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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 Bay's 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 of Takaka Camping and Cabins. ”Ultimately, freedom camping has killed us.” The Tasman District Council amended its Freedom Camping Bylaw in early-December, with councillors voting to close controversial sites at Waitapu Bridge and Taupata Reserve.
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 freedom camping, with tens of thousands of visitors every summer. The only alternative proposal, which did not go ahead following opposition, was to turn a former dump site into the bay's new freedom camping spot, but was "nothing short of a bad idea”.