NEARBY residents say they are fed up with the ongoing issues surrounding a Hagelthorn Street property in Wonthaggi, a property long plagued by squatters, vandalism and late-night disturbances.
A local couple, who live close to the property, said the situation has been deteriorating for months. To respect their privacy, the couple asked to remain anonymous for this story.
Speaking with The Sentinel-Times on Wednesday, April 9, the husband said the home was in a shocking state.
“The house is an absolute mess. They’ve punched holes through the walls, they’ve thrown things through the door – like a piece of wood. The house doesn’t even have a front door anymore,” he said.
The man said he recently saw council workers at the property attempting to clean up the front yard, which had become a dumping ground for rubbish, clothing, bicycles and other debris.
“The owner is being chased up by council, and he’s probably the one who’s going to get the bill. Why should he get the bill? Give it to them – the squatters. They’re the ones who’ve made the mess,” he frustratedly added.
According to the couple, squatters have been residing at the address for several months. The woman said the disturbances often occur in the early hours of the morning.
“Neighbours have told us they’ve been woken up at about 3am in the morning with noise coming from the house – banging, etc. Other neighbours have spoken to council, and they haven’t done a thing,” she said.
They said the issues have begun spreading beyond the property itself, with neighbouring homes now being affected by trespassing and vandalism.
“Someone from the house was seen sitting at one of our neighbour’s outdoor tables – three times. The police were called on the most recent occasion,” said the man.
The couple said most of the trouble occurs at night.
“You can go past the property during the day, and it’ll look like nobody is there,” said the woman.
“They only go out at nighttime,” added her husband.
“It’s everybody in the street that’s affected,” he continued.
“Everybody is trying to keep their properties neat and tidy, and you just get people like them making the street a mess.”
The couple also said a neighbour’s family member had their car damaged, which ended up costing them $900 to repair.
Emergency services have also been pulled into the situation.
“The fire brigade has been called out twice,” the man said, indicating a recurring pattern of potentially nefarious activities at the property.
Both residents admitted the situation has left them feeling unsettled.
“We feel like moving, but we just don’t want to move,” the man said.
“You feel like you have to lock everything up,” added the woman.
“Everyone is frustrated because no one is doing anything,” he said, expressing concern about what they see as inaction from both council and police.
Police, however, have limited powers when it comes to evicting squatters, due to squatting being classified as more of a civil issue than a criminal one. This often results in the owner being required to follow legal procedures, such as going to court, to have squatters removed.
The couple said they believe incidents like this are becoming more common in Wonthaggi.
“This used to be a nice place to live,” the man said.
“I came to this town in 1973, and it was a quiet place where everybody knew everybody. I’ll admit it’s grown,” he added. It appears that growth may have come with a cost.
“It feels like we’re getting more of a drug problem too in town, I think,” said the woman.
Data from the Crime Statistics Agency supports her observation in this case. Drug offences in Bass Coast have risen by 30.6 per cent from 2023 to 2024, increasing from 121 to 158 recorded incidents. Compared to 2022, when 85 drug offences were recorded, the figures have surged by 85.9 per cent over two years.
“I’d just like to get the property tidied up,” the man said.
Though the eyesore may be gone following council’s cleanup of the property’s front yard, residents say the squatters have since returned – and the problems remain, with no clear resolution in sight.
