New freedom camping site proves popular
DUNEDIN’S newest freedom camping site is already proving a hit with visitors.
The Otago Daily Times visited the Thomas Burns St car park site yesterday morning and found it overflowing with freedom campers.
Council parks and recreation group manager Robert West said the number of campers using the site had been increasing steadily since it opened two weeks ago.
There had been at least 10 vehicles using the site each night, but 35 vehicles camped there on Sunday night, making it the busiest night to date, Mr West said.
The capacity for the new site is 65 vehicles.
So far, just one infringement notice had been issued, on November 12, for a camper who stayed more than the maximum two consecutive nights, he said.
There had been no other reports of littering or other problems, and reviews from campers on the CamperMate app had been positive, he said.
The council announced in September part of the Thomas Burns St car park would be turned into an innercity freedom camping site as a trial, running from November to the end of April.
The site offered spaces for both selfcontained and nonself contained vehicles, as well as facilities including a tap for drinking water, a sink, rubbish/recycling bins, portable toilets and signage.
The maximum stay for freedom campers was two consecutive nights, and campers wanting to park during the day would have to pay normal parking charges.