The lessee of three local campgrounds is assuring locals and campground users that the classic Kiwi camping experience at Glendhu Bay Motor Camp, Wānaka Lakeview Holiday Park, and Albert Town Camping Ground will be preserved even if a new lessee takes over.

The proposed sale of the camping ground leases to an Australian buyer has been kept under wraps for months as the sale goes through the Overseas Investment Office (OIO) process, however locals have had word of the sale and expressed concerns about potential changes to the campgrounds.

CCR Ltd currently holds the leases for the three campgrounds (on land owned by Queenstown Lakes District Council) and its directors include Wānaka residents Rudi and Aggie Sanders.

Rudi and Aggie have been running campgrounds for 30 years and CCR has leased the three Upper Clutha campgrounds, as well as two in Queenstown, for nine years.

Rudi told the Wānaka App he wanted to put people’s minds at ease over the proposed sale.

“Glendhu Bay is going to be Glendhu Bay from now until the rest of eternity. It’s a great, unique campsite and they [the proposed new owners] don’t want to change that.”

The Glendhu Bay Motor Camp attracts hundreds of campers each year. 

He said CCR had been negotiating for the past year with the Australian buyer, “a family business with 55 or so holiday parks in Australia and which is looking at 10-15 holiday parks in New Zealand”.

The Scaife family gifted the Glendhu Bay campground land in 1920 on the proviso it was to remain in perpetuity as “an affordable camp for everyday Kiwis”, and Rudi said it is enshrined in the lease document “that the experience in Albert Town and Glendhu Bay will be the classic Kiwi camping experience”.

“For Aggie and me, and also our business partners in Queenstown, our drive was to make sure we could see people enjoying their time off in a beautiful setting. That’s always what gave us satisfaction, and that’s what gives the new owners satisfaction too.”

Rudi said while he did not expect price increases, the lease requires any increase to be “reasonable”.

Deputy mayor Quentin Smith told the Wānaka App that council controls on the lease will continue to exist, as would specific provisions within the Reserves Act and District Plan.

“In many ways there’s no change,” he said, and if a new owner had different aspirations for the sites the same controls would be in place.

“Clearly the community is concerned about a change to the camping experience, but there’s no indication at this point that that will happen.

“Council will continue to do the right thing around managing those reserves with camping in mind. Glendhu Bay really is the ultimate expression of the postcard summer camping holiday in New Zealand, and that’s something we want to protect for residents of both the district and the country.”

The lease sale remains with the OIO.

PHOTOS: Wānaka App