The Department of Conservation (DOC) is investigating what it believes was an unauthorised, ticketed New Year’s Eve event on DOC land next to the Clutha River near Luggate.

DOC operations manager Central Otago Charlie Sklenar said between 50-100 freedom campers “set up camp on the Newcastle Track for what appears to be an unconsented event”.

“Once DOC became aware of the gathering, we sent duty staff to the site, assessed the situation and asked them to leave,” Charlie said.

Any event on public conservation land needs to have an authorisation from DOC, she said. 

“This is so we can assess the appropriateness of the location, any effects on the environment and ensure conditions to mitigate effects are in place. 

“It is disappointing this did not happen in this instance.”

A local resident described the incident as a “freedom campers swarm invasion”.

A local resident said the campers set up on the river flats despite ‘no camping’ signs and free reserve parking just 500 metres away.

They said they saw “more than 120 freedom campers driving through the DOC carpark, past ‘no camping’ signs to camp down on the river flats”.

When they alerted DOC, the agency acted quickly, but the campers left rubbish and human waste, they said.

A Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) representative confirmed that the site in question was “very close” - around 500 metres - from the Luggate Red Bridge Reserve, the only reserve in the district that allows freedom camping.

DOC said they were taking the incident seriously.

“We have made Police aware, and are considering next steps,” Charlie said.

Charlie believed the freedom camping was a one-off “at this scale” given it appeared to be an event.

“However we have increased monitoring in the area.”

PHOTOS: Supplied