High-rise developer buys Wantirna Caravan Park, forcing out residents

• Caravan park to close in 2018
• ‘It’s going to be hard for a lot of people’
• Rent hike shock sparks watchdog’s interest

A Knox Leader investigation reveals the park, at 203 Mountain Highway, is mortgaged to the Bank of China and is owned by the Longriver group, which is behind plans for one of the biggest high-rise towers outside the CBD, in Box Hill.

The privately-owned company’s website has a statement from managing director Andrew Yu stating he wants to leave “a positive mark in Melbourne’s history”.

When Leader visited the caravan park last week, some residents were too distraught to speak.

Trevor Russell, who has lived there for seven years, started dry-retching, then crying, when he got a letter with the news this month.

He said once residents found out who bought the park, they knew that they “were stuffed”.

“I had a neighbour come down in tears, then I started crying,” Mr Russell said. “People are so upset.”

Mr Russell is unsure of his future but said it would be too expensive to relocate his van and annex. He called on Longriver to compensate residents amid fears people will be left homeless.

Another resident, who did not want to be named, said before she moved into the park she had been homeless and living in her car.

She had no idea what she would do after the park closed, she said.

Residents have to be out by January 2018. The caravan park is listed in Knox Council’s housing strategy as a “strategic” site.

A statement from PR company Royce Communications, on behalf of Longriver, said the owner decided to close it “as a result of a detailed business analysis”.

The statement said the park’s future was “likely to include some form of development” and the owner was in discussions with planning experts and the council.

In a statement issued by Knox Council this week, Cr Darren Pearce said: “The impending closure of the Wantirna Caravan Park and the impact this will have on residents, is a source of concern for, though not a responsibility of, Council.”

But Cr Pearce said the council was committed to working in partnership with local support agency, UnitingCare Harrison, to provide appropriate support to affected residents when and where possible.

He said as of December 12, no planning application had been lodged for the site.

Consumer Affairs Victoria said there was no automatic right to compensation as long as residents had been given enough notice.

Consumer Affairs Victoria said there was no automatic right to compensation as long as residents had been given enough notice.