Queenstown man unable to get a house to rent living in a shack in the bush
Thursday, 14 September 2023
A seasonal worker in Queenstown has resorted to “living in the woods” having been priced out of the town’s notoriously troubled housing market.
When Canadian Jack Carroll was left without a roof over his head, he went walking into the wilderness and found himself a spot among wilding pines, hidden from view.
His makeshift structure has been fashioned out of pine logs and tarpaulin, and includes a stone floor, a queen bed and a barbecue.
Carroll said it had been a “bit rough” but he was “making the most” out of being homeless.
'I take care of the place. I’m not having parties or leaving garbage, I actually want people to be impressed with my campsite.”
In fact, he said he now finds it difficult to sleep indoors “because there’s not enough airflow.”
For daily necessities like showers, Carroll has a gym membership, and a girlfriend he spends some nights with.
“She’s ok with it, but I’m almost 30, and I don't think she’s looking for a homeless man - but people understand because it's Queenstown.”
Carroll works on the ski slopes, servicing snow-making equipment, but he’s been homeless for two winters now.
He had been getting by in a three-bedroom house he rented with a group for $750 per week, but after returning from a trip back to Canada, he found he was priced out of the market.
“I gave up trying because what’s being offered for what they’re charging doesn’t line up. And, you have to queue just to see a place, let alone actually live there.”
While Carroll has been saving on paying rent, he said the living conditions had taken a toll on his health.
“My sinuses are jammed up, and most of the time I’m coughing. My eye got bloodshot for a week, and I’m constantly fighting off illnesses.”
He said he regularly had to wash all of his clothes to prevent mould. His bed was constantly damp, and he sprayed it each day to fend off bed bugs.
Living in the woods could also be difficult purely because of the distance from civilisation.
“Sometimes I will go a day without eating, just because of the inconvenience of getting food.”
Carroll has decided he’s had enough of the outdoor lifestyle and is moving back to Canada in a month.
He hopes his story will raise awareness about the lack of housing and encourage civic authorities to do something about it.
More houses were desperately needed, he said. And, empty homes being listed on Airbnb instead of being rented out didn’t help.
While it had been difficult for him, he was certain that there were others who were in worse situations.
“I don’t think anyone plans on doing something like this. I never expected when I travelled here that I would be homeless, but it's just the way it goes sometimes.
“In my eyes it was still better than paying rent in Queenstown.”