Rob & Colleen Elwood
South Island ▷ Canterbury ▷ Geraldine ▷
4.5/5
The Orari Gorge campsite is quite small but is very well set up with flush toilets and a good water supply.
There is plenty of grass for camping but in October the grounds were a bit soggy. The Orari Gorge walking track climbs up onto the ridge-line behind the camp. This site is a little "off the beaten track" with a few kilometres of good gravel road to reach it. A quiet and inexpensive spot not far from the Canterbury plains Inland Tourist Route.
South Island ▷ Canterbury ▷ Oxford ▷
3.5/5
The West Oxford Reserve (AKA The Eyre River) is a flat parking and picnic spot just outside of Oxford.
It has no facilities and no water supply but is kept tidy and is well cared for with tree plantings and picnic tables. The Inland Scenic road marks one boundary of the site and traffic is often heavy .. especially at weekends. Large trucks and milk-tankers rumble past in the night. This is a useful and fairly attractive free stopover on the way to somewhere else. The Eyre river is usually bone dry and is frequented by 4x4 cowboys. A lot of people use the reserve for walking their dogs .. there are no poop bins .. beware.
South Island ▷ Marlborough ▷ Blenheim ▷
4.5/5
The Argyle reservoir has a small official campsite & slipway with flush toilets.
The general area of the power scheme and hydro canals also has a number of permitted sites for fully self contained vehicles. The official campsite is easily found by following the signposts from SH63 to Lake Argyle and slipway. Accessing the slipway campsite involves climbing the steep gravel road up onto the reservoir embankment then following the signs to the south eastern corner of the lake. This road is quite rough gravel and has some very large puddle-craters. Two small concrete fords (normally dry) have steep entry and exit ramps that may challenge low slung vehicles. Camping space at the slipway is limited and the ground is uneven. It is ground-zero for sandflies. There are flush toilets at the slipway campsite.
There are other potential csc campsites at the power scheme intake dam on the Branch river several km upstream of the Argyle reservoir and a signposted csc area among gum trees right next to SH63 on the entry road.. There are parking spaces close to powerhouse no.2 on the Wairau river and near to the tailrace at the northern end of the canal system.
All of the canals are stocked with trout but they don't reach the epic sizes of the fish in the famed hydro canals further south.
Three things to be aware of.
Lake Argyle is used occasionally for power boat events at which time the slipway will be a hive of activity and the lake will be unusable for other forms of recreation.
Fish and Game occasionally release large numbers of Rainbow trout into the lake. This is usually widely publicized and will produce a "gold-rush" of hopeful anglers. Around this time the campsite may be full of long-stayers.
The Branch/Argyle power scheme is largely surrounded by production pine forest and open farmland. At times of extreme fire danger the campsite may be closed.
South Island ▷ West Coast ▷ Greymouth ▷
2.5/5
This is really just a roadside picnic area with an interesting display board and some mining relics.
It has a large grass area and some trees but it is right next to a bend in the road. There are no facilities at all so if you are not fully self contained expect a visit from some of the nearby neighbouring farmers.
South Island ▷ Marlborough ▷ Blenheim ▷
4.5/5
Mill Flat is an extensive grassy opening on the floor of a mountain valley.
It is surrounded on all sides by forest and in itself is on a kind of boundary between native beech forest and production pine plantations. The Pine Valley stream borders one side of the camping area and provides pristine fresh water and a deep icy swimming hole. There are long-drop toilets but no other facilities.
It is possible to drive an ordinary vehicle on the rough and dusty Pine Valley Road up to a parking area from which the Mill Flat campsite is an easy 25 minute walk .. including a swing bridge across the stream to the campsite. The carpark and adjacent swimming hole would be a pleasant site for a fully self contained vehicle. There is now a toilet at the car park. 4x4 vehicles with reasonable ground clearance can negotiate the ford which is quite deep and uneven. Do not attempt to cross this stream if the river is high.
Mill Flat is a good place for safe and easily accessible "wilderness" camping. A continuation of the walking track through Mill Flat leads to the site of the former Pine Valley Hut and eventually to the mountain track to the summit of Mt Fishtail and the Richmond Range.
Since the time of writing my previous comment and new long-drop toilet has been constructed at the car park
South Island ▷ Marlborough ▷ Picton / Marlborough Sounds ▷
4.0/5
A small and uneven camping area with a lot of patronage in the summer holiday season.
