The daughter of the last resident in Wittenoom — the site of a former blue asbestos mine — says she hopes other families do not have to go through the stress caused by her 80-year-old mother's eviction.
Aileen Thomas said authorities arrived on her doorstep in Port Hedland on Thursday, to inform her that her mother Lorraine was being removed from her home that day.
"She was driven up by someone she didn't know and was confused and distraught at what was happening to her house," she said.
The WA government has been acquiring the final properties in the de-gazetted town in the Pilbara since March, with plans to demolish all remaining structures under the Wittenoom Closure Act.
Ms Thomas and her mother, Lorraine, had started to move their things out of the house and she said they just needed a couple more days to prepare to leave and say goodbye.
"We would have been out of the house by Monday," Ms Thomas said.
She was disappointed with how State Lands Minister John Carey handled her mother's eviction.
"I just hope that he doesn't have anyone that he cares about, if he ever gets into this position, where he has to do something similar," she said.
"I just thought a little bit more compassion would have gone a long way."
Masked strangers removed Lorraine
Megan Woolford was passing through Wittenoom on Thursday during Lorraine's eviction.
She was asked by officials to stay clear of the 80-year-old's property, and was parked up the road from Lorraine's house.
She said she saw at least eight people there to remove the resident, with others at a decontamination site outside of town.
"There was a white van filled with people parked right outside the front of her house, there was also an ambulance two, maybe three, houses away," she said.
"They must have been concerned about how an 80-year-old lady was going to react to what was happening.
"They were in protective gear, their heads were covered, their faces were fully covered."
Ms Woolford believed the sudden arrival of masked strangers would have been very distressing for Ms Thomas.
"There were two men in their full protective gear, one went one side of the property and the other one went around the other side of the property," she said.
"I don't think I'd want my grandmother or family member to be treated that way."
State government says eviction was 'voluntary'
During the passing of the Wittenoom Closure Act, Lands Minister John Carey said the demolition of the town was key to protecting people from asbestos.
Mr Carey was unavailable to comment on Lorraine Thomas' eviction. Instead, the ABC was issued with a statement from a state government spokesperson, which described Ms Thomas as having "voluntarily" vacated the premises.
"There is no safe level of exposure to asbestos, which is why the state government moved to pass the Wittenoom Closure Act 2022, with the intent to remove any remaining structures in the town site, ensuring there will be nothing left to visit in the Wittenoom Asbestos Management Area," they said.
"The remaining resident was granted an extension from 17 June, 2022 to 31 August, 2022 to vacate.
"The resident was subsequently issued with an eviction notice on 8 September and voluntarily vacated the premises."
But daughter Aileen said her mother was distraught and confused by her eviction.
In her view, her mother's removal was unnecessary.
"I still don't see the point," she said.
"Regardless of anyone living there, there's still going to be people going through the town, or the town site or the area."
