New Zealand simply can't cope with the number of people coming here to freedom camp.

That's the message that will be delivered to Tourism Minister Kelvin Davis at a meeting on freedom camping today.

Central Otago mayor Tim Cadogan is one of the 32 mayors attending the meeting.

He told Kate Hawkesby locals have had enough of campers swamping lakes around Cromwell and Alexandra all summer.

"One spot, one morning at six in the morning had 117 vehicles that had pulled in, that's just huge numbers around the lake and people are rightfully upset about it."

LISTEN ABOVE AS TIM CADOGAN SPEAKS WITH KATE HAWKESBY