Freedom campers on Canterbury's Banks Peninsula have caused a stir after overflowing septic tanks have run into the harbour.
Council bylaws permit freedom camping in certain areas around Canterbury, including French Farm, for a maximum of two to five nights, dependent on the zoning of the area.
French-Canadian Francis Lauziere Beaudoin from Montreal is currently freedom camping on French Farm and says it would be a shame if the area was shut down.
"It's really an opportunity for us to be able travel and see more of the land and be able to spend money on other stuff and activities," he says.
Christchurch City Council's head of parks Andrew Rutledge says effluent samples are being tested to confirm whether it has come from the septic tanks, which is expected to take about two more days.
"The toilets will be closed [today] and will be replaced with four port-a-loos," he says.
"The wastewater dump for motorhomes will be closed off and a sign installed to direct people to the nearest alternative dump stations at Duvachelle campground and Akaroa motorcamp."
Signs would be placed either side of the culvert that is leaking onto the beach to warn people to avoid swimming in the area.
The camping area would remain open however.
"The most pressing problem is the discharge that's coming out of the toilet block," French Farm resident Dr Chris Goldspink says.
The facilities were built in the 1970s for people picnicking and the "explosion of camping" meant they weren't able to support the numbers of campers he says.
He predicted 40 to 50 campers were there a night, camping on a busy road with a 70km/h speed limit.
"We are pretty outraged at the environmental impact this may have," Dr Goldspink says.
"The council put in a dump site for self-contained vans that contains quite a chemical cocktail. Essentially that's also been flowing out over the last few years into what is now a marine reserve."
He had been speaking with Environment Canterbury and reported the spillage.
"We've long had freedom campers on the foreshore here and that's never been an issue for the community," he says.
"We've quite enjoyed sharing this beautiful location."
However, Dr Goldspink says the large numbers of campers was no longer sustainable.
The community didn't support public funding to upgrade the toilet facilities as they have already invested in the camping grounds he says.
French Farm resident Jendy Brook was also concerned about the environmental impact and health and safety risk freedom camping caused.
She says the council admitted on Tuesday the effluent tanks were only checked twice a year, and considering the numbers it wasn't enough.
"[The council] is not prepared to monitor or enforce the bylaws," she says.
Ms Brooks says the campers are right on the road verge and the area.
"It's an accident waiting to happen."
German freedom camper Laura Walter says she has seen campers being disrespectable. She says the few who are "destroy" the image of most campers who cared about the environment.
She had been travelling in New Zealand for five weeks and had both freedom camped and stayed at campgrounds.
She said some campgrounds were too expensive for what they offer.
The toilets were clean when she had used them this morning.
Mr Lauziere Beaudoin says freedom camping allowed tourists to invest their money in local businesses and companies as accommodation, even cheap camping sites, took up a "chunk of the budget".
"We try to be as respectable as possible, definitely we just try to collaborate."
He says if it is really bothering people then campers didn't have much say but to move on.
Newshub.
