Everything they own is crammed into an old sedan, they are between jobs and have lived in their car for the past year but reckon they're doing alright.

They have parked under trees at Martin Bend, a rough camping area by the river on the outskirts of Berri in the Riverland.

The man says he's 53 and the woman looks younger, but it's difficult to tell her real age.

They arrived in the Riverland looking for seasonal work but found nothing and plan to head interstate to Mildura the following morning to try their luck.

They need to renew their car registration and are running from past demons - bad influences and the vices of gambling - and admit it's not the life they once imagined.

They are just two of the many faces of homelessness, an issue which has been highlighted this week as part of National Homeless Persons' Week.

"Hopefully brighter skies than this, try to find a house and some work I guess," the woman with straw-coloured hair says when asked what the future holds.

She may be living rough, but she has a pleasant manner and is well-articulated.

Her feet are bare but she shows the agreement she had to sign when they arrived at the camping site and her writing is neat and bold.

She said they were from Melbourne and had hoped to find work in the area.

"A lot of the fruit picking is done by contractors and backpackers, so that's making it a bit hard," she said.

She keeps in touch with some family members and says they meet plenty of others living the itinerant lifestyle on their travels.

"Mum and dad would be panicking if I didn't [ring]... they worry about me but they're in Darwin," she said.

They keep warm by throwing a tarp over the car at night and have four blankets and a couple of pillows in the car.

Mostly she feels safe.

"I felt safer with my dog, but I've got my man, he can look after us, I've got a couple of crowbars in the back," she says.

Her partner says he once had enough money to buy three houses, but blew it all on his pokies addiction.

The couple have been together for 21 years and are not looking for any hand outs.

"No, we're pretty right at the moment, we're old enough to know what we're doing," the woman said.

"We can only help ourselves, I think, we've got to be willing to help ourselves I guess."

There's a hint of longing in her voice when she describes what she misses most about the lifestyle they've adopted.

"A warm shower, that's what I miss most, and I guess a bit of TV, a bit of luxury," she said.

So far no one has approached them offering any assistance.

"The manager [at Martin Bend] tells us off if we're not cleaning the barbecue," the woman laughs.

"If you want help you have to go looking for it, I guess."

Family wary

Martin Bend is a free camping site offering the basics - the Murray River nearby and a few public barbecues but no showers, running water or electricity.

Spotted around the campsite are motorhomes and caravans belonging to holidaymakers but a combi van parked nearby with a small tent seems to be a more permanent living arrangement.

A woman stands by the passenger side of the van and there are three boys sitting inside.

The woman looks wary and untrusting when approached.

"I don't talk to strangers," she said.

Her caution is understandable, according to community services student Harrison Lowe when told about the situation the following day.

The presence of the children leads him to believe the family's situation might fall under mandatory reporting requirements.

He decides to visit the camping grounds and speaks to the caretaker.

He is told that 10 people left earlier that morning - the couple and the family, which included six children - and that police had also been around to ask questions about an unregistered vehicle.

"Staying on the move is often the only way to remain under the radar," he said.

Complex problem

Mr Lowe describes homelessness as a complex issue and says people are driven to live an itinerant lifestyle for a variety of reasons.

"It's just so broad, you can't really put your finger on just one thing... no work in the cities, so people get out into the regional and rural areas to find seasonal work," he said.

"The Riverland obviously has a fair bit of picking work so people do come for that.

"There could be domestic violence, drug and alcohol issues, even mental health issues that don't allow people to be as socially included as they would like to be.

"It's a prevalent problem, not just in the Riverland but everywhere."

Mr Lowe said it was hard to define homelessness and that even those living on the edge often did not define themselves as homeless.

"They probably see someone with a swag on their back as homeless," he said.

Camping sites

Around the Riverland there are a handful of popular sites where people passing through the region camp or set up semi-permanent dwellings.

While 30-day camping agreements are available at Martin Bend, community welfare groups have been pushing to set up another camping facility at the former Rodeo Grounds, near the Berri Bridge.

The logic is that it is closer to the town and facilities and services and already houses makeshift homes.

Mr Lowe said homeless people often did not look for outside help.

"[Community service workers] offer assistance and do find that a lot of them don't want assistance, they prefer to be left alone, so that's their choice and whatever issues they have can't be discovered," he said.

"They don't want to talk to anyone, they want to live that lifestyle.

"You have to give people their space and if that's what they want to do they are quite within their rights."

An event to raise awareness of homelessness will be held on Saturday, August 11, from 5pm at the Berri Uniting Church carpark. The Meal on the Move is open to everyone and will involve a walk to the riverfront for soup and rolls, a sausage sizzle at the Vaughan Terrace carpark, and sweets at the church hall. For more information contact Sue on 85823182.