- Pensioner living in a bus on his own land
- The city council argued that he had to move.
A pensioner who lives in a bus has been summoned to court by a council claiming he cannot live on his land because it is not a caravan park.
Dan Reinhold has been battling health issues and, like many Australians caught up in the housing crisis, even if he could find a rental property, he wouldn’t be able to afford the “ridiculous” cost.
Reinhold had little choice but to move onto a bus on land he owns with a friend in the small rural town of Darkan, about 250 kilometers southeast of Perth in the West Arthur Shire, with a population of just 194.
He and his friend had planned to build a shed and septic tank, but a tradesman never did the work.
Then problems began with the county, the couple were told they couldn’t stay at the property because they lived on a bus, and the county told them they could go to the local caravan park.
Dan Reinhold has been summoned to court by the Shire of West Arthur for living in a bus on land he owns in a small rural community 250 kilometers south-east of Perth.
‘Why would we stay in the caravan park when we own the land?’ Mr. Reinhold said.
“The bus is fully equipped and autonomous, but it has gotten out of hand.”
Reinhold claims that in the last 12 months several authorities have visited his property to try to “intimidate” him.
Then last week he discovered that the county had taken legal action against him when he received a summons to appear in criminal court.
He has been charged with camping outside a caravan park or camping area.
They are using lawyers and attorneys to get this old man off his land. “He’s really over the top, it’s absolutely and utterly ridiculous,” he stated.
“There is a real estate crisis.”
The shire told him he could stay at Darkan Caravan Park, which is managed by the shire, but that guests can only stay a maximum of 28 consecutive days in a three-month period.
In Western Australia, people can stay in caravans on their own land for up to 12 months if they have approval.
Under WA regulations, caravans and homes on wheels are only approved for permanent living in caravan parks.
A rule applied under the Camping and Caravan Parks Act 1995 (WA) and Clause 5A, Schedule 7, of the Camping and Caravan Parks Regulations 1997.
The Shire of West Arthur was contacted for comment but did not respond before publication.
A State Government spokesperson said that under the Caravan Parks and Camping Areas Regulations, local governments could issue approvals for people to camp on their own land for up to three months.
The local government minister could also grant approvals for up to 12 months.
“Applications can only be approved if important health and safety requirements set out in the regulations are met,” the spokesperson said.
‘Generally, the Minister for Local Government will only approve an application if the local government has advised that it is satisfied that health and safety requirements have been met.
‘Due to privacy considerations, we cannot provide comment on whether a specific person submitted a request.
“However, applications are considered on a case-by-case basis as quickly as possible.”
The spokesperson said the WA Government was continuing to do everything it could to strengthen housing supply across the state, including through nationally leading planning reforms that reduce unnecessary bureaucracy.
The State Government has introduced new exemptions for granny flats to reduce unnecessary bureaucracy and open up more housing opportunities, but that does not extend to caravans.
The spokesperson stated that, under current regulations, caravans or homes on wheels can only be authorized to live permanently in caravan parks.