Families and pensioners are sleeping under bridges, on riverbanks, and in cars and parks as the housing crisis worsens, a community group from the regional Queensland city of Bundaberg says.
Angels Community Group has been operating in the region for the past eight years.
Chief executive Sue Tasker said people were struggling now "more than ever before".
"We are still getting so many people coming in who are homeless," she said.
"There doesn't seem to be any hope that it's going to change in the near future."
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk recently announced 4,000 social housing homes had been built in the past eight years, with 5,000 under construction.
The state government aims to deliver 13,000 social housing homes by 2027.
But Ms Tasker questioned how far that would go to addressing the immediate problem.
"Anything's better than nothing," she said.
"But it's definitely just a drop in the ocean for what the need is at the moment."
About 46,000 Queenslanders are currently on the social housing register.
"2027 is a long time away," Ms Tasker said.
"I know things can't be done overnight, but I do think they need to look at other things because people are homeless now."
Living under a bridge
Eseki Tukana moved to Bundaberg from Sydney 15 years ago, and said it was not smooth sailing when he arrived.
"I was living under a bridge for three years," he said.
Mr Tukana said a community group helped him secure a house, where he has been living for the past five years.
He has breakfast at Angels Community Centre every week.
"I'm so proud of Angels. They do a good job for the people who are homeless," he said.
"I see the difference in Bundaberg — they do a very good job daily."
'Heartbreaking' situation
Ms Tasker said many people she saw at the Angels Community Centre were couch surfing.
"For a family to be moving in with another family, the sustainability of that is limited," she said.
"You're talking overcrowded houses; it's not a long-term solution."
Ms Tasker said locals did the best with what they had.
"We see them living in their cars," she said.
"Living down by the riverbank, or in the park, or in a tent — if they're lucky.
"We are talking families, we're talking single people and, sadly, we're talking pensioners."
Queensland Council of Social Service chief executive Aimee McVeigh said there was "extraordinary pressure" on renters.
"Tens of thousands of Queenslanders [are] experiencing housing insecurity," she said.
"Queenslanders are still living in tents, cars, and motels because there is nowhere for them to go."
Ms Tasker said the increased cost of living, low housing stock, and rising interest rates had led to intense competition for available accommodation.
"There were 17 houses available under $350 [a week] out of the 125-something that were available [for rent online]," she said.
"Of those, the majority were one- and two-bedroom places, so not suitable for families.
"If you're talking about someone who is maybe on benefits or on the pension, compared to someone who is working and has a good income, they've got no hope of getting a place."
Ms Tasker said it was a heartbreaking situation.
"We feel pretty lousy some nights driving out of here," she said.
"When you have someone presenting to you who goes, 'I just need somewhere' and you've got no options to give them.
"You can give them a feed, you can give them a cup of coffee, but at the end of the day they need a roof over their head.
"They're people who, in previous years, would never have thought they were going to be homeless.
"I can't imagine how they feel, especially if they have children living in their car, of the hopelessness they feel."
