Sue Wards
20 January 2021, 5:06 PM
Mount Barker residents and others are seeking answers to why it took days to get any response to their calls for help over a group of rowdy campers on the Cardrona riverbed between Christmas and New Year.
Residents were concerned about the fire risk from the abundance of dead broom in the area, and some - including elderly residents - were intimidated by the level of noise and activity.
The situation has raised questions about how well agencies in the Queenstown Lakes District are coordinating over issues of irresponsible camping.
Irresponsible camping: the situation unfolds
More than 100 young people were camping on the dry riverbed on New Year’s Eve, during a strong northwesterly wind. While they were there, multiple residents made calls to the Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) and the police to raise their concerns about the noise and the fire risk.
The police advised them it was an issue for the QLDC, and the council told them its camping ambassadors would deal with it. At the time of writing, the residents had still not heard back from the council.
Some believe if the council provides entertainment for young people during New Year it has a responsibility to consider accommodation options too. PHOTO: Wanaka App
The police attended the camp on January 1, reportedly having previously told residents they would respond if the campers “start a fire or do something serious”.
“They had lit a fire using surrounding scrub which could have easily spread into nearby bush. The fire was extinguished by FENZ,” a police spokesperson said. FENZ said the fire could easily have spread into nearby bush.
When the campers eventually left, the site was strewn with broken bottles, human faeces, broken camping equipment and food scraps.
Council’s response
When the Wanaka App asked the council what action it had taken to deal with the residents complaints, a council spokesperson initially said it received “a number of complaints about this issue, and did respond to them”, but went on to say the site in question was not QLDC’s responsibility, but LINZ’s.
Camping on LINZ land is not covered by the Freedom Camping Act 2011.
“After being notified of the camping, one of our camping ambassadors visited the site to speak to the occupants; despite being told the site would be cleaned up, a subsequent visit by the ambassador revealed one group hadn’t done so,” a council spokesperson said.
“The ambassador took it upon himself to clean the site, going above and beyond as QLDC does not look after LINZ land."
This is the third summer in a row the QLDC has employed responsible camping ambassadors.
“It’s important to remember QLDC’s camping ambassadors serve to educate campers, monitor trouble spots and assist enforcement officers. They do not have enforcement powers of their own.”
Council also employs a security firm, Cougar, but it is only contracted to assist with enforcement on QLDC land.
Who deals with irresponsible camping?
One of the residents is seeking answers from the QLDC and other agencies about why the residents were left dealing with the noise (which included screaming, fighting, and vehicles roaring around the area) and fire risk on their own.
When the Wanaka App became aware of the issue we contacted a camping ambassador, who hadn’t been told about the riverbed camp.
Hundreds of young people arrived in Wanaka before New Year’s Eve. PHOTO: Wanaka App
Te Puna O Mata-Au Ngai Tahu representative Shirley Walthew is also asking questions about the situation.
She has been in contact with Colliers, which looks after the Cardrona riverbed on behalf of LINZ. Colliers has erected signs prohibiting camping, but Shirley says “signs aren’t going to stop anybody”.
“We’re seeking a response from the local manawhenua about what is happening. I have asked Colliers what’s their responsibility around the Ngai Tahu policy around water and land management and waterways,” she said.
Shirley also wants to know why the QLDC has still failed to communicate with the residents who complained about the camp site; and while she acknowledges the land is under LINZ’s care, she believes the QLDC “has dropped the ball”.
Camping restrictions
A Mt Barker resident who spoke to young campers on the Cardrona riverbed were told the young people had been refused entry to Albert Town campground and had nowhere to go.
Security staff at the Albert Town Campground turned away groups of young people from the campground during the festive season because of a new age restriction, allowing those aged younger than 21-years-old to camp only if part of a family group, bringing the campground in line with others.
Campground manager Rudi Sanders said security staff turned away “at least 150 young people” who had arrived there between Christmas and New Year.
A young person sleeps off New Year’s Eve in Wanaka. PHOTO: Wanaka App
“We hoped we would be able to work somewhere out for the young ones to go,” he told the Wanaka App, adding that unfortunately neither the police nor the QLDC had appeared to make plans for a possible influx of young people with nowhere to stay.
A coordinated approach?
So whose responsibility was it to deal with the rowdy campers, and why did it take so long?
The Wanaka App approached DOC, Lake Wanaka Tourism, NZ Transport Agency, QLDC, LINZ, and the Guardians of Lake Hāwea - all founding members of the Responsible Camping Forum, which was set up in 2016 - to ask how issues such as this are coordinated among the groups.
A QLDC spokesperson said the responsible camping forum has been “superseded by QLDC’s Freedom Camping Bylaw and Freedom Camping Strategy”.
“As part of these, QLDC is in regular contact with the groups that were involved with the forum,” he said.
However, DOC Central Otago District senior community ranger Nicole Sutton said the Responsible Camping Forum “does still exist”.
Nicole said DOC has a Memorandum of Understanding with QLDC, LINZ, NZTA and MBIE to ensure visitors have a memorable camping experience in the Lakes District.
The DOC representative on the forum is based in the Wakatipu Office, and rangers collect camp fees and maintain camp site services in the Upper Clutha. Rangers may also talk to people who are camping where they shouldn’t, or are not following the rules, and/or take details to be followed up.
There are also a couple of compliance law enforcement warranted officers on the Central Otago team authorised to issue infringement notices, Nicole said.
“DOC Rangers work closely with the [QLDC camping] ambassadors, and with Cougar Security, to ensure we have a presence across many of our camping spots. Cougar Security is also able to issue infringement notices,” Nicole said.
Despite all the staff allocated to dealing with camping issues, the Mt Barker residents still haven’t had a response from council, and are left asking: If not council or police, who was it we should have called in order to get help?