Popular freedom camping spot at Hipapatua Recreational Reserve (Reid’s Farm) closed this week for scheduled maintenance and tree work.

The closure of the popular freedom camping spot is an annual event during which Council can carry out work on top of the mowing and other standard maintenance done throughout the year.

Signage will direct campers to the smaller, upper camping area, which will remain open. Day use of the lower reserve, as well as river access, will not be affected by these works.

Taupō District Council parks operations manager Andrew Moor said the Reserve will reopen on 1 October.

“The key reason we close and re-open later in the year is so the grass can recover from all of the vehicles that have been parking there during the summer months.

“Paired with the warmer weather burning off a lot of the grass cover, we need a decent amount of time to get some coverage back,” he says.

“Once it reopens, the area will be looking great again for the next camping season.”

All campers, including those in certified self-contained vehicles, can stay for a maximum of three nights and/or four days at Hipapatua Recreational Reserve before they need to move on.

ENDS

For more information on freedom camping in Taupō visit -

taupodc.govt.nz/recreation/freedom-camping.

© Scoop Media