Covid 19 coronavirus: Freedom camping sites to close across Tauranga

Freedom camping sites will be closing across Tauranga and the Western Bay of Plenty today. Photo / File

Freedom camping sites will be closing across Tauranga and the Western Bay of Plenty today.Campers are now asked to base themselves at the closest of three remaining freedom camping sites being kept open for the rest of the lockdown period. The three sites were Commerce Lane car park in Te Puke, Marine Park in Tauranga and Uretara Domain in Katikati.

Western Zone Civil Defence controller Paul Davidson said that it was necessary to reduce the number of freedom camping sites to ensure safety for all.

"We have become aware of a number of people camping in our area that don't have one location to remain at," Davidson said.

"To minimise the spread of Covid-19, we have created three central locations for these people to call 'home' while we remain at Level 4 restrictions," he said.

It comes as some residents across the Bay of Plenty open their homes to foreign freedom campers during the lockdown period.

In Pāpāmoa, five travellers spent six days living in a public car park before being offered a house free of charge, while two Tauranga residents told German backpackers if they got stuck to "come to our place".

Closures will be monitored and enforced by Bay of Plenty Police.

Davidson said asking people to base themselves at one of three freedom campsites meant ongoing movement between communities was minimise.

The locations were chosen to ensure people had access to water, food, healthcare and waste disposal with minimal travel, he said.

The sites were for people in campervans that were completely self-sufficient.

"We urge freedom campers to move to these sites as soon as possible today and stay put to save lives."