THE overnight camping ban in Mangaokewa Reserve is effective immediately. PHOTO HEATHER CARSTON
THE official manager of Mangaokewa Reserve has confirmed overnight camping will no longer be permitted at Te Kūiti’s summer mecca. Department of Conservation (DOC) Maniapoto operations manager Graham Kimber said iwi views are essential to their approach to managing Mangaokewa, and mana whenua Ngāti Rora’s clear preference is for an end to overnight camping at the site. “We’ve been in discussions with iwi about management of the reserve, since it’s expected it will be handed back to Maniapoto as part of Treaty of Waitangi settlement,” Graham said.
CONNECTION “Ngati Rora has a particularly significant connection to Mangaokewa Reserve [so while] the Reserves Act includes provision for campgrounds if there are appropriate provisions made [and] DOC could formalise camping at Mangaokewa, we’re opting not to based on the discussions with iwi.” There are no legal constraints on banning overnight stays. Permissions for camping in the reserve were previously facilitated by Waitomo District Council bylaws, which chief executive Ben Smit has confirmed were removed when the reserve was handed into DOC management in the summer of 2019. “When it was under Waitomo District Council management, Mangaokewa Reserve was a location people could use for overnight camping,” Graham said. “When DOC took over the management of the reserve a few years ago, we continued this informal arrangement as it had essentially been the status quo.”
IMMEDIATE The camping ban is effective immediately. Clear signage will now be installed on site and the nightly locking of the gate overnight will continue. “We appreciate this will be a change for many people who’ve camped at the reserve. “There are numerous other camping sites around the district available. “Our approach to this change will be to discuss the situation with anyone who is camping at Mangaokewa and provide them with some guidance on where they can camp in the town and district.” DOC will now work with the camping/caravanning sector to ensure the rationale for the change is understood and asking them to remove the reserve as a listing on any websites, social media or printed collateral. Ngāti Rora representatives have repeatedly challenged camping and impromptu night-time visits to the reserve, believing damage and littering to the wahi tapu happened mostly under the cover of darkness and that the behaviour of some night-time visitors posed a health and safety risk to others. DOC agreed verbally to an overnight camping ban when they agreed to Ngāti Rora’s Michelle Wi locking the access between 6pm and 6am in July, but the public signage then erected was contradictory. It said overnight camping was still permitted, resulting in confusion for those intending to stay and difficulties for Michelle in negotiating their departure.
