Popular sauna ordered out of Auckland holiday park after board vote

A popular beachfront sauna has lost its battle to stay at an Auckland holiday park after a narrow vote by the local board. 

Despite thousands of supporters backing the business, Sauna Collective has been ordered to pack up and leave Ōrewa Beach Holiday Park by tomorrow, with no option to return. 

The Hibiscus and Bays Local Board says the sauna is no longer compatible with the campground, citing guest complaints, operational concerns and plans to upgrade the site for larger campervans and cabins. 

It voted four to three against allowing the business to remain. 

Sauna Collective has operated from the campground for the past two years. 

The mobile wood-fired sauna occupied a beachfront site at the council-owned campground. 

Auckland Council previously said the business could not operate during the busy summer season, from October to April, after complaints from paying guests about smoke, smells, obstructed sea views and increased foot traffic. 

More than 3500 people signed a petition supporting the sauna, while Sauna Collective owner Cameron Mackinnon submitted a revised proposal offering to pay up to $25,000 a year to remain. 

Mackinnon said today he had been confident the board would support the business, particularly given the overwhelming community backing and his willingness to compromise. 

“I thought they would come up with another solution because the support was undeniable.” 

Sauna Collective owner Cameron Mackinnon says he is disappointed by the decision to remove the popular beachfront sauna. Photo / Cameron Mackinnon 

He had expected that, at worst, the sauna would be allowed to operate during the quieter winter months. 

However, after the meeting, he contacted campground management and was told the possibility of returning during the off-peak season was now also off the table. 

“I didn’t envision a complete no,” he said. 

Mackinnon is now scrambling to find an alternative location before tomorrow’s deadline. 

He said he had already blocked further bookings in anticipation of the decision, but had expected to be given more time to relocate if the proposal was rejected. 

The decision would affect him, his wife and four casual employees who worked as fire keepers at the Ōrewa location. 

Mackinnon said he had previously explored operating from local reserves and surf lifesaving clubs but had encountered similar restrictions. 

The Hibiscus and Bays Local Board voted four to three against allowing Sauna Collective to remain at the campground. Photo / Cameron Mackinnon 

Applying for alternative sites could be expensive, with no guarantee of approval, he said. 

Despite the setback, Mackinnon is not giving up. 

He plans to approach one of the three board members who supported the proposal and ask them to bring the matter back for reconsideration. 

Mackinnon said he struggled to understand why a successful business with strong community support was being forced to leave. 

The sauna had become part of the weekly routines of many Ōrewa residents, while also attracting visitors from across Auckland, he said. 

“There’s people who travel here to use it from all around Auckland, but there’s the mums and the dads who come here once or twice a week now, and it’s just part of their wellness regime.” 

Board chair Alexis Poppelbaum said plans to upgrade the holiday park to accommodate larger campervans, cabins and other amenities were among the considerations behind the decision to remove the sauna. 

She said the board had also considered the potential impact of the business on campground bookings and revenue. 

Hibiscus and Bays Local Board chair Alexis Poppelbaum says the sauna is no longer suitable for the holiday park. 

The holiday park was financially self-sustaining, with revenue reinvested into improvements and other local projects. 

Poppelbaum said concerns about noise, increased foot traffic, guest feedback and resource consent requirements had also influenced the decision. 

“The decision was not about whether the local board supports the sauna but whether it is the right fit for this location.” 

She acknowledged the strong community support for the business but said it was no longer compatible with the campground. 

The decision only applied to the holiday park, meaning the business could still apply to operate elsewhere on council-owned parkland, subject to the necessary approvals and consents. 

Rachel Maher is the education correspondent for the New Zealand Herald. She also covers other topics such as Auckland issues, crime and local government. She started at the Herald as a breaking news journalist in 2022, before joining the Auckland team this year.