Getting rid of illegal freedom campers – and the mess they leave behind – won’t be an easy task, authorities agree.
But what Queenstown Lakes District Council and its freedom camping enforcement contractor can’t see eye to eye over is how they can mitigate the problem.
Queenstown harbourmaster Marty Black, who works for Southern Monitoring Services, says first-hand experience tells him that more ‘no camping’ signage is needed in the resort.
“We say that signage does work because you can’t enforce it unless you’ve got the signage,” he says.
“Quite often people say to us, ‘Where’s the signage? There’s no signage that says you can’t’. And our response is, ‘Where’s the signage that says you can?’.”
Black and his co-worker Dave Black patrol problem spots in the CBD and Frankton morning and night – they usually move on about 20 rental vans and cars illegally parked each time.
“One of the problems is we’re pushing them further out and they’re going to areas like the Morning Star near the Edith Cavell Bridge…and there’s no facilities in those areas too, and DoC or nobody’s patrolling there. It’s quite a wide problem,” Marty says.
“We need to do more about educating the guys that hire these damn things.”
But QLDC parks boss Paul Wilson says having more signage won’t work – he reckons more people park in areas where signs are posted.
“We’ve got huge amounts of signage out there now…there’re probably more than 500 ‘no camping’ signs within the district.
“Each sign is a couple of hundred dollars, plus replacing them when they’re vandalised – it’s a lot of ratepayers’ money for something that’s completely ineffective,” Wilson says.
“I think we’re doing as much as any council, if not more, on that issue.”
Your say
Ideas to control freedom camping
Freedom campers fall into 4 categories: Retired campervan owners - generally kiwis. These guys should not be targeted in any way, as far as I have experienced they have love and respect for the land and just want to explore in their retirement. They generally have a DOC camp pass as part of the camping and caravaning association. Large commerical vans - (The road snails). These guys are more of a P in the A on the road than off. They tend to stay alot in motels and hotels as well as use the van and are worthwhile to the NZ tourism dollar. Small commerical vans - These guys are generally young, trying to save as much money as possible and are either not well informed by the rental companies, or choose to avoid the cost of campsites. Small campervans should be under the same sort of WOF as an accommodation provider needs for a building WOF and this should be part of registration. In addition to further encourage good responsible behaviour why not ping them for a DOC campsite pass as part of registration. This is not currently available unless the owner is a member of the camping and caravaning association, though come on DOC - how about opening it up further.
Very Cheap backpacker vans - These are generally border line road worthy, marginally sleep worthy and the chosen transport for your bottom dwellers coming to NZ to spend just $40 per day on everything! This is only possible by causing a negative impact environmentally, socially and economically on the local environment. We need to lose the bottom dwellers and the only way I can think of is to fine them with instant fines.
Go 5 minutes over in a park in London and a wheel clamp will cost you 100 pounds. Saving our precious environment for $100 instant fine or a wheel clamp till you can find it, is a great idea.
We have had a scruffy old Bedford van on the waterfront for over 2 weeks and there is no backup in Glenorchy. I am very much forward to some stronger positive action to stop our visiting 'home' wreckers.
17 Feb 2010 11:39PMToni G
Freedom Camping
In response to the article regarding freedom campers, and as a visitor to New Zealand for three months I feel the need to respond to the accusations that were levied on all freedom campers. I travel with two other companions in a small caravan, and primarily we stay in DoC campsites or holiday parks along our travels though the country, and we have certainly cleaned up more mess than we have left. It’s apparent that freedom campers are taking the brunt of the blame for the actions of a few, and certainly some of the rubbish found is the result freedom campers, as well of the residents of this region. The articles appear to lay blame at the feet of the backpackers from many countries that come to New Zealand and virtually pour money within its boundaries, while doing agricultural work most Kiwi‘s choose not to do themselves. The “tough on freedom campers” message proposed during the last two weeks of the Mountain Scene seems a bit short sighted, and narrow minded for a region that depends on encouraging people to visit, spend money, and then leave. It seems a small price to pay to provide a few toilets in select locations, rather than a blanket policy of no freedom camping.
12 Feb 2010 04:25PMkermit
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