Wellington enjoys camping boom

The long hot summer of 2015 was a boomer for Wellington's campers, with record numbers flocking to our parks for a slice of sun. Kaitoke Regional Park was the canvas capital with up to 400 campers on some weekends and around 14,000 people over the year - a phenomenal number also reflected to a lesser extent in Wellington's other regional parks.

While the summer may have been a one off, the trend toward camping wasn't, with three years of growth increasing fee revenue from Kaitoke by nearly 80 per cent from $44,000 in 2012/13 to $79,000 this summer. 

"Several factors have contributed to this growth," says Greater Wellington Regional Council Principal Ranger (Eastern) Jimmy Young. "Better quality camping equipment has made camping more comfortable and affordable. It's become a cool thing to do, especially among younger people, as has the desire to get closer to nature. Management of the campsite is getting better every year. And camping can offer a local low cost holiday reasonably near home. So we believe growth is built on fairly solid foundations."

Campervan camping at Kaitoke has also increased off the back of Lord of the Rings' international popularity, as it was a major location for the films, and a higher number of international visitors are choosing campervan holidays. The New Zealand Motor Caravan Association has reported growing numbers of campervans over the last five years with an increase in its membership from 39,000 to 58,000, a rise of 49 per cent.

As patronage has increased so has the demand for better services and, as a result, the regional council has begun to invest to meet customer needs. The campsite already has free barbeques and rubbish collection and events and tours between January and March. From next summer there will be an increased ranger presence to manage and patrol the campsite. There will be more access to EFTPOS facilities for campers. And there will be a new re-cycling facility. Consideration is also being given to a small number of powered sites for motor caravans.

"We don't see ourselves as motor camp operators," says Jimmy Young. "We're somewhere between that and providing rustic facilities that don't detract from the natural values of the park. However, given the trend, we are considering limited investment in facilities that meet campers' needs while protecting the environment. It's often a difficult balance to strike".