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- sh45
10 summer 2024 Summer 2024 ISSUE 10 BUY PDF ToC Click on image for full view and caption GO TO Springing a new coddiwompling adventure SH45 The Surf Coast Highway, Te Ika a Maui North Island Exploring SH45 along the western side of Mount Taranaki was a new coddiwompling adventure for us. South Taranaki is a freedom-camping-friendly district, with many small towns along the way offering vehicle and tent options to free camp. So we were excited to spend a few days there and back on a visit to New Plymouth. ckw.nz/south-tara Our first stop on the way was Pātea, home of the iconic waka sculpture and the ‘Poi ē’ hit-makers, The Pātea Māori Club. Mana Bay, Pātea Freedom camping is possible at Mana Bay beach, including tents, at Seaview Lookout or the York Street picnic area. The church opshop here offered up some handy second-hand items for the van. After filling up with home-baked treats from the Lunch Shack at Hawera, we headed for nearby Waihi Reserve with sheltered spaces for tents and vehicles. The high sand cliffs are a natural wonder here and its a perfect place to join the Coastal Walkway at high tide. We then headed on to SH45 proper, with ever-changing views of the mountain always on our right shoulder. Opunake A highlight was the quirky surf town of Opunake, with multiple free camp options for both tents and self-contained vehicles. The headland site is spectacular if there’s no wind, otherwise, seek shelter at the alternative Lakeside Recreation Grounds, Hurst Park or Middleton Bay. Local shops and cafes welcomed us. A visit to Cape Egmont’s iconic lighthouse is well worth the detour at Pungarehu. And consider a right hand turn here to head towards the mountain to visit the historic settlement of Parihaka with its unique place in our nation’s history. The drive over ancient volcanic rubble beds is a very special roller-coaster ride heading north into Oakura and we took opportunities to take side roads to the coast to check out the surf breaks at top spots like the famous Stent Road on the wild west coast. Each stop added to the magic of this coastal adventure! n Photos ©2024 Bette Cosgrove Next: SH60 Images: ©2024 Bette Cosgrove Up Up 10 Summer 2024 , p 6
- quick-meals
10 summer 2024 Summer 2024 ISSUE 10 BUY PDF ToC Click on image for full view and caption GO TO Springing I asked others what they like to cook when they are camping Favourite and quick camping meals Margaret Earle At the All Points camp at Foxton Beach School over Labour weekend I asked others what they like to cook when they are camping. Here’s some of their suggestions. These include some great ideas for making a quick meal on the first night of a camp. Dinner in less than 15 minutes John gave me three suggestions of quick meals for two people. He makes these on the two-hob burner in his campervan. ◗ Cook some rice and heat a can of stewed meat and veges. ◗ Cook some rice and serve with canned tuna and heated frozen veges. ◗ Chicken stir fry: ◗ Slice up a chicken breast and sprinkle it with 1 teaspoon of chicken stock. ◗ Fry the chicken in a little oil. ◗ When the chicken is cooked on the outside, add ¼ to ½ a jar of sweet and sour sauce and some frozen veges. Heat until the chicken and veges are cooked. ◗ Serve with cooked rice. First night salmon risotto This is a quick and tasty dish that Bette often makes on the first night of a camping trip. It uses a single burner. For 2 adults: Packet of smoked salmon Bag of fresh spinach leaves Juice of 1 lemon 2 tomatoes, chopped Celery, chopped (optional) 2 packets of pre-cooked rice Grated parmesan cheese ◗ Put all ingredients in a pot and heat them through. Serve. Apfel Pannenkoeken (Dutch apple pancakes) These pancakes are a tradition is Bette’s family and she often makes them for breakfast when she is camping. ◗ Make your favourite pancake mix and add diced fresh apple. Cook as thick pancakes in a small frying pan. Try serving them with coconut yoghurt or lemon curd. Camping mini pizzas Nicky suggested a range of toppings that you can add to English muffins to make mini pizzas. ◗ Halve an English muffin and toast on both sides ◗ Place topping on the inner side of both halves ◗ Grill until topping melts. You can cook them on a BBQ as well as under a grill. Topping ideas: Chopped onion, tinned cream corn and grated cheese. Tomato paste, pepperoni salami (or bacon) and mushrooms. Tinned