Just a kilometre or so north of the little town of Beauty Point situated in the Tamar Valley in northern Tasmania, Australia is a very special place. A little village of some 60 permanent elderly and retired residents sits within the Beauty Point Tourist Park. The park itself is situated on the banks of the beautiful Tamar River estuary and is bounded by the nearby state reserve.
The park village residents have occupied their dwellings, some valued in the 5 and 6 figure ranges, for many years. They pay a site rental to the park management and have done so on the basis of goodwill agreements with successive park owners over many years.
The quaint little homes in the village have their own gardens and the residents organise their own village activities. The village even has street names, such as Heron Drive, Magpie Lane, Osprey Drive, Ibis Place and Penguin Place.
For over 25 years there has been an ongoing vital community spirit. In fact one could refer to it as a micro suburb of the nearby Beauty Point township. The Tourist Park village has been allowed to flourish as a largely self-organised retirement village, much to the credit of the residents therein.
Residents in their retirement have come from all walks of life teaching, horticulture, nursing, returned services, members of state services, and many more. A rich diversity of people who have called the village home for many years. What we have is a wonderful community, with all members attached to their place and more importantly each other.
Indeed, the Tasmanian community should be proud that such a village continues to exist.
Dark Clouds Looming
The little community has flourished up until recent times when new management has taken upon itself to undertake certain changes that have caused worry and concern among the residents. It is understood that the residents appealed to current management for a mediation to have their concerns heard, but to no avail.
There have been ongoing disputes over a number of issues including building maintenance, visitor attendance, and the recent conflicts where residents were not allowed to hold a small ANZAC celebration. In these cases, management has applied, it would appear, black letter rules.
Recently the management has introduced a new agreement and associated rules, which has placed the residents in a situation of further worry.
Issues include edicts from management banning overnight stay by loved ones and friends, banning the affixing of NDIS essential equipment in homes owned by residents, as well as a number of other matters including a rule stating eviction without cause.
You can see the rules – and there are lots of them – at the bottom of this page.
Those residents who have spoken out have been issued with eviction notices, all of whom are aged and one in particular who is quite frail, suffering hospitalisation in recent times. The affected residents have been directed to vacate their site by a due date. These evictees (and others who may also be forced out) will have nowhere to go and will be in a far worse situation as they will (it is understood) be forced to foot the bill for site clearance.
Clearly this is a serious situation. We can’t have elderly folks who have contributed to our society and who lived a peaceful and harmonious existence at the park treated this way. Cases of elder abuse, intimidation and bullying by park management have been documented.
There has been expert assessment of the mental and emotional wellbeing of several of the residents. Findings indicate a significant degree of worry and trauma. Clearly the pressure tactics being employed by park management are dangerous and hurtful.
Calls for support and innovation
There are growing calls for changes to the Tasmanian Tenancy Act and Regulations to ensure residents such as those in the park village are protected and are able to enjoy a peaceful existence in keeping with what the community at large would expect.
Another avenue would be for the State and Federal Governments under their Care for the Aged and Housing and Homelessness Policies would be to purchase the park and expand the park village as an aged ‘sea change’ retirement village. This would certainly be a new innovation for Tasmania and a wonderful boost for our local area here in the Tamar Valley.
This little village, with its thriving community of attachment should be seen as a model in our efforts to fulfil the hope of what Australia could and should be …
Editor’s note: the featured image above was taken outside the entrance, as it is not permitted to take photographs inside the park.
Dr Philip Tattersall is a long-term resident of Beauty Point.
