Caravan lovers outraged at Coromandel ban on "freedom"

Caravan lovers and campervan owners are outraged at a new decision from Coromandel which sees "freedom camping" such as pitching a tent on the beach or parking by the side of the road now illegal.

Those found free camping instead of staying overnight at designated camping grounds will from now be slapped with a $40 fine, says a new bylaw from the Thames Coromandel District Council.

Already exclamations of outrage have come from the tourism industry, who reject any blanket moves which have the potential to cripple the newly recovering holiday sector.

Dick Waters, New Zealand Motor Caravan Association President, called the move backwards saying, "the issuing of infringement notices is only the start of the problem for Council."

"The legal battles that this by-law will generate will be mammoth. What is camping and what is parking overnight in a registered motorhome vehicle fully compliant with all regulations?"

"How will they define camping? And how will a by-law over rule a Government Act? How will the flow on effect damage our tourism image?" he asks.

The NZCMA estimates that family groups spend over $90 million dollars throughout NZ in any one year, and considering many of those fall under the camping and motorhome category, Mr Waters suggests that these new laws could detract from Coromandel's appeal.

KEA Campers adds that this move is ill-advised, ill-timed, and may not necessarily help the council's eco-management ideals.

"Blanket bans of this sort ignore operators who advocate a leave-no-trace approach to nature tourism, and ensure every area of their business adheres to principles of sustainability," adds Grant Brady, KEA Campers and its CEO.