Rush to find operator for closed seaside campground

Detailed summary

A new operator for a popular Southland campground is yet to be found as the district council races against the clock to open for summer.

A new operator for a popular Southland campground is yet to be found as the district council races against the clock to open for summer.

Last month, the council revealed the Curio Bay campground was at risk of staying closed for the upcoming season after the South Catlins Charitable Trust pulled away from an expiring lease.

The busy campground recorded about 17,300 stays in 2025, and is located in an area home to Hector's dolphins, Yellow-eyed penguin/hoiho, and a petrified forest.

A Southland District Council report has revealed a new operator for both the campground and nearby Curioscape cafe was found this month, but later withdrew. The potential operator was not named.

They had been singled out following an expressions of interest process which drew "significant interest" from across New Zealand, the report showed.

The council was now talking to other respondents, "in consultation with the Trust", it said.

On Wednesday, councillors voted on a two-stage approach for the future of the campground, consisting of an interim arrangement for the 2026/27 season, and starting work on a long-term operating model from early 2027.

Authority was given to council's chief executive to appoint a campground operator, and the South Catlins Charitable Trust was granted a lease for the nearby Tumu Toka Curioscape building.

Curioscape - which is owned by the trust - operated as a cafe, giftshop, and visitor centre prior to temporary closure in April.

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