Just What Is Freedom Camping?

Responsible Campers Association Inc has been developed to represent all freedom campers – this is the stand they are making, for the full feature go to adventuremagazine.co.nz

- Bob Osborne (Secretary of Responsible Campers Association Inc)

For many years now, when mainline media and councils talk about freedom campers they refer to Motorhomes and Caravans. Very rarely do we hear mention of any other form of freedom campers.

But just what is a freedom camper and who does it concern?

The freedom Camping Act 2011 defines the meaning of freedom camping, if you would like to read this in full you can at adventuremagazine.co.nz

Freedom camping in New Zealand, also referred to as free camping or in the US as boondocking, is where road trippers and campers set up overnight in public places which are not identified as campgrounds or holiday parks.

As time has gone on and Council’s restrict Freedom Camping due to the lobbying of large Motorhome type clubs, we see more Councils insist that all Freedom Campers are ‘certified self contained’ (NZS;5465 in the act) which is in denial of the right (yes we have a ‘right’ to camp) of freedom campers who use the traditional methods of tents and bivouacs to camp.