spaghetti and grated cheese. Ham, pineapple and grated cheese. Meat lovers — 2–3 types of meat (such as ham, salami, chorizo sausages, bacon) and grated cheese. …. or use whatever is in your cupboard and fridge. Meat loaf from the freezer. Pre-cooking and pre-freezing makes cooking easy Cheryl often pre-cooks and pre-freezes food before she leaves home. ◗ Make a stew the day before that can be reheated on the first night of your camp. ◗ Make a meat loaf or bacon and egg pie at home. Cut it into slices and freeze it in snap lock bags (to avoid any leaks). These can then be kept in your camping fridge for a few days or a freezer for longer. You can heat the slices or eat them cold as part of a dinner or lunch. Meat loaf also makes a good sandwich filling. Corn fitters Wendy uses the following recipe for corn fritters when she is camping. ◗ Beat together: 1 tin of creamed corn 1 tin of whole corn (drained) 2 eggs Chopped bacon (optional) 1 tsp baking powder & flour (or self-raising flour) ◗ Add 1 tsp baking powder and sufficient plain flour to make a thick batter. Alternatively, you can use self-raising flour and omit the baking powder. ◗ Heat butter or oil in a frying pan. Place large spoonfuls of batter into the pan and cook until golden. Flip and cook on other side. Remove from pan and continue making corn fritters with the remaining batter. Caroline suggested making a corn stack by placing cooked bacon between 2 corn fritters. Things you might not have thought of taking camping ◗ Small containers of jelly and fruit. These can be served with tinned cream rice for pudding. ◗ A container of grated carrot and beetroot. This can be used for salads or sandwiches. You can also add grated cheese to the mix. Don’t be alarmed when the beetroot turns the mix purple!!! ◗ A small portable smoker. This is a great way to cook steak, fish, chicken or mussels and isn’t a fire risk. ◗ One or two small containers of microgreens. These will provide you with a supply of fresh salad veges. ◗ A bean sprouter. You can buy sprouting jars and lids as well as stacking sprouters. Transporting basil seedlings in the caravan sink ◗ Herb seedlings. These can be added to salads and lots of other dishes. Basil is our favourite as it is great with fresh tomatoes. n Soil-sprouted seeds on my dashboard. ©2024 M Richardson More: micropod.nz Soil-sprouted seeds on the dashboard. ©2024 M Richardson Up Up 10 Summer 2024 , p 39
- 4 Winter 2023, festivals
4 Winter 2023 Winter 2023 ISSUE 4 BUY PDF CONTENTS Up Festivals Up 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. June Tussock Country Music Festival 25 May - 5 Jun: Gore, Southland Bringing the rural community and NZs country music community together for ten days and 60+ events celebrating music, food, rural life, entertainment and camaraderie. Overnight parking at the showgrounds. Dogs on leads. tussockcountry.nz NZ Highwaymen 5 June, Mon: Gore Legends of Kiwi Country music will play an electrifying show in the NZ capital of Country Music. Overnight parking at the showgrounds. Dogs on leads. tickets NZ HighwayMen nzhighwaymen.com/home July Festival of Christmas & Rose & Smith Mid-Winter Party 1-29 July: Greytown Greytown celebrates with a month-long programme of spectacular lights, workshops, events, Matariki activities, markets, parties, food and family fun. Tauherenikau Motorhome and caravan park. Certified Self contained vehicles. Festival greytownvillage.com/let-it-snow-2023 Parking tauherenikau.co.nz/motorhome-and-caravan-park Oxford Matariki Winter Lights Festival 2023 1 - 16 July: Oxford, Canterbury We light up to celebrate Matariki and to raise community spirits during mid-winter. Houses, businesses and everything else gets the special treatment making it a magical place to visit when it gets dark. Come and visit to enjoy our country hospitality and the mid- winter lights. Freedom camping 1km from town by the river. oxfordnewzealand.co.nz BRANDED Winter Warm Up Country Music Fest 28-30 July, Fri: Karapiro, Waikato The annual country music fest in Cambridge. Certified Self contained parking in Leamington. No dogs. ckw/nz/branded-fb September South Island Endurance Race Series - Round 2 22-23 Sept, Friday: Invercargill Round 2 of the South Island Endurance Championship is coming to Teretonga Park. The South Island Endurance Racing Drivers Club is a circuit based Motor Racing Series. Free overnight parking for ticket-holders. No