said.
Long-term resident Ernie McCreed said he understood why the Shire wanted to proceed with the development.