Simpsons Domain Campsite
Hunterville area
Reviews
Bex
Ranking: 8/10
Great little spot off the main road... only problem being the bridge was closed due to stability so have to park in the front section which is quite small but we were the only ones there so was no problem.. lots of farm life around
Mic&Ric
Ranking: 7/10
A sweet place for an overnight stop. The long drop was clean enough. Parking lot type of set up. No running water. River close by. Lots of wildlife.
Ngaire Sandel
Ranking: 4/10
Old wooden Bridge leads to park weight limit of 3300kg on sign.. No good for us so parked on small clearing just in from concrete gates. Suggest site updates info as many medium to large campers won't be able to access despite saying suitable for large vehicles. Then train next to road passes by loudly... Haha.. Just like home.
Jenny
Ranking: 10/10
Kleiner versteckter Platz mitten im Busch. Super, wenn man von Wellington zum Lake Toupo fährt. Man fährt eine dunkle Straße entlang bis es links über eine kleine Brücke zum Platz geht. Weißer Eingang. Sieht bisschen aus wie im Horrorfilm, aber es gibt wirklich einen Campingplatz dort.
seph
Ranking: 9/10
Great little spot surrounded by bush. The only thing missing is water.
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BER&GENE
Ranking: 9/10
Emplacement accessible à 4 ou 5 camping car.
A l'écart de toute circulation.
Parfait pour une escale vers le Sud.
Brittany + Tamara
Ranking: 9/10
Perfect little secluded spot. Arrived early so were originally the only ones there, filled up throughout the night. Small area so not too much room, with just one drop toliet. Otherwise perfect enclosed beautiful spot, lots of wild animals heard, although none seen. The bridge was fine, with a weight limit of 3300kgs from memory, we had a 2 birth self contained motorhome. Didnt know how much we weighed so just hoped for the best and crossed the bridge fine.
From your game fellow aussie travellers x
Timothy
Ranking: 7/10
Wide open space. Quiet. Although limited to smaller vehicles I think. It says the bridge that you cross to get there can only hold 60% of Class 1. That’s about 2700kg according to what we looked up. So make sure you know the weight of your vehicle before crossing!
Vander Plancke Julien
Ranking: 6/10
Only a place to stop close to the road. A van was blocking access to the grass making it a very narrow place as it was crowded. No toilet.
Emily Mueller
Ranking: 7/10
A nice and mostly quiet camping ground surrounded by bush.
To find the way was a bit difficult because we were not sure if we really were allowed to cross that bridge. But after reading the other reviews we have been quite sure that the camping ground would be behind that bridge - and so it was.
Without the App we would never have seen that beautiful spot.
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akvarius
Ranking: 10/10
Lovely quiet free campsite. Very basic but that is no problem (as long as you read the description). Surrounded by beautiful bush. No water source so you have to bring your own. Easily accessible from SH1
Jo Dawson
Ranking: 8/10
Well signposted and easy to find. Surrounded by bush. Long drop toilet, which was actually not too bad. Secluded spot, we were the only ones there. Flat hills cafe 15 minutes drive away - best cheese scone and sausage roll we have ever had.
Michiel de Weerd
Ranking: 9/10
An amazing spot! Well maintained and completely surrounded by bush. The best place for your first stop if you came across by ferry. It is near the road but amazingly quiet, except for the abundance of soothing bird sounds. There are some small bush tracks, but take care if you walk towards the marsh, it is wet and has soft topsoil.
If you don't like the longdrop please use your own toilet in your campervan, you know there are plenty of dumping stations across New Zealand! Being environmental conscious grows character!!
Barbara Breda
Ranking: 8/10
If it wasn't for the previous comment I wouldn't have found it, as it's a quite isolated place and wasn't sure I could stay in the reserve. (So if you're a woman and concerned about travelling alone, maybe this is not the best place). Place is very quiet, only the sounds of the nature. There is one toilet. That's all.
Also, indeed the rooster is still alive and very active and curious in the morning, so be ready to wake up early. All in all, I slept well... and if you wake up during the night the view of the stars is amazing!
Maria Schaer
Ranking: 7/10
It is well marked from the road as Simpson Scenic Reserve. You first cross a bridge and then you arrive at a parking lot with gravel right next to a big lawn (you can't drive there). The parking lot is leveled and has space for 5 to 8 campers. There is even a pit toilet. We liked it here, because you are surrounded by woods and it is really quiet. You can hear birds and far away a creek and a railway. PS: There was a rooster which didn't go away, that was a little annoying. It woke us up at 4:30 a.m. I hope it's not always there...