An important message for members still travelling

Following last night’s announcement by the Government, members still waiting to cross the Cook Strait to get home before the country moves into level 4 lockdown tonight will be able to continue using the passenger services until midnight on Friday. 

The Government is aware of the pressure on ferry services and agreed to extend the cut-off date. After this time, the ferry service will only be available to essential services and workers, including freight services.

Understanding that some members are still trying to cross the strait to get home, the Board has agreed these members (only) can continue to stay at the Kaikoura Old Beach Rd and Plimmerton NZMCA Parks until midday this Saturday.

After that time the parks will close to all members until the end of the lockdown period. The Saturday timeframe will also enable these members to have a brief rest after they disembark the ferry, to avoid driver fatigue before they continue their journeys home. 
 
Please note, only those members making their way home during the Government’s time extension can use both parks between 5pm this afternoon (Wednesday) and midday Saturday. 

Those members who are not making their way home either to or from a ferry crossing must avoid using the parks from 5pm today in order to minimise the risk of overcrowding. 

Members will be responsible for ensuring they remain a safe distance from one another at all times while staying on site, clean up thoroughly after any use of shared facilities, e.g. dump stations, fresh water taps and rubbish bins, while also thoroughly washing their hands after each use, and avoid all forms of social gathering at all times.  
 
The Board wishes to reiterate the Government’s advice to members living full time on the road, or who are not making their way home, to stay in commercial campgrounds or other temporary accommodation set up to accommodate people self-isolating for the duration of the lockdown period. 

The commercial campgrounds open during this period have the necessary means and resources to manage guest capacity, while ensuring shared services such as dump stations, fresh water taps and rubbish bins are cleaned and maintained on a very regular basis to reduce the risk of transmission. Want to know which are open and which are closed, follow this link

As we advised yesterday, the difficult decision to close our NZMCA Parks was made because they were not designed or set up to provide the same safe level of essential service as commercial campgrounds.This is the same reason that DOC campsites and many other basic council campsites have also been closed.  

All members using commercial campgrounds should continue to following social distancing instructions and good hygiene habits when using the shared facilities.
 
Members seeking assistance with finding temporary accommodation for self-isolation should call the Temporary Accommodation Service on 0508 754 163. If you are experiencing financial hardship please also contact Work and Income NZ to discuss support options.