Draft Freedom Camping Bylaw 2025

Our Responsible Camping Programme does not use the term ‘No Camping Behaviour’ but part of our education campaign is to encourage campers to think about how their behaviours affects other users in shared spaces.

In the draft bylaw it is proposed that most of the specific restricted freedom camping areas contain a condition which requires ‘any motor vehicle, camping equipment, and any other personal items are full contained within one of the marked spaces’ but not the ‘No Camping Behaviour’ as you have outlined.

We'd certainly encourage you to tell us more about this in your submission and how you would see if either working, or not.

You'll also find a webinar on the draft bylaw here, in case you would like to watch and get more of a picture on what's being proposed: https://letstalk.qldc.govt.nz/96579/widgets/447504/documents/313744

The Responsible Camping Programme focuses on educating visitors on how to camp sustainably and behave appropriately so that both residents and visitors can enjoy the places they love. Our team of eight Summer Ambassadors work from November to April - and they visit sites and educate visitors on the dos and don’ts of camping. They also promote nearby campsites and share local expectations, but do not issue infringements. The programme aims to provide a friendly approach to education and behaviour change, which will be supported by enforcement measures where required.

Warranted Enforcement Officers work 365 days a year and issue infringements to those found breaking the rules. Officers are aware of freedom camping ‘hot spots’ and will be assessing and amending these locations closely at the start of the bylaw implementation (if adopted) to ensure areas with known high non-compliance are targeted. Patrols are then amended throughout the season as appropriate. Officers are also available to react to requests that come in through the RFS system, or any other channel where we're alerted to potential issues. 

Thanks for your feedback.  

In the past, our Summer Ambassador team haven visited various urban carparks daily to educate visitors on the dos and don’ts of camping. They also promote nearby campsites and share local expectations. Part of our education campaign is to ensure campers are aware that behaviour such as setting up a seating/cooking area or washing lines in a parking space is neither safe nor appropriate. 

Our Summer Ambassadors’ friendly educational approach is supported by enforcement measures where required. However, enforcement is limited to breaches of the bylaw (when in effect) or the Freedom Camping Act, such as dumping rubbish or camping in a non-self-contained vehicle.

The wider Responsible Camping Programme looks to constantly improve communications to campers so that the community and visitors can both enjoy our shared spaces.

We would encourage you to please make a submission on our Draft Freedom Camping Bylaw and share more information on your experience and any ideas you propose!

Thanks for your question! Most of Hāwea's foreshore is Land Information New Zealand (LINZ) land, where camping is not permitted. Hāwea Esplanade Road runs through LINZ land.

Thanks for your question! Most of Hāwea's foreshore and the area you've identified is Land Information New Zealand (LINZ) land, where camping is not permitted.

Hi there Alex. Large campervans are prohibited from parking in Queenstown’s town centre, but 33 parking spaces are available for daytime parking specifically for larger campervans in the Boundary Street Carpark in town.

The QLDC Draft Freedom Camping Bylaw 2025 opens tomorrow for formal submissions, and proposes that 15 of those 33 spaces could be used for freedom camping with specific restrictions.

We would encourage you to please check out the draft Bylaw when it's available tomorrow, to have a look at the maps and various proposed restrictions, and to have your say! We would welcome your comments on the draft Bylaw. Thanks!

Kia ora Bette 

The parking restrictions that are being introduced on Park Street and Lake Esplanade apply to all road users, including residents of these streets. The restrictions will improve turnover of traffic and will allow more equitable provision of daytime parking for all users of these lakefront streets and recreational areas.

When the last bylaw was quashed, timings associated with reviewing and updating the soon-to-expire earlier bylaw were replaced with a timeline to create an entirely new bylaw. 

Last September we gave approximate timeframes to keep interested parties informed. As we mentioned in our earlier response, the length of time is due to several factors including research, working with subject matter experts and stakeholders, timing of formal consultation, and timing of the multiple Council meetings required. The timeframe we’re working to is both appropriate and necessary to allow for a robust and fair outcome.

Thank you for your interest in this. We encourage you to participate in the public consultation when the draft bylaw is published. 

Kā mihi

Let's Talk team 

Hi Bette

The yearly Ambassador programme provides education to visiting campers over the busy summer season to help them camp responsibly and to make them feel welcome in the district. The programme finished after Anzac weekend. 

Monitoring is done year-round by appropriate warranted officers under the Freedom Camping Act, Land Transport Act and QLDC Traffic and Parking Bylaw.  

The recently approved parking restrictions were in response to parking challenges. Over the last few months, we’ve received a growing number of reports about parking issues on Park Street and Lake Esplanade. Vehicles remaining in these areas over an extended period affect the availability of parking for residents and other users. The new restrictions ensure parking in these areas serve our community and recreational users of these significant and much-loved lakefront locations.

The bylaw is on track to be made before summer as was always intended and communicated to the community. There is no delay. 

In general, a bylaw development process takes between 12 months and two years and must follow central government legislative requirements. This length of time is due to several factors including research, working with subject matter experts and stakeholders, timing of formal consultation, and timing of the multiple Council meetings required.

The timeframe we’re working to is both appropriate and necessary to allow for a robust and fair outcome. As previously mentioned, the process will include community engagement which you are encouraged to participate in. The feedback we get will be considered as part of the bylaw development process. 

Kā mihi

Let’s Talk team 

Hi Bette

Thanks for your query. 

Our intention has been to prepare a new freedom camping bylaw ahead of summer 2025. We are on track to achieve this. Apologies for any confusion caused as we move through this challenging process. We intend to consult the community from early July for one month. 

Keep an eye on our Freedom Camping Bylaw Let’s Talk page for up-to-date information. During the consultation, the webpage will include access to relevant information and the opportunity to make submissions.

Kā mihi

Let's Talk team 

Kia ora 

Council officers who enforce, including by issuing infringements to campers, are warranted under the Freedom Camping Act and the Reserves Act. The Council officers who are warranted under the Freedom Camping Act assess vehicles’ self-containment status via the blue and green certification labels affixed to the vehicle, to ensure people only camp (where permitted to) in local authority areas using certified self-contained vehicles.

Council officers have access to an online database of registrations that have been certified under the new self-containment rules (vehicles with green stickers). While blue stickers are excluded from this database, legislation was updated in December 2024 to require all rental vehicles to be certified with a green warrant. Private vehicles will soon also be required to be certified with a green warrant.

Infringements issued under the Freedom Camping Act and Reserves Act have specific provisions for payment. Neither includes provisions for immediate on the spot payments. Fines can be paid online or via internet banking. Council may enforce payment for an infringement notice as is the case with any tickets validly issued by a regulatory body.  

Kā mihi

Let's Talk Team