Homeless camp on Kings Wharf Road near the Silo Hotel is growing

But for young people leaving foster care, the transition to "independence" is often one into homelessness.

Chloe Hume grew up in the foster and residential care system.

She left the system at 17. At 19, she is homeless.

"When you become a certain age, they don't really care about you," she said.

"When I was 17, I was put in a group home and didn't feel safe."

Ms Hume gestures to a scar on her forehead: "One of the boys in a group home put a cigarette butt out on my head.

"The [child protection services] worker said it was okay because the boy had mental health issues. After that, I left."

She now lives with her boyfriend, Trent Kiely, 23, and their dog, Rocky, and cat, Dexter, in a caravan on the banks of the Tamar River.

Their caravan is one of many in the area.

Clusters of homeless people living in dilapidated motorhomes, shacks, and tents have taken over a stretch of crown land along Kings Wharf Road near the Silo Hotel.

"We have nowhere else to go," Ms Hume said.

Ms Hume and Mr Kiely said they became homeless when their rental was sold unexpectedly late last year.

"We did have a rental, a small unit. I used to feel safe," Ms Hume said.

"At first, we stayed in a motel, but we weren't able to stay there long term.

"Each day, we apply for new rentals. It's been over six months now."

Until 2021, Mr Kiely had been employed for over eight years by a local business.

"I was in a pretty big motorcycle accident that left me with rods all through my legs. I still need surgery to walk properly, and after the accident, I wasn't able to work," he said.

"It is really stressful living day to day, but I think it is harder for Chloe.

"When I go to doctor's appointments and leave her alone here, she doesn't feel safe."

When asked what their future holds, Ms Hume was unsure.

"I feel unable to think about it. I can't think about the future when I have to focus so much on the present," she said.

"My life is just existing. I'm just surviving at the moment.

"But I'd like to run my own eyelash business one day."

Both Ms Hume and Mr Kiely said they had experienced prejudice toward their living situation.

"Many people are kind to us, but some people aren't very understanding," Ms Hume said.

"We aren't choosing to live here; we have no other choice.

"The big businesses nearby want us all to leave, and I get why, but we have nowhere to go."

Former electrician, John*, whose name has been changed for his safety, is another resident of the growing encampment.

After John left a bad relationship, he found himself on the streets.

"I moved to Tasmania to be with my partner, but she went down the path of drugs, and I didn't want to be a part of that," he said.

"So we separated in December, and I've been homeless since then.

"It's done a number on my health. My blood pressure is through the roof. I feel like I'm always in fight or flight."

John said although he feels safer at the encampment, he still worries for his safety after he was attacked on the streets.

"On a Wednesday night a few weeks back, I was walking back to my camp when some young kids jumped me," he said.

"I ended up in hospital with a cracked tooth and lost another completely.

"I don't know where else to go. Maybe I will head to the East Coast to camp. I might be safer there."

Why not have your say? Write a letter to the editor here:

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: