TENTS UP: Residents welcome freedom campers at Red Rocks, but wonder if there is a better way to manage it. Tents at the site are not lawful.

The Red Rocks carpark is being swamped by 50 or more freedom campers each night.

Locals, who largely support the campers' rights to stay on the south coast Wellington site, said the car park was so full locals were sometimes unable to find a park.

Rubbish bins were overflowing this morning, wine bottles and empty cigarette packets were strewn along the beach, and there were reports of discarded toilet paper on the beach.

One campervan drove off this morning, over a fold-out picnic table which was simply left at the site, on the edge of the marine reserve.

Wellington City Council spokesman Clayton Anderson said a bylaw change late last year meant the area – and another in Evans Bay – had opened up to freedom campers but only those in campervans or other vehicles.

Evans Bay had stricter rules and only allowed self-contained campervans.

Since the bylaw change, the two toilets at Red Rocks were left open 24 hours a day and were cleaned four times daily.

Tents – of which at least half-a-dozen were up this morning – were not permitted.

Over the past month the council had received six calls about the Red Rocks site, mostly from locals saying they enjoyed having the campers there but suggesting the council paid closer attention to the site.

Park rangers – who could fine people up to $200 for littering and damaging plants – visited each day but usually played an educational role, telling people of their obligations.

The busiest night of summer so far saw 56 campers at the site and due to its popularity the council had installed two extra rubbish bins.

The council was also looking at putting more facilities, such as a kitchen sink, at the site.

Locals had been invited to submit on the freedom camping proposal when it was being considered, Anderson said.

Val Wahren, who has lived on Owhiro Bay Pde, near the car park, for 62 years, said she agreed with the proposal.

"There's up to 40 campers down there sometimes. I didn't think it would be like that."

She had befriended a young German couple who stayed there and was told from them they experienced hostility from other campers.

Siobhan Hanley, another local, said it was an "amazing place" that she enjoyed being able to share with people but the car park was now so packed that many locals could not use it.

She had found pillows, shoes, and toilet paper abandoned in the car park.

"I just wonder if there is a better way of managing the situation."

French camper Fleur Lamiable said there were about 50 campers who stayed last night and a "little party" at a neighbouring tent which wound up at 11pm.

The lack of facilities did not bother her as she simply strung a shower curtain up from her campervan.

Likewise, French hitchhiker Leo Lebrun – who was flouting the no-tent by-law – had no problems with the minimal facilities.

"There is a toilet, no bath, no shower, but it's nice to have a free place to put a tent."

Like others, he found the site on free smartphone app Campermate.