Conservation Act 1987

Conservation areas

17: Access to conservation areas

You could also call this:

"Visiting conservation areas is free, but you might need to pay for some things like camping or parking"

You can enter and use conservation areas for free, except when the Minister or a concessionaire says you have to pay. The Minister can charge you to use some facilities, like toilets or picnic areas, in conservation areas. A concessionaire is someone who has permission to use a part of a conservation area for a specific purpose, and they can also charge you to use facilities they provide.

You might have to pay to use things like camping sites, parking areas, or special activities in conservation areas. This is allowed if the person providing the service has permission from the Minister or Director-General, and if it is in line with the conservation plan for the area.

Remember, these rules only apply to conservation areas, not to private land.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM104284.


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Part 3Conservation areas

17Access to conservation areas

  1. Except as provided by or under this section, Part 3B, or section 38(1), the entry to and use of conservation areas by the public shall be free of charge.

  2. The Minister may impose a reasonable charge for the use of facilities (other than paths and tracks) that are provided by the Minister in or in respect of any conservation area.

  3. A concessionaire of any part of a conservation area may, to the extent that the relevant concession document so provides, impose a reasonable charge for the use of any facilities in or in respect of that part of the area that are provided by the Minister or the concessionaire.

  4. Any person who, in accordance with any concession or other consent of the Minister or Director-General,—

  5. has erected any structure or facility in any conservation area; or
    1. uses any part of any conservation area for camping sites or for parking places for vehicles; or
      1. carries on any activity in any conservation area,—
        1. may, subject to the conservation management strategy or conservation management plan (if any) relating to the area and to the terms and conditions (if any) of the relevant concession document, impose a reasonable charge in respect of access to or use of any such structure, site, or place, or the carrying on or products of the activity concerned.

        2. Nothing in this section authorises any person to do anything on or in respect of any private land.

        Notes
        • Section 17: substituted, on , by section 3(1) of the Conservation Amendment Act 1996 (1996 No 1).