‘Where’s the compassion?’: Long-term residents given two weeks to leave holiday park

Wednesday, 22 July 2026

Long-term residents of Mapua Leisure Park have been given two weeks notice to vacate their homes by an August 1 deadline.

Shelley Hudson, a six-year resident undergoing radiation treatment for stage four pancreatic cancer, called the short timeframe morally wrong and deeply stressful.

Residents were informed via phone calls or individual meetings with management.

Long-stay residents of the popular Mapua Leisure Park say they have just 13 days to leave after camp staff told them the holiday park had been sold.

Residents told Stuff they were informed over the weekend that the property had been sold and they would need to vacate by August 1. When approached by Stuff, Mapua Leisure Park declined to comment, saying it could not discuss the matter because of “conversations between buyer and seller”.

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Shelley Hudson, who has lived at the park for six years, said she was among those given just 13 days to leave.

“I have stage four rare pancreatic cancer and am in the midst of treatment, so it’s a stressful time trying to organise life in less than two weeks as well as being in Auckland for radiation treatment.”

She said, as far as she was aware, nothing illegal had occurred “but morally, absolutely”.

“Where’s the compassion and empathy for many that have been living in Mapua Leisure Park for 15 to 20 years? The wee community is a family and people’s homes.”

Hudson said an extra two to three weeks’ notice to vacate would have made a difference.

“We have enough homelessness happening in our country and it’s not the ‘Kiwi way’ to roll, or a great start for a little community under overseas buyers.”

Hudson said she was told by phone on July 20 that she had until August 1 to vacate. She understood other residents were notified by letter or in face-to-face meetings with management.

“The call was very simple: ‘You have until August 1 to vacate.’”

Hudson understood the park would remain a camping ground after some renovations before reopening.

She said residents had also been told no long-term residents would be allowed back and that anyone who remained after the deadline would be escorted from the park by police and trespassed.

“Again morally wrong.”

Tenancy laws:

Sarina Gibbon, founder of Tenancy Advisory, said because the residents were not on residential tenancy agreements they were not covered by the Residential Tenancies Act.

Under section 5(1)(t) of the Act, standard tenancy law does not apply to people renting bare land, with or without basic facilities, where the agreement allows them to park or place their own mobile home, caravan or temporary shelter.

Gibbon said she was surprised the holiday park was not working collaboratively with its long-term residents and described a two-week expectation to vacate as “really harsh”.

Hudson said some long-term residents paid standard camping fees, while others volunteered at the park in exchange for their sites.

Change in ownership?

The property at 33 Toru St has been owned and operated by Adventurer Leisure Properties, a Florida-based company directed by Gary Martin, since 2002.

In 2015, plans for a boutique hotel replacing more than 100 campsites gained resource consent. Because the site is projected to be at risk from rising sea levels due to climate change, the proposed buildings were designed to be relocatable.

For several years, Mapua Leisure Park has been on and off the market both privately and publicly.

Residents said camp staff told them over the weekend the property had been sold and they would need to leave by August 1.

During the peak summer season, the privately owned park hosts about 2000 campers and has the distinction of being the only clothes-optional holiday park in New Zealand during February and March.