Kaipara District Council is beefing up security ahead of what is anticipated to be a busy season for holiday makers at hotspot Kai Iwi Lakes - a traditional favourite for Kiwis.
Expecting crowds in the thousands, the town is welcoming them, but what won’t be welcome is unruly behaviour and in that respect, the locals are preparing.
Kaipara District Mayor Jason Smith says the summer at Kai Iwi Lakes will be filled with “a lot of New Zealanders”.
“Certainly there will be more money coming into our economy but the other opportunity for us is to be sharing our manaakitanga and our hospitality from Kaipara with people from all over New Zealand who may not know places such as this – these lakes which are the largest dune lakes in all of New Zealand.
“They may not know they are here, just two hours north of Auckland,” he says.
Smith says the area is well-equipped for an influx of holiday makers but says anyone wanting to book between Christmas and January 11 will be out of luck.
“It’s fully booked at present so you would need to be a day tripper only in that key time.”
He says Kai Iwi Lakes often see people stay who are “generational guests”.
"These are people who have been coming here for decades. Their grandparents may have come, they’re coming, they are bringing their children and so to share that now with extra new people is our key opportunity,” Smith says.
He says the most important thing to remember is that there is no kitchen or laundry in the campground and there are no dogs allowed at the lakes.
“If you bring a dog, you will be sent home with your dog,” he says.
SHARE ME