Auckland moves to open up car parks and reserves to freedom campers

Thursday, 19 July 2018

Aucklanders are alarmed about a council proposal to make more sites available to freedom campers.

A new freedom camping bylaw could come into play in Auckland this summer, with proposals to allow freedom camping in Auckland Council-owned car parks near residential homes and beside popular beaches.

The Hibiscus and Bays Local Board is fighting hard to restrict freedom camping to as few sites as possible in north Auckland.

A number of potential sites from Auckland Council were put forward to the board last month.

The new bylaws could come into play this summer.

But the board's chairwoman, Julia Parfitt, said they are not suitable for even self-contained vehicles.

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Sites at the Duncansby Lookout and Esplanade Reserve in Stanmore Bay, the Orewa car park, the Red Beach Lookout Reserve and Victor Eaves Park in Orewa were just a few of the sites that Parfitt was surprised to see on the draft.

'Those that were near residential homes and beside popular beaches where parking is already at a premium were rejected.'

Parfitt said the Orewa Library car park was also not suitable for freedom camping, as the parking was required for library users and staff.

A huge number of community complaints had already been sent to the board about freedom campers to date, Parfitt said.

'The problems have mainly centred around the vehicles not being self-contained, overstaying their two day stay and the sheer numbers of them overloading our beach car parking spots like Arundel Reserve.'

A number of neighbours of the current sites had been threatened and had had to get campers trespassed, she said.

'Toilet blocks have had to be closed for repair because of overuse, beach users have not been able to find parking and event organisers have found it difficult to run events on Orewa Beach Reserve as campers have refused to shift their vehicles.

'Some have taken advantage of their situation to hang out clothing, place their awnings and furniture over reserve areas, one even spread her furniture and pot plants over three car parks at the Orewa Beach Reserve for many days before being shifted on,' Parfitt said.

The only sites that the board did not reject were the three sites that were currently being used.

Those were the Hatfields Beach toilet car park, the Waiwera car park beside the highway and the limited marked freedom camping parks on the Hammerhead land at Gulf Harbour.

Other sites the board did not deem suitable included Edith Hopper Park in Manly, Cooper-Lea Reserve in Stanmore Bay, Kinloch Reserve in Orewa, Little Manly Beach Reserve, Manly Park and Silverdale Reserve.

'I feel reasonably confident about the decisions we have made. We just need however to keep a check on the decision and ensure that freedom camping does not overflow into areas apart from those dedicated and marked for campers,' Parfitt said.

'Council is going to need to step up and ensure that more enforcement is in place than is currently to police the bylaw and make sure that the self containment and two day stay rules are adhered to. They will also need to clamp down on freedom campers who park outside the permitted area,' she added.

The board supported the council's recommendations for the practice to be prohibited at another 24 sites within the local board area, which include Arundel Reserve and Orewa Reserve where problems have occurred in the past.

The draft bylaw will be presented to Council's Regulatory Committee next month and the final bylaw could be adopted in December.