No more freedom campers, say owners of Evans Bay, Wellington, properties used as toilets

Evans Bay homeowners say self-sufficiency rules are not being enforced, leading to bad smells and mess. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Evans Bay residents say they're losing their boating paradise to freedom campers who are using properties as toilets, riding private cable cars as a short cut and making a stink.

Wellington City Council has received more than 60 submissions on its public places bylaw review, which includes a proposal to increase freedom camping facilities at Evans Bay Marina.

If the extension gets the green light, 30 more spaces for self-contained vehicles would be added.

Submitter Gillian Greer said she experienced a raft of problems with campers at a home she has owned for about 18 years on Evans Bay Parade.

"Our properties are already affected by freedom campers using our properties as toilets, because the 'self sufficiency' Wellington City Council requires is not observed.

"We pay to maintain a cable car and this is used by campers seeking a short cut, which does not exist, resulting in increased wear and tear on this facility.

"The freedom camping facility has increased the number of people 'exploring' our properties without permission."

Greer said an expansion would affect views and home values.

"[It would] also reduce enjoyment through increased noise, rubbish and traffic, affecting the value of properties where considerable work has been done over the years to improve properties and their value."

Evans Bay resident Shiree Hart said the clutter of camping vehicles was an eyesore and the marina smelled.

"It's really stinky when they're emptying all the poos out of their campervans.

"They think they just have the run of the place and we think that's a bit unfair to the berth holders in the marina."

Hart said she doubted the campers added value to the city.

"They probably bring so little to the economy because it's not like they're big spenders. They're pretty frugal, eating their porridge out of the back of their vans."

The council has estimated freedom campers would inject up to $720,000 into the local economy during the peak summer season.

Last year the council applied to the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment for money to install additional toilets and showers at the site.

Documents said campers would be charged to cover cleaning and maintenance costs.

Hataitai resident Andrew Harding said Wellington needed to embrace freedom camping because it was increasingly popular and more spaces would be an economic asset.

"Despite what people think, and I know this from personal experience, the majority of people there spend a fortune in the city probably more than what a cruise boat passenger would. They're fairly well to do people most of them."

Harding said he went away with his family in their campervan most weekends and would spend hundreds of dollars on petrol, food and activities.

He said the 45 camping spaces at Evans Bay has given it a new lease on life.

"That facility was just a mess. Boy racers would come down every night and do burnouts and leave rubbish there and all sorts of unsavoury stuff would go on."

Harding said those travelling in vehicles without their own facilities were giving others a bad rap.

"You need to cull out these people who just have a portable toilet and a station wagon. I would like to see every single freedom camping person on New Zealand roads be self-contained."

Wellington City has 61 freedom camping spaces at restricted sites across the city but will require 96 spots by 2020 to meet a projected increase in demand.