pets. teretonga.org.nz/race/ October Taranaki Fringe Garden Festival 27 Oct - 5 Nov: Taranaki A ten day adventure into the homes of garden gurus throughout the Taranaki region. See the variety of plants we can grow in Taranaki at New Zealand’s friendliest garden festival. No specific parking. Some gardens offer overnight parking. Check with the gardens. taranakigardens.co.nz/our-festival/festival-info/ Facebook: Facebook.com/TaranakiFringeGardenFestival/ Instagram: Instagram.com/taranakifringegardenfestival/ November Robbie Williams XXV Tour 2023 12 Nov, Sat: Napier one of the finest male pop stars of his generation comes to this Mission Estate Winery concert. (11th is sold out). Certified self contained vehicles can park within walking distance. missionconcert.co.nz Parking Email to book minceyanddi@xtra.co.nz Cross Hills Gardens Country Fair 18 Nov, Saturday: Kimbolton Shop quality stalls, taste delicious food and relax to live music in a fun-filled atmosphere. There's something for everyone, even the guys! Why not make a weekend of it and book a motorhome site for $5 a night. Booking essential. No dogs. crosshillsfair.co.nz Wings Over Wairarapa Air Festival 2023 24-26 Nov, Friday: Masterton The beautiful Wairarapa provides a stunning backdrop to an extravaganza of aerial action over three days. In addition to the spectacular flying programme, there are fantastic ground displays and activities for small and big kids alike. Overnight parking for self contained vehicles at the Masterton A&P Showgrounds, with a free shuttle service to the aerodrome. Dogs on leads. Buy parking as an add on to your ticket purchase. wings.org.nz Harvest Festival Hawkes Bay 25 Nov, Saturday: Napier A celebration of Hawkes Bay Food & Wine country. Harvest Festival Hawkes Bay. Sixteen wineries and 9 eateries. Tickets are limited. A shuttle service lets you camp or park in Napier, Hastings or Havelock North. Facebook harvesthawkesbay.com 2024 Egmont Country Music Jan 2024 5-7 Jan: Taranaki For a great weekend full of music and dance keep watching this page for updates. What a way to begin 2024. Come join us. To book parking phone. Facebook ckw.nz/egmont-country-festival Warbirds Over Wanaka Mar 2024 Fri, 29 - 31 Mar 2024, Wanaka This is the largest Warbird airshow in the Southern Hemisphere and one of the world's top four. It is a biennial event and around 50,000 people come to Wanaka for Warbirds and classic aircraft. Camping at local camping grounds. No dogs in the day carpark. warbirdsoverwanaka.com Up Up 1/1 ISSN 2815-827X (Online) | ISSN:2815-8261 (Print) editor@campingthekiwiway.org
- diesel-heaters
8 Winter 2024 Winter 2024 ISSUE 8 BUY PDF CONTENTS Click on image for full view and caption GO TO Autumn Gold easy, effective and safe Diesel heating in caravans and motorhomes – it’s easy, effective and safe Collyn Rivers Diesel heating for caravans Diesel heating for caravans and motorhomes is easy, effective and safe because it hugely reduces the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning, Collyn Rivers reports. Diesel heating for caravans and motorhomes is also relatively affordable. Furthermore, it is easy to self-install. Fuel is readily available, safe and readily stored. LP gas versions are also made. This is the Webasto Dual-Top water heater unit. The Eberspächer (Dometic) unit is similar. Pic: Webasto. Carbon monoxide poisoning is your main risk (of heating) in a confined space. Carbon monoxide is colourless and odourless. It forms when a carbon-based substance (coal, LP gas etc) burns without enough air. The (only minor) indications are headache, nausea, fatigue, and then unconsciousness. If you sleep, you may never wake up again. Carbon monoxide is rightly called the ‘silent killer’. It also causes brain damage at minor concentrations. Your second risk is oxygen deprivation. We need about a half a cubic metre of air an hour. We convert about 4% of that air into carbon dioxide. If you are in a confined space the exhaled carbon dioxide level rises. As a result, the remaining oxygen level falls. It is normally 21%, but symptoms (such as fatigue) set in below 15%. Brain damage consequently occurs shortly after. Oxygen deprivation is serious (or lethal) in poorly ventilated areas. It occurs whether heated or not. See Gas risk in caravans. Diesel heating for caravans and motorhomes — safety Use diesel or LP gas heating in caravans and motorhomes to avoid such issues. Both