Freedom camping has become an issue on the West Coast where the infrastructure was likely to struggle with the projected tourism increase. Photo: Stephen Jaquiery

Calls are growing louder for controls on freedom camping on the West Coast in the wake of another busy tourist season that has left lay-bys 'reeking of toilet' and favourite fishing spots ruined.

A 44% increase in tourist numbers at Franz Josef Glacier has delighted tourism operators, but the downside has been a corresponding increase in 'sleeper vans' and rental cars without on-board toilets, freedom camping.

"It's been atrocious," Peter Salter, a tourist operator from The Bushman's Centre at Pukekura said of the tourist season which is just starting to wind down.

"They (freedom campers) are everywhere, like flies," Mr Salter, whose business relies on freedom travellers, said.

"It used to be the odd one or two. Now there's an app they follow. They home in, pour in and there are 10 or 12. There's security in numbers."

One area they headed for was Monument Hill near Mikonui; it now "reeks of toilet".

Another area was Kakapotahi beach. Local residents had banded together and put a sign up, but it was pulled down.

Mr Slater said he was recently up the relatively quiet Whataroa River when the vehicles started to appear, park up, and "pull out their chairs".

Freedom camping was now a major problem and he thought there should be some sort of tourist arrival levy to help deal with it as the West Coast just did not have the infrastructure to cope with the numbers projected.

"Council is going to have to start whacking them," he said.

The Westland District Council has no restrictions at all on freedom camping. A bylaw was drafted a few years ago but the council backed off when threatened with legal action by the New Zealand Motor Caravan Association (Wings).

Few towns have fought harder than Punakaiki to bring about change, including a petition signed by 95% of residents calling for a crackdown on freedom camping.

Craig Findlay, who runs the campground, said problems had escalated.

He agreed with Mr Salter that when freedom campers came together a "pack mentality" took over.

One angler was blocked in after fishing on the beach off McMillans Road, just south of Punakaiki. They would not move until he threatened to have them towed, Mr Findlay said.

Technology had changed things. People from America were using an app to find where they could park. They flew into Christchurch and drove straight to Punakaiki, spending their first night in the country camping for free.

Despite the plea from residents for help from both the Buller and Grey district councils (Punakaiki is situated on the border between the two), nothing had happened.

Tourist numbers were forecast to increase next year.

"There is still not resolution. Still no change," Mr Findlay said.

Grey District Council compliance team leader Kevin Hebberd said freedom camping numbers they had observed were the same, or slightly higher, than last year.

"There are a lot more private vehicles around than two or three years ago," Mr Hebberd said.

They had noticed a drop-off in the number of Wicked campervans this year. Last year Wicked met with a huge public backlash over its rude slogans plastered all over its campers.

"We noticed (the decline) and we don't know why," Mr Hebberd said.

Most infringements issued were at the Cobden Bridge or Jellyman Park campsites, where freedom camping is allowed but only for self-contained vehicles.

Despite being well signposted "they just think they are not going to get caught".

About 53% of people ticketed paid their infringement.

"It's been a very active (tourist) season this year, a lot of campers on the road."

In February, Franz Josef residents acted when a freedom camping hot spot suddenly sprang up, with up to 50 vehicles squatting for the night in a roadside gravel pit. Eventually it had to be closed off with a gate.

Franz Josef Community Council chairman Graham Berry said the Dochertys Creek layby at the foot of the Fox Hills had become increasingly busy since November.

Piles of toilet paper had been left around the edge and along Dochertys Creek itself.

They also had reports of people cleaning themselves in the creek with soaps and shampoos, polluting the waterway.

- by Laura Mills