Golden Bay locals claim some freedom campers are already pushing the limits, as the region braces itself for an influx of tourists over summer.
Changes are coming for freedom campers in the upper South Island, with local councils working to prevent overcrowding, pollution and illegal camping following previous problematic summers.
"We still recognise that having them come through is a great advertisement for the bay" Takaka resident Warren says, "but it's a wrong advertisement when you see what they leave behind".
When 1 NEWS visited a freedom camping area for self-contained units by the Waitapu River in Takaka this week, a makeshift fire pit had been left on the riverbank, with a soiled nappy, toilet roll and tin foil on top.
Further down the river, at the notorious informal freedom camping spot behind Reillys St, gates have now been put up by Tasman District Council to block off the area, including a carpark, from vehicles.
At the height of last year's summer season, up to 400 people were reported to have camped there.
A draft bylaw will also go before Tasman District Council on December 14 which would prohibit freedom camping in certain places, particularly where there are residential houses.
But Mayor Richard Kempthorne says there are also "other places where we're saying actually, we should allow either people with self-contained camper vans and some places where they could be self-contained or non self-contained
A new Nelson City Council bylaw, effective from December 1, also puts an end to freedom camping on council land for all but those vehicles with their own waste water tanks.
But Takaka residents say not everyone's playing by the rules. Hika Rountree says last weekend he spotted several freedom campers setting up in a reserve where camping is prohibited.
"They'd used pallets to build a floor" Mr Rountree said.
Mr Kempthorne is assuring the community that greater enforcement is being looked at.
"Certainly our staff will be bringing forward a recommendation for increasing compliance, and so that's how we will be able to enforce that, but of course that comes at a cost to ratepayers".
Tasman District Council is also waiting to find out whether they qualify for the government's Tourism Infrastructure Fund to help maintain and build new public facilities like toilets and showers.
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