draw air from outside the RV into a tiny furnace that is sealed from the living area. Diesel oil or LP gas is injected and ignited in this furnace. Air to be heated is blown across it and ducted to wherever needed. The ‘burnt’ air expels to the atmosphere. Burning gas is thus totally sealed from the air heated within the vehicle. The units were first made in the 1930s by Germany’s Eberspächer and later by Webasto. Both are still respected worldwide. The units are similar in many ways. Some parts (such as silencers, calorifiers etc.) are interchangeable. The Snugger, a similar but cheaper unit, is sold by Diesel Heating Australia. The Snugger unit. Pic: Diesel Heating Australia. The company’s Genesis product too is worth considering. So also is the Alde Compact 3010 LP gas unit. This combines space heating and water heating. It also runs from 230 volts ac. The Genesis II provides space and water heating in one unit. Pic: Diesel Heating Australia. Truma introduced similar (LP gas) units a few years ago. The Truma LP gas space heaterPic: Truma The two main types are air heating, and air and water heating. Some are made in various sizes. Use the smallest to heat annexes, camper trailers, small caravans and motorhomes. Use the next size up to heat large RVs. Air heating The basic (soup-can size) unit is best floor mounted. A separate tiny electrically-driven pump, hose and filter connects to a separate tank. Alternatively (with motorhomes) to the vehicle’s tank. You can locate the electric control panel wherever convenient. Water heating The combined space/water heaters use a furnace unit to heat glycol. This flows through a calorifier heat exchange unit, that also stores heated water for taps and showers. In addition. small fan-powered radiators blow hot air wherever required. The calorifier is also available as a tiny unit that heats water as it is drawn. The heaters in action We used a Webasto air heater unit in our OKA in outback Australia. Temperatures there drops quickly after sun-down, often below freezing. Even on its lowest setting, it heated the OKA to 25º C. Expect to use a fifth of a litre of diesel per hour. We had a Webasto Dual-Top air and water heating unit in our Tvan camper trailer. Used too, around Australia, it worked well and reliably. Its on-line calorifier supplied hot water for cooking and showering. The water is hot within a few minutes. You must, legally, in Australia, add a tempering valve. This valve automatically mixes cold and hot water. It prevents it from exceeding 50º C. Without it, however, the water reaches a scalding 80º C. If not silenced, the exhaust is noisy outside the vehicle. It bothers nearby campers. You can reduce this by adding the (now standard) exhaust silencer. You can reduce it yet further by adding an inlet silencer. The units are still not totally silent, but unlikely to disturb others. Here is the Webasto Dual-Top water/space heater in my Tvan. Pic: rvbooks.com.au Further information on diesel heating for RVs is in Caravan & Motorhome Electrics and The Camper Trailer Book. In addition, The Caravan & Motorhome Book. You can use these units to heat rooms in solar-powered houses. My books on solar are Solar That Really Works (for cabins and RVs), also Solar Success (for homes and property systems). rvbooks.com.au ©2024 RV Books This article: onlineckw.nz/d-heater Collyn Rivers has published 6 books relating to caravans and motorhomes. Information about them & more than 150 searchable articles are included on his website: rvbooks.com.au Up Up 8 Winter 2024 , p 32
- controversial-bill
1 Spring 2022 The controversial Nash Self-contained Motor Vehicles Legislation Bill Up Gary Stoneley The Minister of Tourism’s (MP Stuart Nash) draconian proposals to further regulate ‘freedom’ camping in NZ is a hot topic at the moment. For two years the minister has been very vocal about what he wants to change and when it will happen. Time is getting on and finally we have a proposed bill to study. Following on from initial public consultation of the style ‘we are going to do this’, the industry has been in a state of limbo, wondering if and when any changes will take place. Stuart Nash’s proposals, should they progress, do not address the current regulatory inconsistencies and disadvantages for tent campers but move to further disadvantage ‘all’ vehicle campers who carry a portable toilet. Based on the misguided premise that travellers