Motueka Community Board says no to 'el-cheapo' freedom camping vans

Wednesday, 19 February 2020

Freedom campers in vehicles that don't have proper washing and toilet facilities to last a few days appear to be wearing out their welcome in Motueka.

Cheap freedom camping vans without self-contained waste facilities are 'stuffing things up', a Motueka community board meeting heard.

The Motueka board on Tuesday decided not to support the provision of facilities for vehicles that are not certified self-contained.

Board members also called for an urgent review of the Tasman District Council Freedom Camping Bylaw once a draft Responsible Camping Strategy is finalised. They requested that a board member be part of any working group/hearing panel involved in the bylaw review.

The move by the Motueka board comes a week after the Golden Bay Community Board called for a ban on freedom camping across most of the Bay and also pushed for an urgent review of the bylaw. Golden Bay and Motueka are both popular destinations for freedom campers and members from the two boards have had joint discussions on the issue.

**READ MORE:

Motueka board chairman Brent Maru says freedom camping is an issue of interest for both the Motueka and Golden Bay community boards.

* 'Contentious' freedom camping to come before Motueka community board

* Ban freedom camping in most of Golden Bay, says community board

The Alexander Bluff Road Reserve near the Motueka River is popular with freedom campers.

* Reaction to community board's call for freedom camping ban in Golden Bay mixed**

Motueka board chairman Brent Maru on Tuesday told his fellow board members that the Golden Bay board had made 'a very bold move in terms of their take on responsible camping'.

'This is now our forum to have that same conversation,' Maru said. 'Me, personally, I love their stance.'

It was no longer viable for some accommodation providers in Motueka who could not compete with the free sites on offer.

'We are losing accommodation providers like it's going out of fashion,' Maru said.

Motueka board member Richard Horrell said the Golden Bay board had 'put a stake in the sand'.

'We've got a lot in common with them.'

There were not many problems with certified self-contained vehicles, which had water and toilet facilities on board to sustain the occupants for a few days, but the 'el-cheapo [vans] seem to be stuffing everything up,' Horrell said.

Golden Bay Community Board chairwoman Abbie Langford and deputy chairman Grant Knowles attended the Motueka board meeting and were invited to sit at the table.

Langford told the Motueka board members that the Golden Bay board received 'some very positive feedback' to its stance on freedom camping.

Knowles said there had also been some comments that such a move could destroy businesses.

'So you can't win whichever way you do it,' Knowles said.

Langford said the call for a ban across much of Golden Bay, expect for the Motupipi car park site in Takaka, was 'probably a little bit shortsighted'.

Travellers love it but locals aren't quite so enamoured by the freedom camping site at Waitapu Bridge in Golden Bay. This video was first published in January 2019.

'We could have added a paddock somewhere but that seemed a bit airy fairy; we wanted to be quite tight,' she said.

Board member Joni Tomsett said that as an advocate for the community she did not support freedom camping 'and I hold the same stance as Golden Bay'. She would be open to keeping the Decks Reserve car park in central Motueka available but wanted it reviewed.

Tomsett said she struggled with the draft Responsible Camping Strategy 'because I suppose I see it as in support'. She said she believed decisions should not be based on an assumption freedom campers would pick somewhere to stay at random if locations were not provided.

'Overall, my hope is that we wouldn't support freedom camping and people can just use camp grounds.'

Decks Reserve car park is a popular designated freedom camping site in Motueka.

Deputy chairman David Armstrong said he personally had 'freedom camped' many years ago and it wasn't an issue.

'I do like the idea of camping in places where it's not going to bother anyone,' Armstrong said.

However, he had been talking to people about the issue to gather feedback.

'I've tried to absorb as much as I can from a whole variety of people,' Armstrong said. 'The majority are not happy about it but there's a sizeable minority who do like what … freedom campers can bring to the town.'

Armstrong said he also believed there were 'quite a lot of people' who were not directly affected by freedom camping but were offended morally by the practice. They thought 'people should not be freeloading'.