They lived in Melbourne public housing for decades; they learned it would be demolished without warning

Long term resident Virginia Nicoletta outside her home. She has lived at Barak Beacon for 40 years. When asked about the demolition and relocation, Nicoletta burst into tears. Photograph: Penny Stephens/The Guardian

Public housing residents in Port Melbourne say they have been bullied and left traumatised after the Victorian government abruptly told them they must move out of their homes to make way for the demolition of the 40-year-old beachside Barak Beacon estate.

On 13 December, six representatives from Homes Victoria went house to house at Barak Beacon, giving residents the news that its 89 dwellings were to be replaced by a new development as part of the government’s Big Housing Build. The development, a mix of social housing, affordable housing and a large number of private rentals, would take until at least 2025 to complete.