The access road is gravel, narrow, steep and winding with several potential bottlenecks for opposing traffic. Facilities are well maintained although stretched in a crowd. Vanners are discouraged from filling water containers and there are no facilities for dumping grey or black water. Easy access to the sea for a dinghy or kayak. $2 showers. Lots of walks from the bay and a very safe swimming beach (with stingrays). Campers also need to beware of losing small items to the persistent wekas.
South Island ▷ Nelson Region ▷ Mapua ▷
4.5/5
The McKee Memorial Reserve camping ground is pretty much the size of a full-on "motor camp" without the expensive facilities and entertainments.
The grounds are huge and camping spots are unmarked and very much first-come first-served. There are several blocks of flush toilets that are functional and clean but in the crowded week leading up to Christmas there was a queue in the early morning. For those of us who are self contained there is a good dump-station on the site. The custodian was very friendly. McKee's is a brilliant example of the type of no-frills budget-friendly camp that ought to make freedom-c..pp..g unnecessary.
South Island ▷ Marlborough ▷ Picton / Marlborough Sounds ▷
5.0/5
Whatamango Bay DOC camp is a big camping area with lots of sheltered corners to park in.
It has a good water supply and flush toilets. The DOC overseer did a walk around in the late afternoon and again very early in the morning which explains the absence of freedom camper mess. The road from Waikawa is sealed but it is winding and very narrow in places. The tide goes out a long way and the beach frontage isn't particularly attractive but there's easy water access for kayaks and dinghys. Yes, Whatamango bay is a wind funnel and needs to be treated accordingly.
North Island ▷ Taupo Region ▷ Turangi ▷
4.5/5
For once we were touring without our van and stayed a night in the motel unit.
We found the owners helpful and friendly, the motel clean and well set up. There is obviously a lot of work being done around the property and while the private hot pools are pretty basic they were free with the unit and had no time limit. The camping area looked pretty bare but the campground hot pool looked inviting. We would stop there again .. maybe in the van next time.
South Island ▷ Marlborough ▷ Blenheim ▷
4.5/5
White's bay camping is very quiet in the off-season.
There are two official camping areas that were closed off in winter but there is adequate space for camping in the loop around the historic telegraph cottage close to the beach. Apart from a couple of firm gravel patches next to the toilet block the available grassy spaces are very soft and muddy. The toilet facilities are excellent and very well maintained. Apart from the attractions of a beach and a short bush walk to the gloworms there is not a lot to do at White's Bay.
The road from Rarangi is very steep and narrow in places. Caravans and larger motorhomes could find it a challenging drive in strong winds from the south.
South Island ▷ West Coast ▷ Greymouth ▷
3.0/5
A very picturesque place alongside beautiful lake Brunner.
While there are extensive grassed areas reserved for picnic parties at Iveagh bay the camping area is a rigidly defined 30 by 40 metre (approx) gravel parking lot with a slight downhill slope. There are flush toilets but no outside taps and numerous warnings that the water is "not fit for human consumption ". Judging by the mess after ANZAC weekend the few rubbish bins are not emptied frequently. This is a very popular freedom camping spot.complete with toilet paper in the bush about 150 metres away from the toilet block.
South Island ▷ West Coast ▷ Hokitika ▷
5.0/5
I walked into the dell prepared to be underwhelmed but found a really impressive glowworm display.
Regrettably the experience was spoiled a bit by the big crowd of visitors including those who left their LED headlights on all the time to shine in everyone else's eyes .. and the ones who took the flash photographs. The dell is definitely worth a visit but leave it as late as possible to avoid the crowds. By the way, the photograph that accompanies the Ranker's listing for the glowworm dell shows the stars of the Southern Cross and the two pointers .. which are not actually glow-worms; unless some hyper intelligent worms are going astro-impersonations.
South Island ▷ West Coast ▷ Hokitika ▷
4.5/5
The Lake Mahinapua campsite has a beautiful setting close to the edge of the lake with a one-way road in and another leading out through thick bush.
Given a clear morning the sunrise over the lake is superb. The main camping area is a large grassed circle that gets chewed up by the wheels of heavy vehicles in wet weather making deep ruts and mud. A smaller camping area nearby is shaded for the first half of the day by a steep bush covered hill. There are clean flush-toilets and a space to hang a solar-shower as well as a separate covered space for dish washing and possibly food preparation out of the rain. Freshwater and rubbish / recycling are available onsite. A shallow concrete slipway next to the campsite gives easy lake access for small boats & kayaks. Close to the campsite there are a couple of easy bush walks and it is possible to get onto the West Coast cycle trail from the campsite but making this connection requires a couple of kilometres of main-road riding. The camp is very popular and the only downside is the relatively high cost for a DOC site.
