Service hubs off to a 'great start' in managing freedom campers

In the first week of the new freedom camping regime in the Queenstown Lakes enforcement officers have issued 107 tickets to errant campers.

Of those, 94 were for camping in prohibited areas and 13 for camping in vehicles not certified as self-contained.

Communications adviser Jack Barlow said yesterday the project had a ''great start''.

''After a week of inductions our ambassadors have been out educating campers across the whole district, and we've had great interactions at our service hubs.

''While they haven't had to do it too often, the enforcement teams have been moving non-self-contained campers from hot spot areas.''

The council, with $788,000 of government funding, provides daytime service hubs where tourists can use showers, toilets, rubbish bins and wi-fi.

It also employs ambassadors to check where people are freedom camping.

In the first week, 186 campers filled out a survey form at the Frankton hub and 386 at the Wanaka hub, in Ballantyne Rd.

The Frankton hub catered for 134 certified self-contained vehicles, and eight that were not certified were turned away.

The Wanaka hub had visits from 177 vans, of which four were turned away.

The hubs will remain in use until March next year.