Whangarei council toothless against freedom campers

Freedom campers - like these tenters and car-sleepers at Woolleys Bay - can carry on this summer after the council ditched a bylaw that would ban "uncontained" campers.

A scuppered bylaw means Whangarei's freedom campers can enjoy one last unregulated hurrah this summer.

Yes, there may technically be rules against the practice of parking up for the night and dossing down, but Whangarei District Council was toothless when it came to moving people on.

While WDC's website said people sleeping in tents or cars were not able to freedom camp in the district - there was practical no way of enforcing this after the proposed Freedom Camping Bylaw fell over in council chambers.

Councillors decided they did not want to proceed with the creation of a specific freedom camping bylaw at this time, after community feedback on the draft suggested that a proposed outright ban on "uncontained" campers - those sleeping in tents and cars without toilets - might be too harsh.

The council was back at square one with the Proposed Freedom Camping Bylaw and it would not be in place this summer.

Staff were investigating where there might be areas where non-self contained campers could be. The first draft only allowed for those in campervans with an official seal of approval.

Existing council rules around freedom camping were made under the Local Government Act, which did not provide for issuing fines.

Enforcement officers could threaten prosecution against freedom camping, but staff acknowledged that the council would be exceptionally unlikely to prosecute someone for sleeping in a tent on council land.

The Freedom Camping Bylaw would have allowed enforcement officers to issue instant fines.

The freedom camping page on the council's website said the district was "blessed with an outstanding coastline and natural features".

"We ask that you are considerate of other campers, day visitors and locals who want to access these beautiful locations and move on within three days so that others can also enjoy these sites."