Spike from Spike's Bricks and Models is annoyed this building was tagged after the Goldrush Festival. He looks to the carpark area where freedom campers were. Photos / Rebecca Mauger
Spike from Spike's Bricks and Models is annoyed this building was tagged after the Goldrush Festival. He looks to the carpark area where freedom campers were. Photos / Rebecca Mauger
Taggers have targeted Spike's Bricks and Models building in Waihi and a number of venues in a service lane directly behind the Lego museum.
Stewart Milligan, known as Spike, has one of the country's largest Lego collections and arrived to work the day after the Gold Rush festival on January 3, to find a large tag across the side of his building.
He believes the culprits were among the throngs of freedom campers at the Hauraki District Council carpark behind his building the night before the tagging occurred.
Only a strip of the carpark is signposted as available for freedom camping but according to Spike, the entire carpark was full and he watched carload after carload roll in on that Monday.
The service lane between Mueller and Haszard streets. Freedom camping is only allowed along the strip to the right of this photo but campers filled the entire carpark.
Despite a permanent alcohol ban in the area, the campers were all drinking, he says.
''On Monday I saw them all come into the carpark and it was chocka. They were all on the grog too, all day.
"If council receive money from resource consents for these concerts, there should be some monitoring of the freedom camping areas they are responsible for, especially when there is a massive concert in town and they [the council] know there's going to be a lot of people.''
The sign beside the Hauraki District council freedom camping area stating where freedom camping is allowed.
Spike had just painted his building a month ago. The taggers also hit a number of surrounding buildings and there is a large tag on the road.
"With a big concert in town, there will always be a bad element and they need to be policed."
Spike has spoken to an acquaintance who walked past his building that night and there was no sign of tagging, so Spike says the tagging happened after 10pm. There's also still rubbish left in the area.
Waihi Sergeant Nigel Sanderson says police were well aware of the Gold Rush festival and were part of the planning from the early stages.
''We were consulted on such matters as the traffic management plan and the special licence [for alcohol].
''Police were not asked to check up on any freedom camping areas and it is not our role to do so. We work in conjunction with council, however, it is not our job to provide security for them at freedom camping sites."
Police were not called with reports of poor behaviour or breaching the alcohol ban, he says.
''Overall, it was a well-run event and police are pleased with how it went. A number of people were dealt with for breaching the alcohol ban before the event.''
Thousands descended into Waihi for the Gold Rush festival, held at the A&P Showgrounds.
Endeavour Live managing director Chris Henry says the tagging is ''disappointing'' but believes the matter is for police or local council to comment.
Hauraki District Council also expressed disappointment.
"Our district welcomes responsible freedom camping we're disappointed to hear reports of obvious disregard to the alcohol ban in place," a council spokesperson said. "Police routinely do checks during the summer for enforcement of the alcohol ban. Our freedom camping areas are monitored by our compliance staff, who check for compliance to the Freedom Camping Bylaw 2020.
"We understand security, provided by the organiser, was in place at the concert.
"We encourage tagging to be reported and work closely with the community constable on matters relating to tagging. Removing tagging from private property is the responsibility of the owner."
