"Tent cities" are springing up around the shores of Lake Dunstan in summer and freedom campers are leaving their mark, the Clutha Management Committee was told yesterday.
Land Information New Zealand (Linz) Is responsible for the lakeshore.
Committee members said they had no problem with overnight campers, especially those in "self-contained" campervans, but they were concerned about visitors who stayed longer.
Martine McDowell, who runs the Cairnmuir Camping Ground at Bannockburn, asked if there was any change in the Central Otago District Council's freedom-camping policy.
The council permits freedom camping in certain areas of the district, provided campers dispose of waste responsibly and stay a maximum of two nights.
She told the committee more people were camping around the Bannockburn inlet.
"I have pictures of mainly seasonal workers who have done things in the bushes - you know what I mean - and left rubbish and broken bottles, and nobody seems to care," she said.
Camping ground staff were in a prime spot to see what was going on, and her concern was the mess freedom campers left behind, rather than missed revenue for the camping ground.
She asked for "No Camping" signs to be placed around the inlet.
Hawea had similar problems with freedom campers, she said.
Rose Burnard, property manager with Lakes Property Services, agents for LINZ, said Lake Dunstan was well served with toilet facilities around the lake, so there was less mess from freedom campers than at Hawea.
Committee chairman and district councillor Gordon Stewart said a review of the council's policy on freedom camping would be on the agenda early this year.
He was less concerned about overnight campers in self-contained motor homes.
The real problem was long-term campers - "the people who are starting to hang out their washing, so they've been there for a while".
Miss Burnard said people camping around the lakeshore for more than a night or two were usually asked to move on.
Committee member Neil Gillespie said Lowburn had hosted a "tent city" this summer and freedom camping was just starting to become a problem in Central Otago.
As a volunteer fireman, Mr Gillespie was also concerned about the fire risk, as often campers from outside the area were unaware of the total fire ban in the district.
Barbecues were located at several sites around the lake but there were no signs to say they should not be used when a fire ban was in place.
The fire brigade was called out sometimes in summer when campers used the barbecues to cook their tea.
"You get out of the fire engine and there's someone cooking their tea . . . the issue is about the fire risk, which is getting greater and greater," he said.
