Locals fire up as freedom campers abuse Queenstown reserves

Wednesday, 17 January 2018

Human faeces covered with toilet paper in Queenstown Gardens.

The Queenstown Lakes District Council is planning to review its freedom camping bylaw as locals rally against 'squatters' leaving their dirty business around the town.

Quail Rise resident Terri Anderson said she often came across human faeces, used sanitary pads and dirty pants on her daily walk along the Queenstown Trail, near the Shotover River Bridge, a popular freedom camping spot.

Over 20 vans per night gather at Shotover Bridge.

'It's absolutely revolting. It actually enrages me.'

She was keen to see policies that would restrict freedom camping.

Australian camper Ben Rumble and his girlfriend Ida Kristiansson say they are responsible campers who only stay at sites with toilet facilities.

Christchurch couple Charmaine and John Hoffer are freedom camping next to German tourists on Tucker Beach Reserve in Queenstown under Shotover Bridge on Wednesday.

* 'Freedom clamping' will be enforced in more Queenstown spots over summer

* Proposed Nelson bylaw may block some freedom campers from city**

'We can not have another summer like this,' she said.

Queenstown man Deni Bevin said he came across human faeces covered with toilet paper near the frisbee golf course in Queenstown Gardens.

It was frustrating freedom campers were not using public toilets, he said.

Bevin made a post on the popular local Facebook page Queenstown Trading on Monday, which has had hundreds of comments and likes from locals agreeing with him.

'I've always been interacting with the tourists and always loved it but when I travel the world I am always respectful. Being raised as a Kiwi you leave it how you found it, if not better,' he said.

The council's complaints service has also recorded an increasing number of complaints.

Mayor Jim Boult said he had seen people coming out from bushes with toilet paper rolls.

'[It's] not too hard to figure out what they are doing.'

The local environment and the community should be respected, Boult said.

'I have sympathy with those who are unhappy about it.'

Local bylaws would be reviewed, but national regulations also had to change.

For example, a campervan with a potty under a seat should not be considered a self-contained vehicle, he said.

Installing hundreds of public toilets across the country would help ease the freedom camping issues.

'I will be talking with Minister of Tourism to get some support for that,' Boult said.

Council regulatory manager Lee Webster said there had been more cases of defecating and littering this summer, but it was not only freedom campers who were to blame.

The number of infringement notices issued to freedom campers increased from 2691 in 2016 to 3314 last year.

The biggest problems were campers in prohibited area, such as the Wanaka lake front, and those staying in restricted areas of Queenstown while not being self-contained.

'The vast majority are applying with the rules, however we still see groups that camp in prohibited areas,' Webster said.

The Lake Hayes reserve was the most popular camping spot in Queenstown, with 147 campervans parked there one night alone.

The council had increased its patrolling hours from four hours a day to six in Queenstown and from one to three in Wanaka.

The council planned to review the bylaw in July. All ideas were welcome, he said.

CAMPING A MONEY-SAVER

Christchurch couple Charmaine and John Hotter had been travelling in a newly renovated self-contained van for a week before stopping in Queenstown on Tuesday.

The couple were freedom camping among 20 other cars at the Shotover Bridge site, a restricted camping area.

Not all campers were using the toilets, which were 700 metres away, Charmaine Hotter said.

'I saw a guy going into the bushes with a toilet paper roll.

'That's so not right. And that's what stuffs it up for people like us, who actually do want to do this.'

Someone also put up a tent overnight, she said.

One camper received a fine for being in a restricted area, but left it behind.

'They left them because they are out of here tomorrow anyway.'

An unhappy construction worker had called by the site in the morning, she said.

'He videoed everyone, took photos of all campervans that were here . . . beeped his horn. Mate, that's just rude. It's a legal camping ground so why be an ass?'

Four German campers were also staying in the popular freedom camping spot.

Jonas Vulturius said it was one of the few free camping options in the resort.

'There are many people in Queenstown that are staying here. Last night and the night before it was full here,' he said.

Providing a rubbish bin in the reserve and keeping the toilet clean was all campers needed.

'Of course we understand that locals don't like when someone poos in the forest,' he said.

Camping in a self-contained unit was a good money-saver.

'It's worth it in New Zealand because camping spots like this are everywhere,' Vulturius said.

Free Queenstown Gardens car park in the heart of town was another hot spot for freedom campers.

Four campervans amongst other parked vehicles could be seen there on Tuesday.

Travelling couple Ben Rumble and Ida Kristiansson bought the campervan in Christchurch to save money on accommodation.

Rumble noticed Queenstown locals did not like campers who did not obey the rules.

'Unfortunately everyone who is camping has a bad reputation now.

'The facilities are nice and it's a shame that people are not treating it nicely,' he said.