WAIKAWAU BOAT RAMP
An off-grid solution to improve compliance
Waikawau boat ramp is a busy boat ramp located 30 minutes north of Thames on the Thames to Coromandel Coast Road. It sees up to 350 boats from members and casual users using the ramp per day over the summer holidays. With no mains power or WiFi on-site, Stellar had to find a way to power a new solution to improve compliance and streamline usage for both visitors and managers of the boat ramp.
The challenge
Prior to Stellar, two groups used this site:
Waikawau Boat Ramp members paid annually via direct credit into a bank account or cash and received a physical membership permit, which had to be displayed when using the ramp. This was a labour-intensive process, with manual reconciliation of bank deposits, and high costs associated with printing and mailing physical permits. There was also a risk of counterfeit permits being used.
Casual users paid $15 for a boat ramp day pass, depositing cash into an honesty box. This also wasn't ideal, with poor compliance, theft and vandalism of the honesty box, and the need for regular cash collection and bank deposits.
Waikawau Boat Ramp is managed by a dedicated team of volunteers who generously devote their time to its upkeep. However, compliance monitoring became a significant challenge due to a shortage of willing volunteers to check membership permits and cash payments. The primary reason for seeking a solution was to ensure that all ramp users contribute towards the running costs of the ramp.
“Before the LPR tech was installed, we had about 25% non-compliance. Since then, we have already seen an improvement. We would absolutely recommend Stellar to any other organisation. Anytime we explained an issue we had, they came back with a solution or workaround. We couldn't have asked for better partners on this project.”
Matt Juby, WBRS Treasurer
The solution
A technology-driven approach using license plate recognition (LPR) technology.
Stellar developed a custom solar-powered, 4G-connected LPR camera solution, making this the first successful off-grid deployment.
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Stellar introduced an online membership management platform, allowing members to create accounts and purchase memberships online. Members can log in at any time to update their details or registered vehicles (within strict admin-set parameters). Instead of physical permits, members' vehicle license plates serve as unique identifiers, eliminating postage costs and minimising administrative burdens.
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For casual users, Stellar implemented Scan2Pay, our QR code-based payment solution. QR code signs are placed around the car park, allowing users to scan and pay via debit/credit card, Apple Pay, or Google Pay, eliminating the need for an honesty box and its associated issues.
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A license plate recognition camera captures the plate of every vehicle using the ramp. The system verifies whether the vehicle belongs to a member or if a day pass has been purchased. Non-compliant vehicles are flagged for enforcement, and a breach notice is issued to the registered owner. ​​​
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