Regular campers at Kidds Bush, on the northern shore of Lake Hawea, had a few heart-stopping moments last month.
That was when they read stories in the Otago Daily Times the controversial Meads Rd access to the Department of Conservation-owned Kidds Bush campsite might remain closed over summer.
As it turned out, Hunter Valley Station, over whose land the road passes, agreed to remove its barrier in mid-December and the road is now open, although no-one seems quite certain for how long.
The road winds around the north side of Lake Hawea from State Highway 6 at the Neck and on a fine, calm day provides a stunning view across the lake.
The Kidds Bush camping ground is 6km along the road, tucked into a little bay.
It offers toilets, some grass to set up a tent a stone's throw from the lake, and some shade.
When the ODT visited earlier this week, there were no more than a dozen groups in tents spread along the grass strip between the bush and the lake.
A few were campsite regulars, including Tapanui High School teacher Pete Davies, who said he ''just about had a heart attack'' when he read the road to the campsite might be closed.
The Davies family had camped at Kidds Bush for most of the past six summers and were enjoying the fact there were few other boaties using the beach.
Mr Davies said most of the longer-term campers were New Zealand families but each evening tourist campervans called in for a night.
The main issue he had encountered was day-trippers bringing dogs to the area.
Lauren Hughes, of Waitati, had been to the camp many times in the past 26 years, enjoying the isolation and lack of electricity and cellphone reception, as well as the bush and the lake.
''And the sandflies are fine.''
She was concerned the road might not be open over summer but ''it worked out in the end''.
Her parents were returning to the campsite in February and were ''a bit worried'' the road might be closed by then.
Hunter Valley station owner Taff Cochrane could not say how long the road would remain open, when contacted by the ODT on Tuesday.
The matter would be determined by negotiations his Christchurch lawyer was having with the Crown.
''We opened up [the road] to be diplomatic for this time of the year, and we are just hoping we will get a positive response from the authorities we are dealing with.
''It's been a protracted argument for four-plus years and it's not our intention to close Kidds Bush down. Never has been. We've been accused of it.''
He noted there management of the camping ground by Doc had been better this summer, and although there was no on-site manager, staff from Wanaka had visited every second day and done ''a pretty good job'' tidying up.
