Caravan parks across the region have been receiving an increase of inquiries about long term bookings following the rising cost of living and the ongoing housing crisis.

Despite a Code Blue recently declared by the State Government, which has provided additional funding to support rough sleepers to move into motels and other accommodation, caravan parks such as Limestone Coast Tourist Park are unavailable to house long term residents.

Limestone Coast Tourist Park owner/manager Joanne Stachurski said due to tourists and tradespeople staying in the region, there was no capacity to host the vulnerable.

“We do occasionally make exceptions, but we cannot house everyone who enquires because if we do we will not have those units available for our core market in peak times,” she said.

“We have always been getting these types of queries, it has been going on for a long time, but it has dramatically increased this year because now we are getting calls every day.

“I think the rising cost of living, especially rent and house prices, has impacted the amount of enquires we have been receiving about residential accommodation.

“I have lived here for 16 years and in that time the rent prices have been stable and unchanging for many years, now all of a sudden they have changed, and we are being told by people they cannot afford their rent as it has raised in price, or in some cases doubled.”