Full Breakdown
Rockingham’s Memorial Drive Homeless Encampment Ordered to Vacate
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Final Eviction Order and Immediate Actions
Police and Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA) officers arrived at the makeshift camp on Memorial Drive in the City of Rockingham on Wednesday morning. Residents were handed final notices giving them 24 hours to remove their belongings or face forced eviction. Officers encouraged campers to pack up, and a 35-year-old man was later taken into a police vehicle and charged with trespassing. The deadline coincided with the end of the day, after which authorities warned that formal move-on notices would be issued.
Background to the Encampment
The encampment had grown to line the grassy verges of Memorial Drive, with estimates ranging from about 45 to 50 people living in tents, vans and makeshift shelters. The site had become a focal point for Western Australia’s broader housing crisis, drawing attention after earlier attempts to relocate residents. DBCA officers had previously warned the camp that it must be cleared by September 22, prompting dozens of occupants to leave at that time.
Outreach Efforts and Support Statistics
State officials highlighted extensive outreach over the preceding weeks. Homelessness Minister Matthew Swinbourn reported that outreach workers had engaged with individuals on more than 1,000 occasions, resulting in more than 30 people being placed into crisis accommodation, added to the public-housing waitlist, or assisted in returning to country. Additional support was to be provided through the Salvos Centre of Hope and The Crew, which were set to expand daytime case-management services. Shelter WA chief executive Kath Snell described the camp as a “very visible and distressing example” of the state’s homelessness problem and called for scaled, coordinated solutions.
Official Statements & Responses
- Matthew Swinbourn said the site needed to be cleared to protect the safety of campers and nearby residents, citing antisocial behaviour, waste accumulation and the approaching bushfire season. He emphasized that the decision was “not taken lightly” and that outreach had been intensified, offering accommodation and support daily.
- Kath Snell stressed that encampments are not necessarily safe and that the priority should be “safe, affordable homes.” She urged the government to develop a coordinated plan to end rough sleeping across Western Australia.
- DBCA officers offered to store belongings for residents who had nowhere else to place them and reiterated that the removal was driven by safety concerns rather than a desire to abandon anyone.
Criticism & Opposition
- Gemma Jones, a resident of up to nine months, described the police presence as “intimidating” and “pretty disgusting,” arguing that authorities show force to move homeless people but appear less effective against criminal activity.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- Camp population: ABC reports “about 45” campers, while Watoday cites “about 50” remaining.
- Service uptake: Watoday notes that roughly 16 individuals flatly refused engagement, a detail not mentioned in ABC.
- On-site atmosphere: ABC describes “mostly peaceful scenes” with police bundling a man, whereas Watoday reports “no aggression” on the ground, indicating differing perceptions of the day’s tension.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Outreach services have engaged with individuals on more than 1000 occasions during this time, supporting more than 30 people into accommodation, on to the housing waitlist or to return to country.” — Homelessness Matthew Swinbourn, homelessness minister