Freedom campers' vehicles clamped

Queenstown Lakes District Council has cracked down on free camping sites. Photo / ODT File

Two clamps have been applied to the vehicles of illegal freedom campers since the Queenstown Lakes District Council cracked down on free camping sites in the district last week.

Signage and new gates were erected at the northern end of Lake Hayes and the Shotover Delta last Thursday, and enforcement took effect from Friday night.

Council finance and regulatory manager Lee Webster said council contractors had been educating freedom campers nightly, advising them of change and the repercussions of remaining in the areas overnight.

''About 8pm we go through to those locations and we advise and educate any potential freedom campers ... it's not permitted after 10pm and they need to move, otherwise they'll be clamped and infringed.

''Generally, it's gone very well.''

Mr Webster said one clamp was applied over the weekend and another one yesterday morning. The offending vehicles were located in the Shotover Delta car park.

No clamps had been applied at the northern end of Lake Hayes, or on the Lake Wanaka foreshore to date.

While council contractors were directing freedom campers to commercial holiday parks, there were ''early indications'' there had been an increase in freedom campers at the top of the Crown Range, around Mt Crichton, and 25 Mile Creek, on the way to Glenorchy.

The latter two areas were Department of Conservation sites.

Mr Webster said he had spoken to Doc staff and the council would work with them to educate campers, if required.