A Bluecliffs resident said she got into her car, and locked her three children inside on Saturday, refusing to move, after being told police were on their way to arrest her.
Bluecliffs residents were ordered to leave their properties on Friday afternoon after authorities decided that they needed the area clear as they worked to clear the old tip in the settlement.
Most did so with some reluctance.
She said she could not afford to leave and being offered a one-room cabin in Tuatapere was not suitable for her and her three children.
"The accommodation is really, really basic and is not what we needed. They would not take a look at a holiday house at the camp or any Airbnbs,’’ she said yesterday.
Ms Thurlow went back to Bluecliffs to get some food from her freezer as she did all her cooking at home and could not afford to do anything else.
She said the authorities from Emergency Management Southland refused to listen to her requests.
All she was asking for was more room for herself and her three children — Sophie 10, Trev, 8, and Jack, 7.
She was rung by police on Saturday afternoon advising she would be arrested as she was still in Bluecliffs, so she felt there was no option but to barricade herself and her children in her car, she said.
Eventually after talking to police and Emergency Management Southland on the phone an agreement was reached that she would have two cabin rooms in the accommodation in Tuatapere.
She said the two rooms were better but she had problems getting back to her house for food as she had no money for petrol.
"It was a very emotional day — pretty traumatic, plenty of lows and highs.’’
Her children went to school yesterday and she was worried how they were coping away from their house.
Bluecliffs beekeeper Uli Surch said they were allowed to stay overnight and do their work with their bees on their property, which was not ideal.
Ms Surch said the residents felt bullied and could not understand why they were forced out before the weekend when no machinery appeared to come to the small settlement over the weekend.
She and Dean Thompson were allowed back in until 6am but that meant they had to do all their work at night, which was hard.
Emergency Management Southland controller Paul le Roux said, in a statement, the site was set up on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, containers, fencing, machinery and cameras being installed at the dump site.
Work had been due to start at 7am yesterday but strong winds forced it to be delayed.
Residents had been supported as best as they could, Mr le Roux said.
"We are in regular contact with the residents and have arranged for counselling or mental health support to also be available,’’ he said.
He declined to comment on the bullying claims.
In a statement yesterday, Southland District Mayor Rob Scott admitted the evacuation was not ideal but reflected the need to get on with the work as soon as possible.
"Where needed, we’ve been able to put in place a specific solution which provides additional supports and reassurance to these community members while keeping their safety at the centre of our decisions", Mr Scott said.
From yesterday, permanent residents would be allowed to go back into their properties from 6.30pm-8pm.
Attention has also been focused on the options for the gravel bar at the Waiau River mouth.
A review of the work undertaken and independent advice on suitable next steps is expected soon.
