Draft Freedom Camping Bylaw
Earlier this year, we asked you what you thought about freedom camping in Tararua. You told us that freedom camping is part of the Kiwi way of life, and it's important that any changes protect that, not take it away.
Tararua District Council has developed a draft a Freedom Camping Bylaw, with a focus on setting fair, simple rules that protect the places we all love. This isn’t about taking the ‘freedom’ out of freedom camping. It’s about making camping safer, and make sure everyone — locals, visitors, and businesses — can enjoy the benefits.
Looking for FAQ or info on how feedback has helped shape the draft Bylaw? Please see further down the page.
Consultation closed on 24 June 2025
Thank you to everyone who took the time to have their say — whether you made a submission, gave feedback online, or had a conversation with us in person. Your input helps to shape a bylaw that reflects the values, needs, and expectations of the people who live, visit, and travel through our district.
Over the past four weeks, we’ve heard from a wide range of voices — including residents, freedom campers, local businesses, community groups, and tourism advocates.
What happens next?
- A Public Hearing will be held on 9 July. This is where submitters who asked to speak to their feedback will present to the Mayor and Councillors.
- Council staff will prepare a report that summarises all feedback received and outlines any recommended changes. On 30 July, at the July Council meeting, Council will carry out Deliberations — this is where they review the report, discuss the feedback and consider what changes should be made to the draft bylaw.
- A final version of the bylaw, incorporating changes from public feedback, will be presented to Council in August for adoption.
- If adopted, a summary of public feedback and a copy of the final bylaw will be published on the Council website (and printed copies available from Council offices), as well as further details on when the Bylaw will come into effect.
Key Documents
📝 No printer? Pick up a paper copy at any of our Council offices or libraries in Dannevirke, Eketāhuna, Pahiatua, or Woodville.
Here’s how your feedback through our recent survey helped to shape what’s being proposed:
- You told us you value the ability to camp responsibly — we’ve focused on keeping sites accessible while making expectations clear for all users.
- You raised concerns about bad behaviour from a minority — the bylaw proposes practical steps to manage those rare issues without punishing responsible campers.
- You highlighted the need for fairness — we’re proposing a bylaw that welcomes freedom camping while putting commonsense limits in place to protect public spaces.
Previous Policy and Current List of Freedom Camping Sites
Currently, we have a policy that is a schedule of another bylaw (confusing right?). Not only do we wish to simplify this, we’re aiming to improve our ability to manage freedom camping in a way that works for everyone – while protecting public spaces and natural places.
Our current Freedom Camping Policy is listed as Schedule 2 of the Public Places Bylaw 2024:
To view a list of Freedom Camping sites in the district, visit:
Frequently asked questions
A bylaw is a rule made by the council to keep our community safe, well-managed, and enjoyable for everyone. Bylaws cover things like parking, dog control, alcohol bans, and noise limits. They help protect public spaces, the environment, and ensure businesses and activities operate fairly.
Currently, we don’t have a bylaw that allows us to effectively manage freedom camping in our district. This means, we’re not able to do anything about nuisance behaviour or misuse of local freedom camping sites. It doesn’t happen often, but when it does it is not possible to manage without a local bylaw setting out rules and guidelines.
We’re asking the community for feedback on proposed rules in the Draft Freedom Camping Bylaw, including whether freedom camping should be prohibited in 50km/h and 70km/h speed zones, cemeteries, and playgrounds; whether time limits should apply to freedom camping in certain areas (like a 5-night limit over 30 days, or stricter limits depending on vehicle type); and whether additional restrictions or prohibitions should be considered under the Freedom Camping Act.
Ultimately, we want to know if these proposals strike the right balance between welcoming visitors and protecting our local spaces.
With freedom camping increasing in our district, we need a bylaw to:
- Keep camping safe and respectful for everyone.
- Protect public spaces from misuse.
- Balance the needs of campers, residents, and businesses.
- Ensure Council can effectively look after local freedom camping areas, now and in the future.
The proposed bylaw will:
- Provide a clear list of locations where freedom camping is allowed.
- Set rules for responsible camping at these locations - including waste disposal, noise, and vehicle standards.
- Help protect and preserve our camping areas.
- Ensure compliance with the Freedom Camping Act 2011.
What’s the process?
- Gather feedback: Consult with key stakeholders to help Council decide whether to proceed.
- Council decision: Council considers stakeholder feedback and determines whether or not to proceed. Council decided at its meeting on 30 April 2025 to proceed with developing a Bylaw. Watch Meeting: https://www.youtube.com/live/v3e9fXoEblw?si=gNBOx8cQSOGgvRfA (discussion on this matter commences at 1:48:50).
- Public consultation: The draft Bylaw is shared with the public for feedback and opportunities to advocate for changes to what is being proposed.
- Deliberation and decision: Council consider the proposed Bylaw and if acceptable, it is adopted.
The Freedom Camping Transitional Fund made available through the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment covers developing the bylaw and implementation (if adopted).
Implementation includes new signage for Council-owned sites; sites managed by other agencies (e.g., Domain Boards); some privately owned sites (with owner consent).