While it can get pretty fierce here, the debate over so-called freedom camping has reached absolute fever pitch in New Zealand.
This week, the last of five freedom camping sites were closed in the South Island city of Christchurch after the local council received more than 180 complaints about them since passing a Freedom Camping Bylaw in December. The ban is due for review at the end of May.
There have also been ‘issues’ in the Waitaki, Mackenzie, Tasman, Ruapehu, Coromandel and Queenstown districts, with the chair of the New Zealand Tourism Council Working Group, David Hammond, saying problems with freedom camping had “exploded” this summer.
The argument is that freedom camping has put pressure on communities to provide expensive facilities and services, such as public toilets and rubbish disposal.
And then, of course, there are the complaints from local caravan parks.
In Christchurch, the owners of the Kiwi Holiday Park and Motels estimate that – while it was in operation – the nearby freedom camping area cost them up to $50,000 in lost revenue. They also say they caught dozens of ‘shower stealers’ sneaking into their park to use the facilities.
Holiday Parks Association chief executive, Fergus Brown, told stuff.co.nz that his organisation supported freedom camping … just not in urban areas.
“When they come into cities and towns they have to be respectful and stay in holiday parks or DOC camping grounds,” he said. “They should not expect to park in the streets.”
New Zealand’s annual international visitor survey indicates that about 60,000 visitors a year do at least some freedom camping while they are travelling, but it is the main form of accommodation for about 12,000 of them.
The Tourism Industry Association (TIA), Chris Roberts, said it was not necessarily a growth in freedom camping numbers that had reignited the issue.
“It may be down to having channelled them into certain places,” he told stuff.co.nz. “Whereas in Christchurch they were previously spread around all over the place, the council attempted to have them go to half a dozen locations, which made them more visible.”
* Comment below
LIVED THERE 16 YEARS , ITS NOT THE CAMPERS ITS THE MONEY THE GREEDY c/PARKS & MOTER CAMP MISS OUT ON
Yes agree. Also nothing like the places and facilities we have. lived there for 50 yrs
Do they want tourists or not. Public facilities are required by residents and travellers alike so the argument of expensive facilities for travellers is rubbish. Governments and councils should accommodate all travellers and stop running a protection racket for park owners.
What a lot of selfish comments.
How would you like a collection of vehicles parked outside your house, filling up your rubbish bin, and hooking up to you garden tap.
Worse still are those that think it is ok to leave their rubbish and other waste around their camp.
Would you enjoy a beautiful camp site if several other campers set up right on top of you, played music all night, threw their rubbish on the ground, and found time to abuse you if you complained.
Perhaps most campers do the right thing but unfortunately many do not, and we only have to visit many road side camps to see the result.
The campers are inevitably driving a 4wd towing a trailer or caravan.
Sound familliar?