A petition to keep the Ōrewa sauna has attracted more than 3500 signatures, and Mackinnon is due to meet senior council staff today to discuss possible solutions.
Mackinnon said he was frustrated by the situation and struggled to understand why the business was being pushed out.
He started Sauna Collective in 2023 after being made redundant, with Ōrewa becoming its flagship site before expanding to Milford and Takapuna.
Sauna Collective owner Cameron Mackinnon says he is frustrated the business has been told it cannot operate at the campground over the summer
Mackinnon said he was aware of at least two complaints involving obstructed views and smoke odours.
In both cases, Sauna Collective paid for affected guests’ accommodation.
He questioned council concerns about smell, saying a nearby drain occasionally produced a strong odour that could potentially be mistaken for coming from the wood-fired sauna.
The business paid $1100 a month for its site, which Mackinnon understood was more than the average monthly revenue as a campsite.
“We want to pay. We’re happy to pay more if it’s a money thing.”
This week, he submitted a commercial proposal offering to pay between $22,000 and $25,000 a year, depending on whether the sauna could remain during the peak period.
Mackinnon said the business had also tried to give back to the campground and wider community, offering discounts to campers, free sessions for campground staff and first responders, and supporting local schools and community organisations.
Sauna Collective operates a wood-fired sauna from a beachfront site at Ōrewa Beach Holiday Park. Photo / Cameron Mackinnon
Mackinnon believed many of the issues raised by the council were things that could be worked through.
He was willing to discuss paying more, changing how the business operated or offering greater benefits to campground guests if that helped find a solution.
“That’s the real frustrating part – how does this make sense?
“We also have a positive impact on the community and we’ve got so much support. Where’s the real downside here?”
Mackinnon wanted clearer information about the complaints and an opportunity to address the council’s concerns rather than losing the location altogether.
Council head of specialist operations Martin van Jaarsveld said paying holiday park guests had complained about smoke and smells from the sauna, and its obstruction of views.
Other complaints related to increased foot traffic and vehicle movements from people visiting the sauna, and the impact on guests’ stays.
Van Jaarsveld said the sauna had operated with minimal impact during the low season, but the commercial business’ impacts weren’t sustainable during the busy summer months.
The decision was not a reflection on the quality of Sauna Collective’s service, but about protecting the reserve and maintaining the holiday park’s primary purpose.
Sauna Collective has operated from Ōrewa Beach Holiday Park for two years. Photo / Cameron Mackinnon
Van Jaarsveld confirmed the council has offered to meet Mackinnon to discuss other opportunities.
Albany ward councillor John Watson said Sauna Collective had been “incredibly successful” and attracted strong support from across the Ōrewa community.
Watson had received numerous emails from residents, including young and older people, women’s groups and youth groups, who wanted the sauna to remain.
“The reaction from the local community is just aghast at the prospect that it might go.”
While acknowledging the council had identified operational issues at the campground, Watson said he wanted a solution found.
“I want to see everything done to keep them in Ōrewa,” whether at the campground or another nearby location.
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.
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