CAMPING THE KIWI WAY

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There are new penalties and some exemptions. Are you homeless, or making a lifestyle choice? Who gets fined and how they are notified. The law is vague. Councils and enforcement officers have to make it work.

The full list of articles and stories

Uncertain times, but enjoy our country to the max.

Winter doesn’t mean the end of camping adventures! Instagram

The short version

The structure of the self containment system.

A caravan travels through five generations.

A 4-day camp adventure at Lake Tarawera Hot Water Beach, a long way from roads and power: how to manage the food?

The Desert Road On our first road trip with our new caravan. We made it successfully from Wellington to Whangarei.

I’ve been enjoying a few days away at one of my favourite spots, The Homestead Campsite near Saint Bathans.

Here are 10 tips for safe towing: caravans and their tow vehicles have much the same accident rates as other forms of motor transport, their main type of accident, jack-knifing, however, is different.

An explanation in detail of every aspect of tow vehicle and caravan stability.

To ensure a sustainable recreational camping industry related interest groups need to be more engaged and appreciative of the issues each group faces.

I can’t believe we are the only ones at Lake Pukaki tonight. So incredibly grateful to have captured these skies.

Our small family of 3 set up camp in a quiet and secluded paradise in the heart of Fiordland National Park

Introducing Stop and Stay, where to stop when travelling and camping in NZ — use it, share it, add to it.

These recipes come from the fabulous book New Zealand Backcountry Cooking by Paul and Rebecca Garland.

NZ Fun Adventures was pleased to see so many outdoor enthusiasts join with us for this, now annual, event in our events calendar.

We get heaps of people message us and ask about the pros and cons of travelling full time so we thought we’d put pen to paper and share the highs and lows of full time travel with kids

Sharing our best hacks which made life so much easier on a recent Matariki vanning trip.

There is a cassette toilet in that beautifully crafted cabinet.

The Government’s recent changes to Freedom Camping and self-containment certification are now being implemented. These changes mean that over the next 18 to 24 months new regulations may impact your freedom camping.

Do you park your camper facing outwards? (Quick evac if needed.) Or just how you feel?

We were looking for a freedom park for the night, but following the recommendation of friends we came here, through the big gates, to this pest-free reserve and we discovered it was so much more than a parking spot.

From North and South Islands see how many you recognise.

A small, North Canterbury, gem of a town, with friendly, welcoming locals, walks, exhibits, cycle rides, shops and free overnighting. Perfect for a couple of nights. Or more.

I have found that it is the obscure, forgotten little places that hold the most interest and subject material for paintings and rewarding experiences.

Baby Bear, Mama Bear and Papa Bear campers

Geraldine Classic Caravan Club

No more sloppy grinds in the bottom of the waste bucket. No more looking for bushes to throw them under.

Ever wondered where the nearest cell tower is?

The saying goes that everything you take in your motorhome should have 2 uses.

I’ve always dreamed of travelling around my own back yard in a van and I finally did!

We visited New Zealand’s smallest church.

Sometimes it’s the little things that make the biggest difference to quality of life.

Camping events coming up

Festivals and shows coming up

Find businesses and services

I’ve been turning our food scraps into compost for many a year now, and there’s no way I’m sending them to the landfill now. We chose to use bokashi buckets in our housetruck, as we already had them. A worm farm could also work, though bokashi is possibly more forgiving and takes all food waste — bones and shells included.

Camps and camping occasions this Winter.

These events offer an opportunity for people to overnight while they attend. Some are restricted to certified self contained vehicles, some restrict or ban pets. Check the event website for details.

Find business to help you with your camper or RV.

We headed to Raglan along some back country roads.

Here are some suggestions on how to go about attracting campers to your town.

I am on track with my original goal of 100 nights away per year and mountain bike as much as I can in other regions.

Winter’s not going to stop Mavis enjoying one of the many spots available at Pahoia Beach Park! 
Bay of Plenty. ©2023 Cheine Matheson

The really good news: only 47 infringements issued: 0.03% of the freedom campers.

‘Let’s go South for a few weeks.’
‘How many weeks?’
‘Eight.’ 
‘How about six?’ 
‘OK. let’s see how it goes.’

We’ve had heaps of people have asked us for feedback on our caravan and why we chose it so here it is.

Societal harm caused by the new self contained motor vehicles legislation. With change there always consequences. While some changes are positive and beneficial sometimes consequences cause a degree of harm.

I am on track with my original goal of 100 nights per year & mountain bike as much as I can in other regions. Teardrop. © 2023 Andrew Morton

Left Auckland 34 days ago, halfway through my 73 days traveling the South Island. Now in Cromwell then Arrowtown on the weekend. Noticed that it’s getting colder. Now I appreciate my diesel heater. ©2023 Roland Jones

Best mod for camping so far, a stove jack that I got sewn into the awning. Keil MacDiarmid ©2023 Keil MacDiarmid

It was cold at Mavora Lakes. Plenty of snow around.
I think the Mrs thought I was a bit crazy suggesting a night away in the van this time of year

How do you make winter camping more comfortable?
Here’s a few favourite tips and tricks for keeping warm, dealing with cold, wind, rainy days, and embracing the colder months outdoors for enjoyable winter camping trips. It just takes a little extra preparation and the right gear.

