Love Our Lakes - How to be a happy camper around our lakes
White campervans, colourful combis and lakeside tents – this is the scene of summer around the lakes of the Mackenzie and Waitaki districts in Canterbury. But is all this happening responsibly?
The Love Our Lakes campaign encourages people to make responsible decisions in and around our lakes. It’s simple really – poo in the loo, wash clothes and dishes away from the water, and take your rubbish with you!
There are toilet facilities all across the region, as well as places to dispose responsibly of rubbish.
Love our Lakes encourages people to keep our lakes clean
There’s international recognition of Lake Takapō/Tekapo and the iridescence of Lake Pūkaki, Lake Ohau and the surrounding mountains, Lake Ruataniwha’s lagoon and the water-sport friendly waters of Lake Benmore. For many people, these places are the reason they travel to our far-flung little island.
So what can we all do to make sure they stay clean and beautiful?
The Love Our Lakes team caught up with some visitors at key campsites to get their view on all this.
“In some more remote places we’ve seen a few bits and pieces, but otherwise we haven’t seen much rubbish at all,” said Jack and Sarah, campervan tourists from Australia who’d parked up at Lake Takapō as part of a three-week South Island road trip.
Caroline and David, from Germany, had their van parked up near Lake Ruataniwha at the southern side of Twizel.
“In Germany, it’s super important to take care of the environment,” they said.
“So, it’s cool to see the same thing happening here. The scenery here is crazy by the way.”
Katrien and Femke, Dutch friends travelling near Lake Takapō, said their stay had been “super clean and nice to experience”.
Campers parked up beside Lake Pūkaki
“You know, in Europe people have seen pictures of these lakes, people think of New Zealand like this, just like this,” they said.
“It’s crazy to us that people would not respect these kinds of places.”
Simple actions make a big difference
The Love Our Lakes campaign is run by the Upper Waitaki Water Zone Committee and promotes behaviour that will protect our lakes, not just for today but for generations to come.
“Simple actions like using public toilets, disposing of rubbish responsibly, and checking your boats for pest species can make a huge difference in preserving our lakes’ health and beauty,” said Mat Bayliss, Chair of the Upper Waitaki Water Zone Committee.
Angela Oosthuizen, Mackenzie District Council Chief Executive, echoed the thoughts of international visitors.
“So many people enjoy our lovely district, and it can get crowded in many areas,” she said.
A Responsible Camping Ambassador is appointed to provide extra help through the busy season "to help keep everything running as smoothly as possible and to make the experience a great one for everyone”.
Love Our Lakes and always plan a few stops at public toilets during your day on the lake.
“Most people are considerate and are conscious of their own and others safety, the Camping Ambassadors help keep it this way and do their best to help everyone enjoy their stay in the beautiful Mackenzie,” she said.
Love our Lakes checklist
The actions we all take in and around the water make a difference.
- Use the public toilets, and plan toilet stops during the day
- Dispose of rubbish responsibly, or take it home with you
- Wash clothes and dishes away from waterways
- Check, clean, dry your boating gear to stop the spread of aquatic pests.