HUMID and damp, surrounded by the constant buzz of mosquitoes, there is always the possibility a wayward gum tree branch will come crashing down.

Those were the living conditions of around 75 homeless locals who slept rough at Hugh Muntz Park in Beenleigh.

At the beginning of March, most were living in tents on the parkland, while others slept in cars and vans in the car park.

But dozens of rough sleepers were displaced when Logan City Council closed the park after Cyclone Alfred caused flooding and a broken wastewater system, spreading sewage across the park.

Floating tents, rubbish and belongings remained for days as a reminder of the people who lived there only days prior.

Nicole Leman, the outreach and volunteer manager of local charity Rosies, which provides weekly outreach support to Hugh Muntz’s rough sleepers, said conditions at the park were dire long before the cyclone.

“It is always damp and humid, and full of mosquitoes and midgees,” she said. 

“There are toilets available to people living at the park however there were no showers or cooking facilities onsite.

“Those sleeping in tents were mostly pitched around the outskirts of the park as it was unsafe for them to camp under the gum trees due to the risk of falling limbs.

“This meant in summer they were in full sun and had no shade or heat protection. Most of the campsites were hastily constructed and the occupants kept to themselves for safety and privacy reasons.”

According to a spokesperson for Logan City Council, all rough sleepers at Hugh Muntz were offered housing support and emergency accommodation prior to the cyclone.

Mayor Jon Raven said only a small number of people accepted the help, with many rough sleepers refusing accommodation unless they could bring their pets.

“We need a solution for that if the state is serious about getting people out of parks and into housing,” he said.

Now, about 30 rough sleepers remain at Hugh Muntz, with the carpark again full of cars, vans, and a few tents as the grassland remains too wet, despite the floodwaters having now receded. 

But most of the tents are conspicuously missing.

A spokesperson from local homeless and family services organisation YFS said some people decided to connect with housing support services, some moved to a different park, and some are couch surfing, while others have left the area completely.

Ms Leman said Rosies was concerned for those who were not able to find an alternative place to stay and had returned to the park.

“Overall, the people living in Hugh Muntz Park did/do face extreme hardship, instability, and risk,” she said.

The park has become infamous in recent years, with reports of assaults, theft, drug use and general rowdiness the subject of headlines and local gossip. 

While similar behaviours have also occurred at other homeless setups, including the recently shut down encampment at Olivers Sports Complex in Eagleby, Hugh Muntz Park has been considered the more dangerous of the lot.

Homeless locals at other setups have in the past told MyCity Logan they were too scared to stay Hugh Muntz.

There are multiple tent cities across Logan – the two most popular being Hugh Muntz Park and Tully Memorial Park in North Maclean.

Research by the Logan Zero campaign, launched to bring an end to homelessness in Logan City, shows there are 358 people sleeping rough in the region, including 64 families, 198 individuals, and 31 youth.

This figure is likely an underestimate, Logan Zero claims, only including people who consented to the by-name list. 

Mayor Raven said council helped homeless people where it could, despite the issue primarily being the state government’s responsibility.

Cr Raven met with Queensland’s housing minister last year to discuss Logan’s homelessness issue.

“He’s leaned in and I want to thank him for finding people accommodation in the days before ex-TC Alfred hit. 

“Council officers will continue to work with state government funded support services to offer help to people sleeping in parks across our city,” he said. 

The park will be reassessed once clean-up works are complete, council said.