‘High time we had a bylaw’: Tararua freedom camper defecates on grass outside their vehicle

Tararua District Council is seeking public input on whether a bylaw is needed to manage freedom camping in the district.

While most campers follow best practices, there have been occasional issues with site misuse and nuisance behaviour, according to a Tararua District Council spokesperson.

“Without a bylaw in place, the council has no formal way to set expectations or address problems when they arise.”

James Single said the council wants to learn what works well and what can be improved about freedom camping in the region. Photo / Lewis Gardner

The survey aimed to gather insights from campers, locals and visitors, in the district and closes on Friday, February 28.

The council wants to know where people camp, what works well, what could be improved, and any effective approaches they have seen in other areas.

A Tararua District Council spokesperson said if the feedback led to a draft bylaw,

there will be further consultation.

Regulatory services manager James Single confirmed there was no dedicated bylaw allowing infringements to be issued to “naughty” freedom campers.

“Under the Freedom Camping Act, unless you have a freedom camping bylaw in place you can’t issue infringements, so we have no way of enforcing.”

He said there needed to be rules around how long people can stay at a site, and what kind of vehicles can stay.

“We do have issues with the odd freedom camper who likes to set up camp and stay permanently at certain sites.”

Single said there had been instances recently where a freedom camper had defecated outside their camper on the grass, and overstayers had to be trespassed by police.

“We don’t want people setting up camp and staying for months at places.

“With the housing crisis, people end up living in pretty rough conditions and set up in the middle of all sorts of places.”

He said places like Ākitio and Ferry Reserve struggled with a swell in people that placed pressure on the public facilities.

“It’s high time we had a bylaw.”

He said freedom camping, done right, had benefits for the community such as economic activity for the town.

Single said if a bylaw was drafted, the council hoped to have it adopted before September.

Participate in the survey

• Complete the survey online: www.tararuadc.govt.nz/consultation
• Pick up a printed copy from a Tararua District Council office or Library
• Request a printed copy by calling 06 374 4080 or 06 376 0110 For any enquiries contact the council at info@tararuadc.govt.nz or call 06 374 4080 or 06 376 0110.

Michaela Gower joined Hawke’s Bay Today in 2023 and is based out of the Hastings newsroom. She covers Dannevirke and Hawke’s Bay news and loves sharing stories about farming and rural communities.