An 80-year-old pensioner has been left homeless after a council condemned her home \u2014 a property she claims never recovered from being used as a set for an iconic Australian film.<\/p>\n
Queenslander Yvonne Dean was a struggling single mother during the late 1990s. <\/p>\n
Movie producers offered to restore her rundown Brisbane house in exchange for using it as the set for He Died with a Felafel in His Hand.<\/p>\n
Ms Dean believed the deal was the answer to her financial pressures.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe agreement was that \u2018we\u2019ll look after you, we\u2019ll provide you accommodation, we\u2019ll restore your home. It\u2019ll be a lot better than what you have now, Yvonne,\u2019\u201d Ms Dean told A Current Affair<\/a>.<\/p>\n Instead, she claims the production turned her Annerley property into a long-term structural disaster.<\/p>\n MORE: \u2018Joke\u2019: Woman sends landlord $1k bill via text<\/a><\/p>\n \u2018Wrong land\u2019: Mistake costs Aussie couple $500k<\/a><\/p>\n \u2018Never buy it\u2019: 23yo\u2019s backyard hell warning<\/a><\/p>\n The film followed Danny, played by Aussie actor Noah Taylor, as he battled his way through a string of sharehouse nightmares.<\/p>\n To capture the script\u2019s wildest moments, the crew subjected the house to extreme physical stunts.<\/p>\n \u201cThey came with a chainsaw and cut a big hole in the roof,\u201d Ms Dean said.<\/p>\n \u201cThey used the kitchen sink for a scene in the movie where they had a fire in the sink.\u201d<\/p>\n In one of the film\u2019s climactic scenes, the whole back of the house drops off on cue. <\/p>\n While Ms Dean acknowledged the production company patched up the damage after filming wrapped, she claimed over time the house had fallen into further disrepair.<\/p>\n \u201cIt leaks, and the chamferboard inside on the ceiling doesn\u2019t stay there,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s just one big hole where a big snake crawls through.\u201d<\/p>\n The Brisbane City Council has now officially condemned the crumbling wreck, deeming it too dangerous to live in.<\/p>\n Unable to afford to keep the house or rent somewhere else, the 80-year-old is relying on local residents for a place to sleep.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve had a few good neighbours that have offered me a room, so I sort of move around like a musical chair,\u201d Ms Dean said.<\/p>\n Neighbours confirmed the property is now past the point of repairs, leaving the pensioner stranded without options.<\/p>\n The production company behind the cult classic has long since shut down, but the film\u2019s former producers have hit back at the allegations.<\/p>\n They claim the house was restored to a better condition than when they found it, noting they had never received a single complaint until now.<\/p>\n Producers argued that 27 years of wear and tear is the most likely explanation as to why the house is not in good condition.<\/p>\n Brisbane City Council confirmed to A Current Affair its officers acted following complaints from nearby residents.<\/p>\n \u201cAfter receiving contact from nearby residents we went to investigate the property and shared our concerns with the residents about the dangerous condition of the building,\u201d a council statement said.<\/p>\n \u201cThe engineer\u2019s report is currently under review.\u201d<\/p>\n Engineers have reportedly concluded the home cannot be salvaged.<\/p>\n While the council offered to connect Ms Dean with community services to find a safe place to live, she said she only wanted her old life back.<\/p>\n \u201cAt the end of all this, I would really just like to have my home back,\u201d she said. \u201cAnd have peace.\u201d<\/p>\n MORE: Trapped Aus tradie\u2019s urgent caravan warning<\/a><\/p>\n Couple pays $39k after sad 25m dirt \u2018regret\u2019<\/a><\/p>\n