with a portable toilet are less responsible than those with a fixed toilet, the Minister’s proposals intend to stop all vehicles with portable toilets from being able to be certified as self contained. These proposals are harmful to our camping industry and detrimental to an inclusive society. The Ministers proposals dont address the problem of providing toilets for travellers. The lack of public facilities thorough the country is the root cause of the problem, and it affects all travellers, not just those who camp. While the Minister suggests that the government tried allocating money to provide public facilities, which has not worked to solve the toileting problem, much of this money was spent on enforcing rules, very little on actually providing public facilities. One would have to question why the Minister for Tourism with a brief to support regional economies, seems so hell-bent on restricting thousands of NZ campers from enjoying this recreational activity. The Ministers with responsibility for camping legislation, the Freedom Camping Act and Campground Regulations in NZ are Conservation, Health and Recreation and Sport. There is no doubt that NZ camping legislation is out of date and needs substantive review, but having a misguided Minister of Tourism, fiddling with our freedom camping because he seems to have a portable toilet fetish, is unhelpful. His attacks on responsible NZ campers who use portable toilets comes across as vindictive. There is no question that it is far better for a small vehicle camper, traveling and living in their vehicle, to have a portable toilet than no toilet at all. By voluntarily having this on-board, campers not only have the opportunity to use it when caught short, but are (currently) able to enjoy staying overnight at self-contained-only-sites. There is no obvious benefit in the removal this incentive for small vehicle campers to have a portable toilet on-board, and some very obvious down-sides. To be self contained a vehicle must have a ‘fixed’ toilet — consequences. The proposal to exclude portable toilets from the definition of self-contained will exclude many of NZ’s campers who have older classic caravans and motorhomes, trailer tents and outback campers, poptop caravans, vehicles with roof top tents, small vans, teardrop campers and slide on campers. Under Stuart Nash’s proposals these campers will be excluded from staying at many council reserves or other government controlled land. Up until now the benefits of self-containment have encouraged vehicle campers to have a portable toilet, but this proposal removes the incentive and negates the hoped-for benefits from this proposal. Excluding some kinds of campers from public land —consequences. The bill will have an immediate effect on the more than half of NZ councils which do not have freedom camping bylaws. Camping vehicles that are not certified as self-contained when the bill becomes law, will be immeditately blocked from freedom camping on any public land controlled by a local authority. These councils will have to take on the cost of enforcing these new rules when they come into force. NZTA (NZ Transport Authority) and LINZ (Land Information NZ) will be given power to issue notices and manage freedom camping. Older classic caravans and motorhomes, trailer tents, outback campers, poptop caravans, vehicles with roof-top tents, small vans, teardrop campers and slide on campers, and other vehicles, which can (and currently do) freedom camp responsibly, are being excluded from self-containment under the new rules. Councils could well lose the patronage of these groups of campers and the economic benefits they bring. A council that wants to encourage all NZers to visit would need to expressly cater for non-self-contained freedom camping — this will necessitate the cost of developing and consulting on new policy and bylaws, create signage etc . This is a change that could well create greater inconsistency between regions. Councils that already have freedom camping bylaws have 2 years to transition their bylaws to the new rules. The costs of the changes — who pays? The increased regulation will not apply to all travellers. It is intended that the administration of self-containment be tightened, with greatly increased administrative costs collected from users and the issuing bodies. The expense and administrative burden of the proposed new law will be borne by the premium