Govt cash to help with freedom camping

Freedom campers at Warrington Domain. Photo: ODT
Freedom campers at Warrington Domain. Photo: ODT
Dunedin and other parts of Otago are set to benefit from an $8.5 million government fund to better manage freedom camping this season.

The decision to award the funding follows a report from the Responsible Camping Working Group, which was established by Tourism Minister Kelvin Davis earlier this year.

The group recommended several long- and short-term fixes in the lead-up to the 2018/2019 peak season, including funding projects to help councils manage freedom camping in their regions.

The number of international tourists who freedom camped while visiting New Zealand has nearly doubled in two years, rising from about 60,000 in 2015 to around 110,000 last year.

Dunedin will receive $79,000 for increased monitoring of camping across the city, a community host trial, infringement management and additional bins and portaloos.

Central Otago is in line for $297,000 for toilets, signage, vehicle counters, fencing and monitoring and compliance at three sites at Lake Dunstan.

Elsewhere, Queenstown Lakes, Buller, Mackenzie and Waitaki district councils will receive more than $500,000, with Mackenzie and Waitaki receiving a joint payment.

Further north, Grey District will receive an $850,000 boost, Westland District Council has been allocated about $780,000, and Tasman District Council is set to receive $660,000 from the fund. 

MBIE's figures show that freedom campers visited almost twice as many regions as regular visitors.

Mr Davis said the next peak season was rapidly approaching.

"I want people to be able to camp responsibly while ensuring the facilities are in place to support our communities," he said.

"Not all the solutions recommended by the working group can be in place by this summer."

Tourism Industry Aotearoa chief executive Chris Roberts, who was an industry representative in the group, said funding was allocated to help cater for an important sector of New Zealand's tourism industry.

"We look forward to continuing to work in this space to ensure New Zealanders and our international visitors can still choose camping as a uniquely Kiwi way of experiencing our country," Mr Roberts said.

 - additional reporting ODT Online

Comments

Freedom camping is a messy business (literarily). The 'freedom' should be banned and all campers go to camping grounds for the sake of our environment. Why should our taxes or rates be funding people's free-skating- try doing this in Europe and you will be meet with a stiff police fine.

 

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