"I was living up in Gippsland, where I had a farm. And I was so unwell that I couldn’t do anything on the farm. I decided that I would rather live in Melbourne again. I bought this place, thinking that it would be okay because it was sold by a reputable real estate agent.

It’s quiet here. There are nice neighbours. It’s close to everything. It’s a good community here. John (one of the owners) is a philanthropist really. He’s allowed people to live there with a reasonable rent and is a very decent human being.

I’ve volunteered for Meals on Wheels, but I’ve been so ill here. I was being told by the physios that I’d have to walk with a wheelchair walker the rest of my life. Six months ago, I had a terrible fall, in which I fractured my skull. And I went into hospital … and they found I had fluid on the brain. I have to wear a shunt on the outside of my skull under my skin and then a catheter drains down here and into my body.

It was just devastating. We were meant to ring up (name withheld), and he seemed to be almost with glee saying, ‘Oh, well, for our purposes, we consider you to be a resident and you can be evicted like the rest of them.’

I’ve got two sons, so I’d have to rely on them to look after me. Yeah, I don’t know?"

Story by Helen, retired, Techno Park resident. Interviewed by The Westsider for their August issue, photo by Justyn Koh.

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