Freedom camping crackdown pays off

THE Waitaki District Council’s effort to curb the effect of rising visitor numbers on coastal areas’ amenity values and the stress on ratepayerfunded infrastructure is working, council regulatory services manager Lichelle Guyan says.

Since December 19, 26 infringement notices have been issued under the Waitaki responsible freedom camping bylaw, bringing the total number of infringement notices issued by enforcement officers to 120 since the bylaw came into effect at Labour Weekend.

‘‘We believe the bylaw has been an effective deterrent to the high numbers of freedom campers we witnessed at Campbell’s Bay in Kakanui last summer. The advertising and signage have also helped raise awareness of where freedom camping is restricted and pro hibited as well as having information on camping apps such as Campermate and Rankers,’’ Mrs Guyan wrote in an email.

While infringement notices had been issued in a number of coastal areas, the majority had been issued at All Day Bay, south of Kakanui.

The notices had been issued for various reasons, but the majority of those who violated the bylaw were camping in non selfcontained vehicles.

The Waitaki district’s first freedom camping bylaw came into effect late last year and prohibits freedom camping in 97 named reserves across the district.

Camper vans used for freedom camping must meet national standards for selfcontainment and can camp in the same spot for a maximum of three days over a fourweek period.