South Island ▷ West Coast ▷ Hokitika ▷
2.0/5
This site is shown as a camping area but is in fact an open gravel pit on the side of the Whataroa River with no facilities.
The directions are quite clear and it is easy to find but maybe because it doesn't look much like a campsite people don't realize they have arrived. This has got to be one of the ultimate wilderness campsites and on a nice day the views of Mt Cook to the south add majesty to the feeling of remoteness and isolation. A local farmer told me of the number of motorhomes he has towed with his tractor after they got stuck in the loose gravel of the riverside. DO NOT attempt to use this area if heavy rain is falling or predicted... the Whataroa is not a river to trifle with.
South Island ▷ West Coast ▷ Greymouth ▷
4.0/5
The Nelson creek campsite is an interesting place with lots of bush-walks, gold mining relics and a well constructed children's playground.
The site is large and offers several camping areas but it is also a bit uneven with plenty of boggy hollows to avoid. The facilities are basic with flushing toilets and drinkable water. There is also a dump station onsite. Good value for $6 per person per night.
South Island ▷ West Coast ▷ Hokitika ▷
4.5/5
Hans Bay is a very nice DOC camping area with several flattish areas on which to park or pitch a tent.
There are flush toilets and a water supply .. but we only found one water supply tap. The camping area is on the left hand side of the road shown in the photograph with a fairly steep sealed drive up from the road. We scraped the back end of the caravan going up the slope .. a longer caravan could find it a problem. Well worth a visit. I suspect the camp is very busy in the summer holidays.
South Island ▷ Nelson Region ▷ Motueka ▷
3.5/5
McLeans Recreation Area is a large, rather damp (in Autumn/Winter) roadside / riverside reserve with heaps of room for campers, tents and caravans.
In the reviews there are a lot of negative comments about the toilets but if all of those staying are self-contained that should not be an issue. There were several people "camping" in their cars during our brief stay.. Note: there is a conflict of comments relating to the Rankers Introduction screen vs the "Overnight Stay Rules" tab.. one says Self-Contained only & the other says Any Camping is permissible.
There is no tap-water supply here but the river is clean enough to fill a solar shower or be heated in a pot for dish-washing. There was noisy traffic during the day but it was fairly quiet at night. We would stay there again.
South Island ▷ Marlborough ▷ Blenheim ▷
4.0/5
Marfell's Beach is obviously a popular camping site with a lot of people coming and going.
The beach is very exposed to northerly winds and away from the screen of stunted coastal trees it would be quite unpleasant in a tent. The summertime DOC custodian on site was very friendly and does a good job keeping the toilets clean. There are no showers but a cubicle space is provided for campers to hoist their solar showers for use. The campsite water supply seemed to be quite good but carries the usual warnings. I guess when the weather is good visitors manage to find creative ways of using the wide open beach. If the tide is low you could literally walk for miles.
South Island ▷ Marlborough ▷ Havelock ▷
3.5/5
A small camping area with a short gravel road and turn-around loop.
Quite a steep grade up from the site to the road with no level patch to wait for traffic. The river has a nice deep swimming hole and the water is clean but unlikely to be drinkable. Only downside was the traffic noise from the Nelson/Blenheim highway which carries a lot of heavy trucks in the early morning presumably heading to/from the Cook Strait Ferries. Popular stop off place but not as crammed as the Alfred Stream site about 1 km away on the main road.
South Island ▷ Marlborough ▷ Picton / Marlborough Sounds ▷
5.0/5
We thoroughly recommend the walk from the camping area to the gun emplacements.
These were built at the start of WWII to prevent enemy navies using the outer Sounds as a base for attacks on Wellington and the size of the fortifications and their remote location (in 1939) make their construction amazing. The track has a short steep-ish section at both ends but most of it is level with great views up and down Queen Charlotte Sound. From the camping area to the first gun emplacement is about 40 minutes easy walking.
South Island ▷ West Coast ▷ Westport ▷
5.0/5
Great walk through spectacular scenery ..
but not so good for leisure e-cycling. Tried riding from both ends but gave up after about 10 minutes from the Seddonville start. Easier riding in from Ngakawau but the long stretches of remaining wooden sleepers and rails make a judder-bar staircase that defeated us after about 40 minutes. Young, fit, gung-ho types of dedicated mountain bikes would find it easy .. especially if starting from the Seddonville end as the track is downhill all the way.
