Residents have criticised a Victorian council’s plan to evict long-term campers from a public park.

The City of Greater Bendigo (CoGB) has given 14 days' notice this week for a number of people to pack up and leave Huntly Lions Park.

A few days earlier, the Department of Environment, Land Water and Planning changed the status of the reserve at the council's request so people could no longer camp at the site.

The council says it will use enforcement action to remove them from Sunday, September 11.

CoGB director Stacy Williams says the campers are encouraged to work with local housing support organisations.

“The City's role is not to find or provide housing for people in this situation,” she told reporters this week.

“We certainly want enforcement to be the last form of action that we take. Our preference is that campers engage with those housing support services and find suitable accommodation.”

Ms Williams says the council can identify suitable areas for affordable housing and has social housing as part of its inclusivity strategy, but noted that local government does not build or manage social or affordable housing and does not have a role in placing people into housing.

However, the CEO of regional social justice advocacy group ARC Justice, Damian Stock, says removing the residents from their only housing is a human rights issue.

“We've heard [Ms Williams] and the language of grace periods. And let's be very clear, these are eviction notices, they're removing people from the only option that's available to them,” Mr Stock said.

“If the council is not complying with the Charter of Human Rights, it's potentially unlawful for them to take further action.”

ARC Justice is looking at legal advice for the campers, and may also seek an injunction on the orders.

The Victorian government’s Charter for Human Rights states public authorities must ensure their decisions are proportionate when they impact people's human rights.

“If the council is going to take action that removes them from what is currently their homes, they need to make sure it is a proportionate step, and that they have assessed the impact of that step on the actual circumstances of these people, including what are the outcomes, what's going to happen to these people if the council does take these steps,” Mr Stock said.

“The washing of the hands here by the Bendigo city council, essentially saying 'housing is not their responsibility', is really not good enough.”