Christine Webster, Murray Pioneer

the owners of a Mount Mary property, who were told by Mid Murray Council they were breaking the law by living on their vacant land in a motorhome and bus, have left the area in frustration.

Jason King and a female friend, who wished to remain unnamed, purchased the property in an area zoned rural residential, south west of Morgan, in April.

Mr King was living in a bus on the property and his friend was living in her motorhome, and both vehicles were registered.

He said they had planned to put a transportable home on their land in the future.

But Mr King said he was shocked when two council employees came to their property and told him they were living on their property illegally, and they could be fined up to $120,000 if they did not leave by June 11.

He says the council staff failed to identify themselves properly.

Mr King said he felt intimidated by the two council staff in the way they approached him, and the way the male staff member spoke to him, while “waving a chart”, at him with details about regulations.

Mr King said he suffers from post-traumatic stress.

Mid Murray Council said its staff have spoken with Mr King to discuss his concerns regarding alleged staff intimidation.

“The matter was investigated, and the staff members involved were spoken to as part of that process,” a council spokesperson said.

“Council is satisfied that staff acted appropriately in dealing with the matter.

“Mr King was advised that if he was not satisfied with this outcome, he is encouraged to lodge a formal complaint with the Ombudsman.”

Mr King believes he and his friend have a right to live on the property in their registered bus and motorhome.

He has a portable toilet and was disposing of the sewerage waste at the dump, at Morgan, which he said has facilities for this.

A Mid Murray Council spokesperson said this posed “a health risk to the occupants and the environment due to untreated wastewater being run on the ground and no shower/washing facilities”.

Mr King said he was using the greywater to develop some lawn, which was helping improve the look of the property.

“We were doing everything right, we use all organic stuff for the greywater anyway, which is only for the shower,” he said.

“My bus is nothing fancy, it is just a Toyota Coaster bus.

“I live on the pension, I don’t have a lot of money, but I live comfortably, it isn’t that warm at night, but it keeps a roof over my head.”

Mr King said he believed under Commonwealth Law he and his friend were entitled to live on the property they owned outright.

But he said he was without the financial ability to challenge state legislation, and he was told by the Ombudsman state laws superseded Commonwealth Law.

“Australia does not have a bill of rights and even though I am entitled under the Australian constitution to live peacefully without threat upon my land, state law has tried to overwrite our constitution,” Mr King said.

Mr King and his friend left their property in Mount Mary about a fortnight ago, and are planning to sell the land in two years.

This article appeared in Murray Pioneer, 9 July 2025.