Residents enforcing freedom camping limit

Kakapotahi residents are taking action to police the number of freedom campers who have been tripling the size of the small settlement, about 18km south of Ross, each night.

On Tuesday night residents planned to close off the access road to the Westland District Council-managed Waitaha Beach camp site, one of several established across the district this summer, once the 15-vehicle limit had been reached,

Peter Salter, of nearby Pukekura, said more than 50 vehicles had been parked there on Sunday night, and 45 on Monday.

Residents held their own meeting on the problem, and the consensus was to themselves enforce the limit - which is stated on apps used by the campers, but not signposted.

''We're doing what should be done, but isn't.''

He said council compliance officers had visited the site but only in the daytime. The majority of people arrived in the evening.

A roster had been drawn up and residents would take shifts from 3pm until late and move on any vehicles over the limit.

Mr Salter said the overflow of vehicles, many of which were not self-contained, were moving on to the beach.

''They're setting up camp, ... [defaecating] on the beach and lighting fires.''

The Department of Conservation - which residents believed owns half of the site - had been alerted to the fire issue, he said.

Mr Salter said further research on the legality of the Waitaha site, as raised at last week's meeting, found part of the road was on private land, while at least half of the site was believed to be public conservation land, not road reserve.

The majority of residents wanted to see the site closed, but in the interim were prepared to enforce the limit.

''People are ... [riled] that the council are doing nothing. At the meeting it sounded like they got the message but nothing has happened,'' Mr Salter said.

About 70 people, including accommodation providers who said the free sites were killing business, attended the meeting.

Concerns were also raised around the logistics of enforcing and servicing the sites which are set up with Portaloos and rubbish bins.

Council said immediate action was being taken to enforce limits at the sites with new signage to direct overflow vehicles to registered camping grounds.

-From Hokitika Guardian

-By Jenna Sherman