South Island ▷ West Coast ▷ Westport ▷
3.5/5
Camping among the sand dunes is a great experience in settled weather but truly dismal when the weather turns nasty.
When the roar of the surf gets threatening it's time to leave. An interesting and slightly challenging cycle track through the scrub behind the beach. Absolutely zero facilities but only 4 minutes drive from downtown Westport.
South Island ▷ West Coast ▷ Westport ▷
4.0/5
Helpful and friendly staff.
The camp is well set up with good graveled pitches for motorhomes and plenty of sheltered grass areas for tenting. The communal areas are very functional and obviously the owners are working away at improvements and maintenance. Solid energy have built a magnificent sports complex including an indoor swimming pool about 5 minutes walk from the camp.
South Island ▷ West Coast ▷ Hokitika ▷
5.0/5
Excellent DOC campsite.
New toilet block with attached benches for food preparation & dishes. Cleaning and rubbish removal seem to be regular and effective. A lot of interesting walks around the campsite and safe mine tunnels (accessible from the road) about 1 km south of the site. The campsite is a logical stop-off point for people driving from Canterbury / Arthurs Pass to the Coast and in the summer holiday season the camp was quite busy with a lot of car-campers arriving in the late afternoon. The camping space is not huge and in wet weather many of the grassy tent sites become too boggy for use.
South Island ▷ West Coast ▷ Westport ▷
4.5/5
Beautiful location and very friendly staff.
The gravel access road was okay with our low-slung caravan and there were lots of camping sites to choose from. The hot showers and wifi were free and much appreciated.
The location could be a bit exposed in nasty westerly weather and some of the hollows in the grassy fields were pretty soft and likely to become ponds in heavy rain. Well worth the modest camping fees.
Thank you for your awesome comments! Glad you enjoyed your stay! Future guests, please note we don't take bookings for the camping ground as we always have plenty of space, so no need to call before you arrive, just come and make yourselves at home, we would love to have you here! What we think you'll love about your stay at Gentle Annie: Super friendly and welcoming hosts who are here to make your stay the best it can be 😄 Delicious locally roasted organic/fair trade coffee-the perfect way to start your day! ☕️ Large, private camping areas situated amongst landscaped gardens next to the beach and river-simply beautiful☀️🏝 Wood-fired pizza oven (bring your pizza ingredients with you) and BBQ, available for your use! 🍔 Awesome campers lounge, outdoor seating area Beautiful Beach 🏖 Gentle Annie Point Bush Maze with stunning coastal views🌴🌅 Free Wifi 💻 No Checkout Time 💤 Hot Showers 🛀 Great fishing and swimming👙🎣 Bonfire on the beach 💫🔥 Super friendly and relaxed atmosphere 😀 Cozy fireplace 🔥🔥 in the lounge area-perfect for this time of year! Jessica's famous homemade baking! Travellers Paradise-you won't want to leave!
Jesse Paley-Atkins
South Island ▷ West Coast ▷ Greymouth ▷
4.5/5
We spent most of a day parked here after being blasted away from further up the coast by nor'west gales and torrential rain.
Found this place to be out of the (Westerly) wind and with firm off-road parking even in the rain. It is a popular spot judging by the number of vehicles staying there and when the rain eventually cleared we were able to empty our waste water and fill up with fresh. The dump station is one of the easiest I've used with the grey water drain almost at ground level. There is a lot of traffic movement over the nearby bridge and major intersection which would probably die down at night; and the town centre, Warehouse and supermarket are about 10 minutes walk away. We would go back and stay there.
And we did .. in April of 2017. Found it to be a very useful stopover with excellent access to the start of the Wilderness Cycle Trail as well as the shops of the Greymouth CBD. The only downside for camping is the freezing cold wind that often blows down the river and right through this site. The locals call it the "Brunner Barber" because it cuts like a razor. Also in April (and all of winter I guess) it takes a very long time for the sun to reach this spot so the solar panels struggled to deliver their rated power.
South Island ▷ West Coast ▷ Reefton ▷
4.0/5
Great campsite.
There are parking bays along the bush edge and more open flats on the opposite side of the track. Longdrop toilets were well maintained and quite clean. The only down-side is the camp water supply which had live aquatic insect larvae coming out of the taps. The water in the main Maruia River looked cleaner. Highly recommend the walk in to Lake Daniels but walkers need to remember that it is an alpine environment and go prepared for a sudden change in the weather.
