{"id":83343,"date":"2026-08-30T11:11:22","date_gmt":"2026-08-30T11:11:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/83343\/"},"modified":"2026-08-30T11:11:22","modified_gmt":"2026-08-30T11:11:22","slug":"worrying-sign-at-homeless-camp-as-australias-cost-of-living-crisis-deepens","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/83343\/","title":{"rendered":"Worrying sign at homeless camp as Australia’s cost-of-living crisis deepens"},"content":{"rendered":"

Audi and Mercedes are not brands most Aussies associate with homelessness.<\/a><\/p>\n

But when Yahoo News ventured into seaside camps in Melbourne’s west,<\/a> two of these luxury vehicles had someone sleeping rough inside.<\/p>\n

Our guide was Ivan, a specialist nurse with Bolton Clarke, a company whose roots trace back to the old Royal District Nursing Service.<\/p>\n

“The people in those cars were probably living quite comfortably at the time their lives pivoted to homelessness, and things fell apart financially<\/a> and personally,” he said.<\/p>\n

“Sometimes men are stuck with payments for those vehicles, and they can’t sell them, so all of their money from the pension or the dole goes to that.<\/p>\n

“That’s his only asset, so he hangs onto it.”<\/p>\n

\"Ivan<\/p>\n

Ivan (pictured) noticed the windows of an Audi were fogged up. Inside there were signs someone had been sleeping inside for some time.<\/p>\n

(Yahoo News Australia)Chain of events that could leave ‘anyone’ without a home<\/p>\n

Many find themselves on the street after a relationship breakdown, and some are also left with a mortgage for a home they can no longer live in.<\/p>\n

Ivan explained that homelessness can happen to almost anyone.<\/p>\n

“Just one bad turn in someone’s life can leave them with no choice but to live in a car park until they can work out their next move,” he said.<\/p>\n

Most of Ivan’s clients are older men who are too proud to ask for help. But he has an eye for finding those in need.<\/p>\n

Signs people sleeping rough in luxury cars<\/p>\n

The condensation on the Audi’s windows was a sign that someone was sleeping inside, and the surface rust on the brake pads indicated it hadn’t been moved recently.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"Background:<\/p>\n

Ivan has learned to look for signs of people in need, like rusted brake pads and fogged windscreens.<\/p>\n

(Yahoo News Australia)<\/p>\n

He first spotted the Mercedes in May, and while it appears in good condition, it no longer has number plates, and there are sunshades on some of the windows for privacy.<\/p>\n

At another site, there is a man who rents out vehicles that have fallen deeper into disrepair. One white van is surrounded by broken glass, and its windows have been replaced with gaffer tape.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Accommodation that’s more dangerous than the street<\/p>\n

Some people on the street don’t want to be housed, but Ivan continues to visit and offer support.\u00a0<\/p>\n

“People have trust issues, a history of traumas, mental illness, drug abuse, and they can be afraid of the stigma of having let themselves go,” Ivan said.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

One van no longer had windows, and they’d been replaced with gaffer tape.<\/p>\n

(Yahoo News Australia)<\/p>\n

His first goal is to help clients navigate Australia’s healthcare system, which can be complex for anyone, particularly the mentally unwell and the elderly.<\/p>\n

Then he works to get them off the streets before they become sicker, more injured, or their insurance payments slip behind, and their car gets vandalised.<\/p>\n

Cheap motels can cost $120 a night, but they can be dangerous. Badly run boarding houses can leave occupants worse off than when they got the keys.<\/p>\n

“They’re charging $500 week for a room, with a shared bathroom and kitchen,” Ivan said.<\/p>\n

“People you’re co-living with can be straight out of prison, with mental illness and addiction issues.<\/p>\n

“So you get bullied, you get mugged, they break into your room overnight.<\/p>\n

“It’s hard to find a good one, so some people prefer to sleep on the street.”<\/p>\n

Centrelink can’t pay the bills<\/p>\n

At a location that Yahoo has opted not to reveal, there was a 61-year-old man named Joey with a 4WD and a caravan worth close to $200,000.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Both he and his vehicle show signs of deterioration he can’t afford to fix. When we approached he was initially suspicious, but quickly became keen to talk.<\/p>\n

He left his rental home four years ago after a heartbreak. She was a flight attendant, and he worked on the railways, meaning they didn’t see a lot of each other.<\/p>\n

“My girlfriend called me and said, Joey, do you love me? Do you miss me?” he recalled.<\/p>\n

“I said, Yes, what do you mean?<\/p>\n

“She said, I left you three months ago.”<\/p>\n

\"Ivan<\/p>\n

Doing his rounds, Ivan checks on the occupants of vehicles to see if they need medical help.<\/p>\n

(Yahoo News Australia)<\/p>\n

He’s lost touch with many of his mates, he’s been married, no kids, although he’s got a sister up north.<\/p>\n

He finds free places to camp because caravan parks cost $70 to $90 a day, which is unaffordable on Centrelink benefits.<\/p>\n

The highly-skilled tradie wants to work, but he’s acquired a number of injuries, including scarred feet burned during a gas bottle fire, and a severely swollen ankle.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Keeping safe as desperation grows<\/p>\n

While Joey has been on the road, he’s seen an increasing number of people he considers to be really down on their luck.<\/p>\n

Some spend all their money on beer, and feed themselves at food banks. Others he trusted have stolen the grog from his fridge and run.<\/p>\n

He sleeps with a dog and a machete to keep safe from his neighbours, some of whom have long criminal records, mental health, and meth problems.<\/p>\n

Still, he hasn’t lost compassion. There was an odd smell emanating from a nearby van, and he had Ivan check on its occupant to make sure he hadn’t died.<\/p>\n

He gave food and water to another man who was sleeping in the bush without a tent.<\/p>\n

Why moving the homeless doesn’t work<\/p>\n

Ivan handed Joey a packet of toiletries and medical supplies and asked him to pass on his card to anyone who needs help.<\/p>\n

But then his phone chimed, and there was a more pressing emergency to attend to.<\/p>\n

An elderly man had been kicked out of the respite facility Ivan had placed him in.<\/p>\n

He’d hoped it would eventually provide him with a spot in its aged care facility, but he’d been acting up, and now faced living on the streets in his 80s.<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/p>\n

As housing prices, temporary accommodation costs, and the cost of living soar, Ivan warns that unhoused people simply cannot be moved on by councils or police.<\/p>\n

“I’m dealing with people who are probably in one of the worst situations in their lives,” Ivan said.<\/p>\n

“They’re stuck in a cycle, and I’m trying to help them break it.<\/p>\n

“Some people aren’t ready to bounce back from whatever trauma put them here.<\/p>\n

“But it’s hard to create change and move on.”<\/p>\n

You can also follow us on Facebook<\/a>, Instagram<\/a>, TikTok<\/a>, X<\/a> and YouTube<\/a>.<\/p>\n