Among the tears and disbelief the question everyone is asking is, "how can this be happening?"

Pensioners and retirees bought into the Oasis Resort in the Illawarra south of Sydney to see out their days by the lake and live in comfort. And many of them paid big money to get into the place - as much as half a million dollars.

Many of the park's residents purchased decades ago and whilst they own their homes, they lease the land they sit on. Two years ago the place was bought out by a Chinese syndicate and residents said since then the place has been left to deteriorate with lawns not being mowed, services breaking down like sewage and power and pathways broken and not repaired.

Someone in authority let the registration for the resort lapse and this opened a loophole allowing the majority Chinese owners to force residents out of their homes. "We are not being offered any compensation," Maryann said. All residents have been given 90 days to vacate, and they can take their homes with them. As Maryann said, "If an investor from overseas can purchase these parks, not renew the operator licence, then make all these people homeless, where does that leave everyone in these types of residential communities across Australia?".

WE need to stop this happening