A commercial and a DIY (metal) version of a peg for windy weather.

Looking for a one stop camp for the family with the dog as well ? Then Quinneys Bush is the place to go.

For the novice cyclist, the historical Karangahake Gorge cycle/walking track — along the old railway embankment— is a safe and gentle way to introduce an inexperienced cyclist.

No, this is not about 12 weeks of coffee tasting around the South Island in a small van by a couple of over 80s

My very first solo camping and tramping trip! 
Two epic days in Aoraki/Mt Cook National Park.

I came across this derelict house built by Wattie Thompson who had panned the river for gold for over 50 years.

We feel so privileged and fortunate to have made this journey a year ago, gathering such beautiful memories of the landscape as it was.

Winter at Nokomai Station on the way to Queenstown. ©2023 Dallas Hibbs

Several hundred campers, locals and visitors met at Bulls Domain in March for the first CampFest. An inclusive camping event for all types of camper with live music and market stalls.

Many trampers have vouched that Kiwi Burn Hut is a popular and great option for families, so we thought we’d check it out and put it to a true family-friendly test. With my toddler (and his dada) in tow, we set out to do the full Kiwi Burn Loop Track and spend one night at the hut halfway through.

Our story begins in December of 2022 shortly after the birth of our second child, we decided that now was as good of a time as any to dip our toes into the world of caravanning.

Our morning view, heater on. Ruapehu. Hoping for warmer when we get to Kimbolton today. ©2023 Helen Garthwaite

This recipe is easy to make. It uses mostly tinned foods so is a great meal to make when you are running low on fresh foods or if you have no fridge.  Increase or decrease the quantities of the ingredients depending on how many people you are feeding.

Each of the underlined words below should be recorded into the list on the left. Place each word according to the number of letters in the word. Then transfer the words into the Fill-it-in-grid.

The annual festival is a mix of small to very large artworks, sculptures with mainly a rural theme, put together using all manner of bits and pieces from shearing blades to bike tyres.

It is a popular stopping point. It’s a wee gem to stop and chill out at, even on short notice.

Just a 10 minute drive from Whanganui, on the shores of Lake Witiroa, the park is a lovely spot with everything you need for a chilled-out family holiday.

Life of Van NZ FB Page is a private group with a positive vibe, giving everyone from weekend warriors to van life veterans a place to connect.

NZ Lifestyle Camping supports a national network of more than 160 self-containment testing officers throughout NZ and is committed to supporting the NZ leisure camping industry.

What you need to know if you are currently self-contained, currently certified self-contained, planning to be self-contained, not self-contained, or wanting to freedom camp, now the law has changed.

Coffee time. ©2023 Willis Blevins

The full list of articles and stories

Camping events on this Autumn

Festivals where you can stay, that are on this Autumn (and a bit beyond)

Our trip to the Bridge to Nowhere, on the Whanganui river, will always be a special memory that I share with my 84 year old mother.

Back at Motukarara under the lovely trees on a hot day.

As this magazine goes to print we are waiting to hear the government select committee’s recommendation on the bill introduced by Stuart Nash MP.

A pop top.

I am currently helping my daughter build her own camper as she wants to take a gap year and see our beautiful country. Crispian

From a small van to a large bus, there are thousands of commercially or home-built vehicles on our roads, providing travellers with all the necessary comforts of living, while they are also self contained.

South Arm, Lake Manapouri, in March. DOC. Tony Kissel

Bylaws differ between regions of Aotearoa New Zealand, and do not exist in almost half of all council districts.
Bylaws are created by local authorities — regional and district councils — to manage public land and facilities.

A weekend exploring the Waihopai Reserve in Marlborough.

Smaller rural communities should be welcoming these thousands of travellers with open arms.

By the sea, only twenty minutes from Blenheim, Rarangi is an easy flat drive.

It was a great two weeks at Waihora Domain in Motukarara. Linda Butler.

We love our little caravan not just for holidays but for other emergency get-a-ways, should the situation call for it.

I love the freedom that carrying an ultralight tent provides, it empowers you to camp wherever your legs can take you.

Recipes for Rocks and Gravel, Paneer and Vege Curry and Tuna Pasta. Camp cooking when the fresh food is running out.

We bring you travel stories, tips, wonderful places to visit, insight into political changes, some solid information, a puzzle, light reading, serious reading and some fun browsing.

Marty toasting marshmallows in the rain.

Their title: “Freedom campers pinged”. A prime example of poor and emotive reporting.

Hold on a minute, we are campers and have most of the items required to survive the first few days of an emergency without outside assistance.

Fill in the blanks: South Island Lakes.