The fierce debate over whether residential free camping should be allowed in a small community on New Zealand’s North Island is reaching a climax.
And residents of a prime beachfront road at Tauranga on the Bay of Plenty are enraged by the likely outcome. While the council is poised to ban freedom campers from using Marine Parade during the busy summer season from December 1 to February 8, it will allow them to stay at the eastern end of the road for up to two nights for the other 10 months of the year.
Up to 500 residents now face the prospect of living opposite rows of motorhomes in the angle car parks … and they are seething.
Mount councillor David Stewart has been inundated by angry emails and phone calls. He said he expected campers to descend on Marine Parade in their droves.
“It will be a nightmare trying to monitor it,” he told the Bay of Plenty Times. “Do we really want to turn it into a motor home camping ground … it will look awful.”
Cr Stewart warned the council would be receiving complaints 24 hours a day from residents and others unhappy with the motorhomes, with potential rates implications if extra monitoring officers were needed to handle the situation.
Tauranga City Council is expected to rubber stamp the new arrangements at its meeting on September 16 … and an army or concerned residents is likely to descend on the council chambers to express their displeasure.
Do you think self-contained grey nomads and other travellers should be allowed to park up on residential streets in Australia during the off-season? Â Do you sympathise with the affected residents? Â Â Comment below.
I believe that councils around Aust need to get together and put out some guidelines under which self contained travelers can park in and around their town, I believe there is a need for councils to make the travelers welcome as well as looking after the interests of their ratepayers..
its already happening they are closing down camp sites & also charging fees set by the regulator. mostly it was caravan park owners who started the war here in Aus against it but freedom of choice is being taken away even in remote parts were no one lives
As an Australian living in NZ and having a campervan I would like to put a good word in for campers. Usually they don’t go to an area before 3 or 4 pm and there is no mess. Those belonging to the NZ Motorhomes group have to pack in and pack out, that means taking everything out and not even leaving footprints behind. Most caravan parks are unpleasant places to be and motorhomers do spend money in the town. So it seems to me a win all round.
I don’t think overnighters should be allowed to camp in the streets. Many of them have a habit of running their waste waters etc in legal campgrounds and would do exactly the same in the streets
I’m with the residents and ratepayers. I’m a renter but I still wouldn’t like someone camped in the street outside my house. It’s too “in your face” for my liking.
The picture shows a commercial vehicle. It is not a legal fully self contained free camp vehicle. I agree that type should not be allowed to stay. Overnight for legal vehicles yes for 24 hours only! There are plenty of other areas to go away from that street.
I agree with the ratepayers and house owners in Tauranga. It is a lovely area and would look awful with campers taking over the area. I wouldnt like to wake up to a carpark full of campers set up cooking and chatting!! I think it is taking the p*&&^ out of freedom camping!
As a free camper in Australia and NZ over the passed 10 yrs I have seen many changes, I agree that self contained 1 overnight stays should be encourage and OS visitors would opt for that mode if that was the legal way to go. The reality is that travellers/nomads don’t need to stay at the best most prestiges council parking site in town, most would be happy with a level site at the back of town, as this would keep the locals happy and travellers would still spend money and time in their towns. What councils and vanpark operators don’t seem to realise we don’t need all the trimming, we already have them on board, we just need to park legally.
what is wrong with the camp ground in Tauranga? from memory it was a small but lovely green area under Mt Maunganui and only $10NZ per night. (as @ Dec 2012). (LESS than $10AUS).
i certainly wouldnt want to have vans parked outside my home as a regular thing especially as they are not all grey nomads. has anyone thought of how would that affect residents insurance policies and house values??
im passionate about free camping but not to the detriment of the residents, you want to keep the locals friendly and welcoming!