Have you noticed an increase of rough sleepers in Gippsland?

According to the Gippsland Homelessness Network (GHN), there were 7,520 people on the social and affordable housing priority waitlist as of March last year.

That number has likely increased according to GHN co-ordinator Chris McNamara.

🗣️ “These are people who are most in need, people who are escaping family violence, people with disabilities, health issues or people who are escaping disasters,” McNamara told the Monitor.

• Gippsland Homelessness Network statistics show there were 118 people who accessed the homelessness entry point in Warragul in 2024-25, McNamara said the org estimated there are twice as many people out there not using the entry points.

• Homelessness entry points connect people suffering from homelessness to the services and resources they need, often by getting them on housing waitlists.

🎤 The Monitor asked Inverloch locals whether they had noticed an increase of people experiencing homelessness. Take a look at what they had to say below.