Travellers looking to park their self-contained vehicles overnight will soon have a number of options within the Whakatāne District.

Parking for self-contained vehicles becomes available from today (1 October 2013), following a decision by the Whakatāne District Council earlier this year.

Council Technical Advisor – Reserves, Fiona Hennessey, says four locations have become available within Whakatāne and Ōhope, with a maximum stay of two nights in each location. “The McAlister Street Carpark and Port Ōhope Boat Ramp each have five designated sites available for self-contained vehicles, while Mahy Reserve and Maraetōtara Reserve each have three designated sites,” she says. “Along with a maximum two-night stay, conditions for overnight camping include the requirement for vehicles to display evidence of a current self-containment certificate, and that overnight parking is permitted only in the designated sites as displayed on signage at that location.”

The final list of sites and conditions for self-contained motorhome overnight parking was agreed by the Council’s Monitoring and Policy Committee at its 12 June 2013 meeting. To implement overnight camping on these sites, the Committee agreed to an amendment to the Ōhope Reserves Management Plan and a Council resolution to designate sites under Part 3 of the Whakatāne District Council Public Places Consolidated Bylaw 2007. 

Ms Hennessey says ongoing consultation is occurring with the New Zealand Motor Caravan Association and local camp ground operators to inform them of the approach being taken by the Council.