The Queenstown Lakes District Council has taken over management of the public conservation land at Mount Iron from the Department of Conservation. Photo: Queenstown Lakes District Council
Freedom campers will soon face a $800 fine if they stay in the carpark of a popular Wānaka attraction after a recent management change.
The Queenstown Lakes District Council has taken over management of the public conservation land at Mount Iron from the Department of Conservation.
This covers the State Highway 84 Mount Iron carpark and about 55 hectares of reserve land - the existing 100-hectare Mount Iron Recreation Reserve was already under council control.
The change means overnight camping - in tents, campervans or vehicles - will be banned at the site.
The council said summer ambassadors would advise campers of the change over the coming weeks and signs would be installed before enforcement started.
The council's freedom camping bylaw does not apply to reserve land.
Council parks manager Dave Winterburn said the council's Mount Iron Reserve Management Plan, which was adopted last April, would now apply to the reserve land.
"Having all the reserve land at Mount Iron managed by one organisation is a great outcome for the community and will enhance the experience for Mount Iron users long-term," he said.
The Department of Conservation said the change formalised what had already been in place since 2024, as the council already managed the site on a day-to-day basis.
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