Camping rules broken, local says

The symbols on the sign by the entrance to the Lowburn Boat Harbour are confusing. Photos: Tom...
The symbols on the sign by the entrance to the Lowburn Boat Harbour are confusing. Photos: Tom Kitchin
A Lowburn resident is concerned about freedom camping at the local boat harbour by Lake Dunstan, as he believes rules are being ignored.

There is a list of rules on a sign by the harbour that state only permitted self-contained vehicles are allowed to camp, there is a maximum three-night stay, fires are prohibited, campers must remove all rubbish and vehicles must park at right angles to the lake.

But Andrew Burton, who lives near the harbour, said some campers did not follow the rules and he was confused about who had responsibility for the site’s maintenance.

He said although most campers took their rubbish away, as there were no longer rubbish bins at the site, more than just self-contained vehicles stayed there overnight and some vehicles parked parallel to the lake and on the boat ramp.

There was only one toilet each for males and females.

He said other residents had seen people defecate on the ground at the site from their homes above the harbour.

"It’s paradise but it’s been allowed to deteriorate," Mr Burton said.

"It just needs TLC. Freedom camping is not allowed in other countries because it’s abused."

This week, Mr Burton emailed the Central Otago District’s deputy mayor and Cromwell Community Board chairman Neil Gillespie to alert the council.But he said the council did little.

The rules are there but residents say some campers are not following them.
The rules are there but residents say some campers are not following them.
"If I go to the council here they say it’s not [their] problem, it’s Linz’. [Mr Gillespie] said ‘we have a very good relationship with Linz’. Well ...  I don’t want a relationship, I want action."

Mr Gillespie said even as deputy mayor and chairman of the Cromwell Community Board, he was not able to do a lot.

"[The council] are a bit powerless. We can’t go and ask people to move on," Mr Gillespie said.

"The Crown controls what happens there," he said.

He said a council staff member would pass Mr Burton’s concerns on to Linz.

He understood that Fulton Hogan did the work at the camping site on behalf of Colliers International, Linz’s direct contractor.

A Linz spokesman confirmed that Linz owned and managed the camping site, as it is crown land.

He said contractors visited daily to keep the site maintained and to clean toilets. They would also move people on if they noticed they were staying more than three nights.

"But as with other freedom camping areas, we are reliant on people acting responsibly and doing the right thing.

"[This] includes everyone playing their part to keep the area clean and tidy and not outstay their welcome, as it would be a shame for the actions of a few to spoil it for everyone else."

If people had concerns about the area, they should contact Colliers International in Queenstown.

The Linz spokesman also said that minor improvements in signage and fencing would be undertaken at Lowburn.

tom.kitchin@odt.co.nz

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