The Otago Daily Times reported recently an Australian family-owned company was negotiating with the Overseas Investment Office to buy the remaining 21 years of a lease over five Queenstown Lakes District Council camping grounds, including at Glendhu Bay.
One of the leaseholders, Rudi Sanders of CCR Ltd, confirmed the sale was "99.9%" confirmed.
The Overseas Investment Office declined to say when the deal would be approved.
Campers told the Otago Daily Times they thought the new owner was to be the Hampshire Property Group, which owns a range of camps and retirement villages.
The Otago Daily Times has tried to contact Hampshire Group representatives without success.
Comments on Allied Press social media sites and in emails reveal Glendhu campers do not want their money to go to overseas investors and they want the camp to remain a "Kiwi-style" affordable camp.
Some social media users have defended Australian camps as a "great setup", "cheaper and of as good standard as here".
"I’m staying positive. See what they do first. Could be a great improvement," one said.
Another said: "Glendhu Bay’s best lakefront campsites are reserved for boat parks, while tents are on the side of the highway. Maybe this is the change it needs."
Retired farmer Doug Fraser said in a Queenstown Lakes District Council public forum last week he wanted council reassurance the "Glendhu Camp will retain the Kiwi camp experience".
"An online search of the Hampshire Group certainly fails to provide the reassurance the Kiwi camp experience will be retained ... I invite you to do that search.
"We can retain and foster the current Glendhu experience," Mr Fraser said.
Campers would be "blissfully unaware" of changes to the council’s camping strategy 2022-27 that focused on greater returns on investment, Mr Fraser said.
"There is a solution — work with current lease holders [CCR] to separate Glendhu off from the other camp leases," Mr Fraser said.
