Introducing Camping Ambassador Courtenay

Courtenay has been welcoming campers around the Tararua District since after Christmas. If you see Courtenay out and about this holiday period please feel free to say hello. She has been helping the campers with tips and information on how to make the most out of their stay in our beautiful district. She will be visiting freedom camping sites and reserves around the district until 23 January.

She has also been promoting Leave no Trace responsible camping as well as encouraging all campers to shop locally.
Council secured funding for this through the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) responsible freedom camping programme, which is aimed at managing the thousands of international and domestic freedom campers travelling around New Zealand over summer.

Ākitio Camping Ambassador

MBIE funding has also been secured to provide a camping ambassador specifically for the Ākitio beach, one of Tararua’s busiest areas for tourists during the summer months. For this, Council partnered with Ngāti Kahungunu ki Tāmaki nui-a-Rua.

The camping ambassador has been sharing information about the area’s unique beauty as well as educating visitors of local rules, and promoting responsible camping behaviour.

In accordance with Tararua District Council’s Public Places Bylaw, camping along the Ākitio Beach esplanade has been restricted to certified self-contained vehicles this year. This is to improve the social, cultural and environmental wellbeing of the community and its visitors, mitigating the risk of issues from previous years.