ODT

DunedinJanuary 25

Royal Albatross Centre car park deposit free

The days of collecting bags of discarded human waste from the Otago Peninsula appear to be over.

QueenstownDecember 18

Illegal camping will cop $200 fine

A $200 instant fine will be issued if "freedom camping" rules are broken, the Department of Conservation (Doc) Wakatipu area office warns.

NationalDecember 18

Freedom camping bill passes

People who poo in New Zealand's pristine places can now be pinged with a fine after a bill passed by Parliament today.

NationalDecember 18

Freedom camping Bill 'ridiculous'

Freedom campers are being dumped on unfairly by new legislation banning camping in some areas and allowing instant fines for leaving waste, Labour and the Greens say.

North OtagoDecember 18

Freedom camping officers appointed

Seven enforcement officers have been appointed to police freedom camping in the Waitaki district, but will be adopting a "low-key approach".

QueenstownDecember 18

Claim Bill signs a help

The new Freedom Camping Bill and signs are doing their job, the Queenstown Lakes District Council says, citing decreases in freedom campers in non-self-contained vehicles.

QueenstownDecember 11

Only 33 pay fines for camping

Just 33 of the 150 freedom camping infringement fines issued in the Queenstown Lakes District since the national freedom camping Act was passed have so far been paid.

QueenstownOctober 14

First fines for errant freedom campers

Instant fines totalling more than $20,000 have been imposed on errant freedom campers in the Queenstown Lakes district less than a month after enforcement of the Freedom Camping Bill commenced.

North OtagoAugust 19

WDC reflects on its own camping law

The new freedom camping law passed by the Government has been welcomed by the Waitaki District Council, but it still has to decide what to do with a bylaw it prepared earlier this year.

North OtagoJune 22

Freedom campers seen as cheapskates

Freedom camping should be banned in the Waitaki district and visitors directed to camping grounds or holiday parks, according to Kakanui camping ground owner Allan Jones.

DunedinJune 16

Bylaw not enforceable for year

A Dunedin City Council bylaw to control "freedom camping" has been voted into existence, but the city will have to wait up to a year before it has any teeth.

NationalJune 14

Rental firms certify fleets

Proposed legislation changes to tighten controls on freedom camping in New Zealand may be influencing rental campervan companies to review their fleet requirements to include more self-contained facilities.

QueenstownJune 7

Confidence on camping laws

The Queenstown Lakes District Council is confident the Government's proposed Freedom Camping Bill will be passed in time to bring tougher fines before the Rugby World Cup starts.

DunedinMay 27

DCC decision pending Bill

A decision on the future of freedom camping - tourists who visit the city in campervans and park on public land in the city - has been postponed, after a change at government level.

NewsMay 25

Praise for freedom camping clamp-down bid

Southern local authorities have welcomed planned nationwide legislation clamping down on illegal freedom camping and giving councils the power to impose instant fines on those camping in prohibited areas or illegally dumping campervan waste.

North OtagoMay 22

Bill may delay camping bylaw

A bylaw to manage freedom camping may be delayed by the Waitaki District Council until it knows the details of a new law to go to Parliament.

EditorialMay 18

Taking care of 'business'

As is so often the way, it is the few who spoil it all for the majority. New Zealanders have been "freedom camping" for as long as they have lived in this country. Tramping and camping lore is pervasive and includes a certain etiquette pertaining to the delicate matter of being caught short in the bush.

QueenstownMay 17

Freedom camping curtailed

"Irresponsible" freedom campers will no longer have the run of the Lakes District after the Queenstown Lakes District Council yesterday adopted its controversial Freedom Camping Control Bylaw.

QueenstownApril 10

Advice given on camping dos and don'ts

Campervan operators are working to educate tourists and seeking consistent camping regulations as much as possible, say campervan and car hire company Jucy Rentals.

QueenstownApril 7

Views in on freedom camping

Over 90 parties from as far away as Auckland have outlined their views on the Queenstown Lakes District Council's draft freedom camping bylaw.

QueenstownMarch 27

Submissions fairly even on bylaw

About 28 illegal freedom campers have so far been hit in the pocket since $40 instant fines were introduced two weeks ago as an interim measure while the Queenstown Lakes District Council takes public submissions on its proposed freedom-camping bylaw.

DunedinMarch 15

May hearing on freedom camping

Dunedin's freedom camping policy will soon go out for public consultation, with hearings on May 17, to try to deal with issues before the Rugby World Cup.

DunedinMarch 13

Restricted camping proposed

Lifting a blanket ban on freedom campers outside camping grounds, and effective enforcement, backed up with fines of up to $1000, are in plans drawn up to deal with concerns about the pollution campers cause.

DunedinMarch 2

Freedom camping census

The Dunedin City Council will undertake a freedom camping "census" this month.

EditorialMarch 2

A matter of inconvenience

The sight of well-equipped campervans has been a familiar one on our Southern roads for many years, and these self-contained temporary mobile homes create few problems as their occupants tour the sights.