Camper van sites at lake work better

STRATEGIES to manage freedom camping around Lake Dunstan have generated positive results over the summer period, including a possible 40% reduction in vehicles at one campsite, a report into a trial monitoring regime says.

Initiatives developed by the Central Otago District Council alongside Land and Information New Zealand (Linz) were introduced in October around monitoring and compliance of campers in the area in response to community concerns.

A report by council parks and recreation manager Gordon Bailey to be presented at today’s council meeting in Alexandra says there have been ‘‘very few complaints recorded over the summer season’’ and the scheme ‘‘performed well’’.

One trespass notice was issued by Linz in the first three months of monitoring.

The council carried out a camping survey for three weeks between late January and February. Most of the 140 respondents ‘‘were broadly happy with the quality of the campsites they were staying at’’, the report said.

Of those surveyed, 78% reported to have read the signs available and familiarised themselves with the site rules.

Fulton Hogan, on behalf of Linz, has been monitoring the amount of waste collected from each site and the amount of waste collected each week aver ages between 1.8 tonnes and 2.2 tonnes across all the lake sites.

Of this, an average of 50% was collected from Lowburn, 25% from Bendigo, 15% from Champagne Gully and 10% from other areas along Lake Dunstan.

Vehicle data was also gathered from the Lake Dunstan sites.

It showed an average of 3080 vehicle movements per week, compared with an average of 2175 recorded over the corresponding period last year.

However, last year’s vehicle counter data did not include Champagne Gully, which is averaging approximately 900 vehicle movements per week.

But the report said there had been a ‘‘notable decrease’’ of about 40% in vehicle movements at Jacksons Inlet.

‘‘This may demonstrate the success of the signs installed as part of the summer initiatives. Jacksons Inlet is for selfcontained vehicles only and has a onenight maximum stay. People may be paying attention to this requirement due to the presence of better signage as well as the activities of Cougar Group Ltd [security staff monitoring the sites].

Mr Bailey’s report said ‘‘given the lack of complaints received this summer and the overall condition of campsites observed by surveyors, there appears to have been an improvement in compliance and campers exhibiting responsible behaviour’’.