Camping grounds filling as holidaymakers arrive

Press, 28 December 1988, Page 7

Camping grounds filling as holidaymakers arrive

By DEBORAH McPHERSON Holidaymakers were out in force at Christchurch camping grounds yesterday. Most of the 254 camp sites at Woodend Beach were full, as were most of the 600 caravan and tent sites at Spencer Park. Most people seemed to wait until after Boxing Day to set up camp. The fire danger was extreme during yesterday’s heat, although most people had not been put off by the fire that stopped at the edge of the Woodend camping ground in October. The caretaker’s wife, Mrs Sheree Tuuta, said she had had just as many bookings as usual, although no one had been allowed to camp among the trees that had been

burnt. 1 Most of their campers were 1 Christchurch “regulars,” she said. At Spencer Park, the 35-acre camping community could peak at ! between 3000 and 3500 people, said the park manager, Mr Arthur Adcock. The camp ran a “pretty tight ship,” he said. ! This year, there had also been an 1 increase in the number of overseas ' campers, including visitors from f Germany, Singapore and Hong 1 Kong. To keep out trouble-makers, the : camp charged teenage campers 5 without their parents a $3O “behavi--1 our bond” which had proved suc- > cessful, he said. 1 No alcohol was permitted in the

park, except in caravans. A 50c charge was also imposed on people entering the picnic ground during busy periods to stop “people from Cathedral Square just coming to boon around.” The park was patrolled 24 hours a day, particularly to keep an eye on any fire danger. No barbecues were allowed in the park, unless in the special shelters and barbecue stands provided. Portable gas barbecues also had to be used in the shelters, said Mr Adcock. Holiday programmes at both camping grounds were starting today, with horse treks and competitions organised by different outside organisations at Woodend Beach. Spencer Park’s annual carnival would be held on January 1 and 2.