Man living in Auckland park wants a quiet life with his dog, the council has other plans

Ray wants the council to let him and his dog live in peace in an Auckland park. Photo / Alex Burton

• Ray, living in a caravan at Lloyd Elsmore Park in Auckland, faces being ousted by Auckland Council.
• He claims he and his puppy have nowhere else to go.
• The council says Ray has been referred to social services and advised about the Freedom Camping in Vehicles Bylaw.

Ray wants to continue living a simple life in his caravan at Lloyd Elsmore Park with his best friend, a not-so-small rescue puppy named Little.

But Auckland Council has other plans.

The 53-year-old told the Herald council workers were regularly dispatched to his dwelling to ask him to leave the park.

“It’s pretty hard really ... I don’t know where the f*** I’m going to go” he said.

Auckland Council compliance manager Adrian Wilson said Ray had been advised he could take advantage of the council’s Freedom Camping in Vehicles Bylaw, which allows for short stays.

Ray, who did not want his surname published, said the workers came in the mornings and accused him of being a freedom camper — but he did not see himself that way.

Ray and his dog Little have been living in a park in East Auckland for more than two months. Photo / Alex Burton

“For a lot of us, it’s our home .... they don’t [understand] because they go back to a house.”

He had since painted the message, “I am not freedom camping, I have no home” across his caravan.

Ray said he also had bowel cancer.

“I’m not on f***ing holiday, mate.”

He told the Herald he had not been offered support from the council or provided an alternative area on which to park his caravan.

But Wilson said staff had checked on Ray regularly and made several referrals to find him support.

“The occupant of the large, converted bus in Lloyd Elsmore Park has been residing in and around the park for over two years,” he said.

“We have referred the occupant to a social services provider, who visited and offered support.

“The occupant has also been in touch with a Government ministry regarding his housing eligibility status.”

Wilson told the Herald the caravan was large, occupying multiple car parking spaces, and Ray had ignored notices served on him for the nuisance caused.

“Where it’s clear that someone is living in their car due to homelessness, we make referrals to outreach providers to assist them in getting emergency accommodation. Where someone makes a lifestyle choice to live in a converted vehicle, we don’t treat this as a homeless issue as the vehicle is effectively their home."

Ray told the Herald he could not legally move, even if he wanted to, because his car did not have a registration or warrant.

“They’ll keep coming back until I’m gone, they’ll keep pushing me but I’m stubborn. I’m not moving.”

The caravan in which Ray and his dog Little have been living. Photo / Alex Burton

Ray said he enjoyed the company of others in the park, which was not the case in all parking locations.

He said he has previously lived in places where he went days without seeing another person, whereas others also lived at Lloyd Elsmore Park, and friends stopped by to see him.

Katie Harris is an Auckland-based journalist who covers issues including sexual assault, workplace misconduct, media, crime and justice. She joined the Herald in 2020.

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