Waitapu Bridge News Today

Heavy rain is building in the top of the South Island, with a number of homes evacuated and roads closed as motorists face dangerous driving...

The Nelson-Tasman rain comes after muggy weather and downpours have plagued NZ this week.

Heavy rain is building in the top of the South Island with a number of homes evacuated and roads closed as motorists face dangerous driving conditions.
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It was meant to stop freedom campers but locals prevented from getting to a popular Golden Bay fishing spot are “shocked” and “vehemently opposed” at their loss of access.

“At Waitapu, people were asleep [in their vehicles] then you see them get up and use the long drop toilet.” At Taupata, three vehicles displayed a self-contained sticker. Despite being removed as an official camping spot under the amended council bylaw, Taupata is a road reserve meaning self-contained vehicles cannot be banned. Eckman questioned whether all the vehicles with stickers were actually self-contained. He said the amount of vehicles at the sites ranged from a few to more th...

Nina Hindmarsh/Stuff Marina and Karl Adams of Takaka Camping and Cabins, at their empty campgrounds. The couple say freedom camping has almost driven them out of business, and they welcome the changes to the new bylaw, which closed two of Golden Bays only designated freedom camping sites for non-self-contained vehicles. Freedom camping is “killing” small campgrounds, a Golden Bay owner says. “No matter how much we charge, we can’t compete with ‘free’,” said Karl Adams, the owner ...

The decision to amend the TDC’s Freedom Camping Bylaw was made last week, with councillors voting to close sites at Waitapu Bridge and Taupata Reserve. But the decision to not include any sites in the new bylaw due to lack of available council-owned land – except Motupipi Carpark in Tākaka for self-contained vehicles only – has angered some business owners, who say the council has “shot itself in the foot”. Bayleys/Supplied Golden Bay has long been a controversial area for free...