We can’t afford a house so we live in a tent in a caravan park…we have power & wifi but our kids’ schooling is suffering
A FAMILY has spoken out about the troubles they face each day after spending the last few months living in a tent on a caravan park.
Maddison, 16, and her family couldn’t keep up with the soaring house prices and mammoth cost of living so were forced into homelessness.
Living alongside their pet cats, birds, and rabbit in a tent in Western Australia has meant big changes for the whole family.
Despite having power and working Wi-Fi, the conditions the family of four are being made to live in are making simple things almost impossible for them.
Maddison now has to be home-schooled because they live too far away from the school for her to get in each morning.
And the extortionate price of fuel has meant her parents are struggling to drive her and her sister around meaning they have to work from home most days.
The young student spoke about her issues and how much she worries about her health and safety after the move.
Maddison said: “I am definitely worried about safety and worried about what’s going to happen to you later on or if you’re even going to have food.
“We have power and internet so I can get the programs on my laptop but it’s also very difficult with the Wi-Fi being how it is, it makes it really slow.”
Maddison lives with her sister and parents in the family-sized tent after they were forced to move out of their rental home as it was being sold.
They originally camped on a farm for a few days but were ordered to leave by the local council.
After moving to the caravan park in the middle of last year they settled for their new home and are slowly getting used to the dire circumstances.
Maddison wants to become an animator and work on ambitious projects in the film, TV and video game genres when she finishes school but her living situation is set to hold her back.
The father of two – Mathew – came close to tears as he told ABC News how despite his daughter’s hopes and dreams of getting a good job she suffers because of where they now live.
He said: “She’s got these dreams that she wants to do but she can only do a certain amount of it. She can’t get full access to schooling.”
Another thing making the families life harder is the perception of those around them who think because they’re homeless the family has an issue.
Mother Jessie squashed these ideas and said: “People make the assumption that because you’re homeless you’re on drugs or have an alcohol addiction but it’s just due to not being able to afford rental prices.”
The family now pays £360-a-week for a spot at the site but their new place is a lot further away from the main town and their friends causing further problems.
Last year, a mum of five hit back at critics who blasted her decision to live in a tent and home-school all of her children.
London Shanta (@londonshanta) spent three years planning and procrastinating before finally moving her family into a tent in the woods.
As another Aussie mum forced into homelessness has learnt to embrace the tent life with her two kids after fleeing an abusive relationship.
Lucy struggled to find a safe home at first before settling for a tent on land owned by a woman in her 70s after the rental market crisis left her with little options.
The family stayed outside in every element Australia could throw at them and had to get used to getting their electricity from a power cable that powers a heater and kettle.
Though she’s had to adjust to a life living amongst strangers on the campsite, Lucy insists that she now ‘loves’ living in the tent.
