Set camping area mooted for Brighton

People walk past freedom camping vehicles parked in Brighton Domain on Sunday. Photo: Shawn McAvinue
People walk past freedom camping vehicles parked in Brighton Domain on Sunday. Photo: Shawn McAvinue
Brighton Domain and how much of it should be available for freedom camping is  to be investigated.

At a meeting of the Saddle Hill Community Board  at the Civic Centre last week,chairman Scott Weatherall moved that the board meet Dunedin City Council parks and reserves staff at the domain to investigate whether an area at the domain could be designated for freedom camping.

Self-contained freedom campers can park anywhere at the domain for two nights.

A designated area would be similar to the designated area at Ocean View Recreation Reserve car park, Mr Weatherall said.

Board chairwoman Leanne Stenhouse seconded the motion and every member present voted in favour of it.

Mr Weatherall said the motion was "in direct response to community feedback".

"They are saying ‘give us a little bit of our domain back’."

When Mr Weatherall posted on social media about the motion, Barbara King responded, "About time. The number of people movers/station wagons using the domain has increased! Ruining it for those who are certified self-contained! These areas need to be policed."

In response, Mr Weatherall posted about the domain being patrolled "two out of three nights".

In another post, Anton Harris disagreed freedom campers were ruining the domain.

"I don’t see how it is ‘ruining’ things for anyone," Mr Harris said.

Police investigated an incident involving freedom campers at the domain last year.

A bottle was thrown and smashed the window of a camper van parked at the domain about 2.30am on December 16.

Otago Coastal acting area commander Inspector Kelvin Lloyd said such incidents at the domain were "rare" but any suspicious activity should be reported to police.

shawn.mcavinue@alliedpress.co.nz

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