Whether you are a tourist or a local, freedom campers must abide by the same set of rules.

“Responsible campers should leave no trace and help keep our communities and natural environment free from pollution and waste,” says Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC). QLDC allows “responsible camping” in certified self-contained vehicles only, and the Ballantyne Road service hub is open to such vehicles until March 2020. 

The rules about freedom camping apply to: cars, vans, motor caravans, campervans, RVs, motorhomes, caravans and mobile homes. Remember: don't camp on private land; don't leave behind rubbish or toilet waste and use public toilets if you don't have a self-contained vehicle. 

A certified self-contained vehicle must meet the caravan self-containment standard, which means that it is adaptable to live in it for three days without getting more water or dumping waste. It must have: a toilet; fresh water storage; wastewater storage and a rubbish bin with a lid. If that's the case, the certificate warrant card must be displayed at all times. Fully self-contained vehicles are needed for the protection of the environment as well as to prevent the ick factor of other people stumbling over human excrement on tracks and beaches.

Always, always, always use public toilets (or your own); use a designated wastewater dump station for your sewage sink water; use your own facilities for bathing, washing, and toileting to keep our environment clean and pollution free; dispose of your rubbish and recycling in the bins provided or at the transfer stations and least but not last, always park in the areas specifically designated for your type of vehicles. 

If you are unsure of any local rules, check out the summer camping FAQs on QLDC's website. Don't forget the service hubs in Queenstown or Wānaka which have rubbish and recycling disposal services. 

Every infringement comes with an instant $200 fine with a court fine of up to $10,000 for major dumping of waste, such as a campervan emptying its sewage tank onto public land.