Freedom camping is camping on public land that is not a recognised camping ground, or holiday park in a vehicle or a tent. Freedom camping may also be known as wild camping, dispersed camping or boondocking.

Currently, without a bylaw, the default national rule set in legislation applies: in the Timaru District, freedom camping is generally permitted on council land and in nominated reserves but only in approved self-contained vehicles (where vehicles have been certified as having a toilet and meeting other technical requirements) or tents.

Council currently encourages freedom campers to locate at several sites, as shown in this map.

• Current sites where freedom camping is encouraged (pdf, 1.5 MB updated 10-Apr-2025)

Bylaws are tools that local authorities can use to assist with managing public health, safety and nuisance issues.

A freedom camping bylaw would allow Council to set rules to help manage issues through, for example:

• Where (on Council land) people can freedom camp, where restrictions apply, and where it is not allowed.
• How long people can freedom camp for at any one time or in a certain period (e.g. in a month).
• Which locations allow any type of freedom camping, and which locations require vehicles to be fully self-contained.

Any freedom camping bylaw would not apply to any homeless individuals; this is prohibited by law. Council would instead work with social agencies to address these, on a case-by-case basis.

Further, any bylaw would only apply to Council land. This means that, for example, it would not cover freedom camping on riverbeds, as these are under the jurisdiction of Environment Canterbury. Council may request that Environment Canterbury develop its own freedom camping bylaw to cover riverbeds, depending on whether the survey identifies any particular problems in these areas.

Last year Council introduced paid overnight parking at the two carparks where freedom camping was previously encouraged. We are keen to get public feedback on the types of freedom camping they would like to see in the wider Caroline Bay area.

If Council chooses to proceed with a freedom camping bylaw, your feedback will help inform the development of a draft. There will then be a formal community consultation on the draft bylaw, which is another opportunity for you to provide feedback.

Refer to the report in the 1 April 2025 Council meeting (p.63 – p.95).

Refer to the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment’s website about recent national changes to freedom camping management.

If you are interested in seeing an example of existing freedom camping bylaws, refer to Mackenzie District Council and Waitaki District Council.

Email submission@timdc.govt.nz if you have any questions.

All responses to this public survey (either via the survey form or sent another way, e.g. post or email) will be used by Council (elected members and relevant staff) solely in relation to this consultation topic, and managed according to the following privacy statement.

The contact information (phone number and/or email address and/or postal address) that you provide will be accessible to and used by Council staff only for feedback administration purposes; it will not be made publicly available. However, the content of any attachments that you provide with your feedback - including any private and contact information - may not be redacted. 

Please contact us via submission@timdc.govt.nz if you have any questions about this, before providing your feedback. 

All information is held by Council in accordance with the Privacy Act 2020. You have the right to access and correct personal information. 

Nothing in this Privacy Statement overrides, or will prevent Council meeting its obligations under, the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987, or any other relevant legislation.