South Island ▷ Nelson Region ▷ Nelson ▷
4.5/5
This is a lovely little campsite close to Wakefield.
Others have commented on how hard it is to find the site and I'd have to agree .. finding "the last (signposted) driveway on the left before crossing the bridge heading (Northwards) into Wakefield" is only part of the story because after turning off the highway there is a hard right-hand turn onto what is in fact the old main north road that then crosses the original wooden one-lane bridge to enter the reserve. The longdrops are okay and well maintained and the one tap on the back fenceline gives a good flow of clean water. There aren't a lot of camping areas and they are all grassy "bays". Our visit was in May after a lot of rain and much of the camping area was a sea of mud churned up by vehicles turning, backing and parking on the grass. Easy walks and bike rides around the reserve and about 5 minutes walk to the Wakefield restaurants.
South Island ▷ Kaikoura Region ▷ Kaikoura ▷
1.5/5
A nice place for a short stay even in the middle of winter when the sun reaches the bay from about 9.00 am to 2.00 pm.
A bit damp underfoot for tenting, Yes, the swampy bush pongs a bit but the toilet is okay for what it is. If you're disturbed by trains in the night or heavy traffic noise you'd probably be better off paying to stay somewhere else. Gave 7 / 10
Returned in February of 2016 On a hot summers Saturday
Over 30 vehicles camped in the reserve with some people parking up & tenting in the centre of the circle. A few tents pitched in odd gaps between the crowd of non-self-contained people-movers. The toilet was too disgusting to enter and someone had used bags of their empty booze bottles to prop open the door .. presumably to let the place air out. Clearly camping "free" has its downside in the height of the holiday season. Gave 3 / 10
South Island ▷ Marlborough ▷ Blenheim ▷
3.5/5
A shady & quiet parking spot close to the Awatere River 13 km up the Awatere Valley (Molesworth) Road.
At the time of our visit the long-drop toilet was almost .. but not quite .. inaccessible because of a fallen tree. Plenty of evidence of the area having been used by campers whose understanding of the term "self contained " is limited to "bring-your-own toilet paper" and do your business wherever you like. .
South Island ▷ Marlborough ▷ Blenheim ▷
4.5/5
Onamalutu is a picnic and camping spot with a nicely kept toilet block, a short walk through an attractive fringe of native bush beside a small stream that can disappear in the summer and a fairly large
grassy playing / camping area; but not much else. There are a few power outlets for caravans. A lot of casual visitors come and go during the day. A bit off the beaten track but nice enough for a short stay.
Had a second stay of three nights in January 2016. The stream had been swept clean by a couple of heavy rainfalls which left a string of beautiful swimming holes that can be found by walking upstream. A lovely quiet spot during the week .. the picnic parties turn up in the weekends.
South Island ▷ Nelson Region ▷ Murchison ▷
3.5/5
During the New Year Holiday period there were over two dozen different family groups camping here and there was still room for more.
The setting of the camp is lovely with excellent bush walks starting & finishing from the grounds. The recently completed Ghost Road cycle and tramping route terminates in the grounds next to a beautifully constructed sandfly-proof shelter. For an area with this level of popularity the two old-style "long-drop" toilets are inadequate. If DOC update the facilities I'd rate my experience 10/10
South Island ▷ West Coast ▷ Reefton ▷
5.0/5
Lovely camping spot, well maintained and very tidy.
Plenty of scope for tenters and some amazingly well built fireplaces including a pizza oven! Flush toilets and separate "parking bays" for vans. An open sided rain shelter would be a worthwhile addition. Sandflies are a given on the West Coast, get used to them or go somewhere else.
South Island ▷ Nelson Region ▷ St Arnaud ▷
4.5/5
Really nice setting with the campsites separated by kanuka forest.
Lovely clean facilities, too bad about the cold showers. In our opinion this is a much better campsite than Kerr Bay and it is a real pity that it is open only during the summer months.
South Island ▷ Nelson Region ▷ St Arnaud ▷
4.5/5
I first stopped at Quinneys bush back in 1970 as a day visitor and finally got to stay as a camper 45 years later.
Excellent facilities with a genuine family atmosphere. We were there at Easter and many of the daily programmed fun activities were operating for the children. A great place to take children where they can explore some old fashioned playing away from wi-fi and the internet.