A bylaw is under review for the region, but questions remain around how restrictions will be managed.
The Central Otago and Lakes District attracts more freedom campers every year. Statistics from the Queenstown Lakes District Council estimated more than 7700 campers in 2024 alone.
The council made its first attempt to create a freedom camping bylaw in 2021; it was turned down after a judicial review application by the New Zealand Motor Caravan Association.
The council is now going in for round two with a bylaw that would see freedom camping restricted to an existing 158 carparks across the region, four of them in the Upper Clutha Ward.
The bylaw was presented to the Upper Clutha Community Board last week for feedback, with public consultations happening around the same time.
Council policy manager Carrie Williams said the bylaw had seen strong response and interaction at drop-in sessions and online.
About 20 people had attended the session in Queenstown, and according to Ms Williams the crowd was "more supportive than not" of having something in place.
However, some of the Wānaka community have said the bylaw does not go far enough.
Long time local and mechanic Dean Rankin had been living in Wānaka for over 40 years and seen first-hand the issues freedom camping brought to the district.
"To me, they’re cheapskating their way through our beautiful country," he said.
"The freedom campers don’t spend a lot of money."
Mr Rankin said the bylaw needed stricter boundaries, as it still allowed camping in several carparks and rural areas.
He referenced the Red Bridge Campground in Luggate and said it should be used as a blueprint, with campers being restricted to campgrounds.
Wānaka’s Monica Urquhart felt equally frustrated that the bylaw would not do enough to ease problems.
"This is a very small step in the right direction. But I do not believe it goes far enough."
Campers will be able to stay in the Mt Iron carpark, which she felt was not appropriate.
"There are no toilets for them, and I do not believe the ratepayers should fund more toilets for them ... Mt Iron should be off-limits," she said.
Ms Urquhart had noticed many more campers this year in the carpark, which is used by many locals who walk the popular Mt Iron track.
To her, the issues around freedom camping would not be eased until central government got on board.
Although the community board agreed that a bylaw to control freedom camping was needed, concerns were voiced over how the bylaw will be enforced.
"How do we tell the foreign freedom campers what the rules are?" board member Chris Hadfield said. "... It’s the main issue that keeps coming back to me."
Deputy mayor Quentin Smith said there needed to be a better idea of restraint, and locations should be clearly marked to show areas where freedom camping was and was not allowed.
In the proposal, the ability to park in these spaces would also come with restrictions, including specific times in the evening campers must arrive by, a prohibition on lighting fires and vehicles having to be certified as self-contained.
Currently, the Freedom Camping Act 2011 permits freedom camping by default on most council land in New Zealand, while the Reserves Act 1977 generally prohibits camping on reserves.
The district council cannot prohibit freedom camping across all of its land but can create bylaws with rules to manage the impacts of freedom camping.
Submissions for feedback will be open until August 8.
