Submissions on Queenstown Lakes District Council’s (QLDC) new draft Freedom Camping Bylaw 2025 are now open. 

QLDC said the draft bylaw was informed by “a robust technical assessment” that identified and examined which areas of the district need to be protected.

Under the draft bylaw, freedom camping will be allowed in certain areas but subject to specific conditions including time restrictions, only using specified parking spaces, leaving no waste, lighting no fires, and a requirement for vehicles to be certified as self-contained with a toilet and grey water facilities.

Key proposals in the draft bylaw include: 

• Prohibiting freedom camping on most roads including any on-road vehicle parking spaces (i.e parallel, angle, etc spaces) located within the district’s built-up urban areas. 
• Allowing freedom camping with restrictions in 158 carparking spaces across 15 specified areas in the district. 
• Allowing freedom camping on most rural roads (including any areas off the active road corridor such as off-road laybys), subject to restrictions such as how close to the road a freedom camper can park themselves.  

Read more: Freedom camping bylaw proposes 158 free sites

These rules would apply on QLDC-controlled land and some New Zealand Transport Authority Waka Kotahi land.

Freedom camping at the Luggate Red Bridge. PHOTO: Supplied

The draft bylaw does not propose to regulate freedom camping on any reserve land or privately owned land. Camping on reserves will continue to be administered under the Reserves Act 1977. 

Find more information and make a submission here.  

There will also be a public drop-in session in Wānaka next week: 5-7pm on Tuesday (July 15) at the Wānaka Recreation Centre and at the Queenstown Events Centre the day before (5-7pm Monday July 14), as well as an online webinar held on Monday July 28 at midday (details and registration information are available on the Let’s Talk platform). 

The results of the consultation will be considered by a hearing panel made up of councillors and will help to inform any changes to the draft bylaw ahead of it being adopted.

The bylaw is expected to be finalised and in place before summer 2025-2026. 

Last year the High Court quashed QLDC’s 2021 Freedom Camping Bylaw, leaving the district without freedom camping restrictions - apart from restrictions under the Reserves Act regarding temporary and permanent accommodation, and the national Freedom Camping Act 2011 which requires that vehicles be certified self-contained to freedom camp. 

Last month QLDC mayor Glyn Lewers acknowledged “the challenges and frustrations” freedom camping brought to some residents this past summer. 

“No one wants to see any visitor using our pristine waterways for washing, nor do they want to see toilet paper where it shouldn’t be,” he said. “Sadly, that’s been the experience for some.”

Read more: Freedom camping bylaw ‘by summer’