camper market, those who already have fixed-toilets. In effect, the increased regulation process will only affect those campers that are not considered by the Minister to be a problem in the first place. Small vans, poptop campers, teardrop campers and roof top tents etc. which do not have a ‘fixed toilet’ will not be eligible for, nor subject to, self-containment regulations. Currently these vehicles are eligible for and operate as self-contained, responsible travellers. Why the focus on fixed toilets? You have to wonder why the Minister is so obsessed with the “fixed toilet” issue. Perhaps he has had a bad experience. As a cyclist, he may have experienced being caught short while out on the road. Outdoorsy-types with a small camper and portable toilet at least have a toilet they can use. The Minister, out and about with his ute and his bike, perhaps (probably?) does not. Despite media hype there is very little verified evidence of poor toileting behaviour by freedom campers, and the Minister has not, when asked (by Official Information Request) been able to supply supporting evidence for his assertions. Small-camper tourists spend more You also have to wonder why the Minister is so obsessed with small-vehicle camping. The evidence supplied on his behalf by MBIE shows that tourists with small-vehicle campers spend more in NZ than their wealthier counterparts — less per day but more over their stay in NZ. NZ’s Leisure Camping Industry Made up of several different interest groups, with differing priorities, the NZ Leisure camping industry is a wide network that must work together to protect the future of recreational camping in NZ. Over the past 2 decades there have been considerable attacks by the media and point scoring by MP’s at the expense of NZ campers. In many cases these attacks on NZ campers have been targeted at campers who are seen to be at the ‘non premium’ end of the market. A perception has been created and promoted by various lobby groups and NIMBYs (Not In My Back Yard) that the budget camper / tourist does not contribute to our society. This could not be further from the truth. Any individual or family, only has so much disposable income. Money comes in and it is often spent on mortgages or rent, day to day living costs, purchases, medical expenses and entertainment. While it is up to each family or individual to decide how they wish to spend their disposable income, wherever they are, home or traveling that money still gets spent. People traveling NZ and camping continue to spend and the communities through which they travel are the beneficiaries of this spending. Whether a person spends $300 a week in their home town or $300 a week across the country, retailers, employees and government all benefit. A traveler in a small campervan will spend their disposable income in the communities they visit just as a traveler in a large motorhome will spend their disposable income. It is not right for us as a society to judge people on image, what they can afford to spend, or whether they choose to stay local or travel and enjoy what the country offers. It is right for us to appreciate the contribution that each member of our community makes, even if they are just traveling through. The reality is that travel camping is healthy and benefits families and communities. Summary In summary, Minister Stuart Nash’s proposals, should they go ahead, will not achieve the outcome he intends and they are not workable. There is no identified benefit to any sector of the NZ leisure camping industry or to local authorities. The increased compliance processes and costs would be a blatant waste of government money and a waste and burden on ordinary NZ campers as well as local councils. Where to from here? So where do we go from here? The Minister for Tourism Stuart Nash has now presented his draft bill in parliament. The supporting self-containment regulations will only be made available when the bill begins its readings in parliament. Both the bill and regulations will go to select committee, the public and industry for submissions and review. There is opportunity for public submissions. Until legislation is passed the current ‘voluntary’ 4-year, self containment standard NZS 5465:2001 still applies. There is currently no change. If new legislation on self containment is passed there will be a transition / implementation period. New systems take time. Keep the issue alive In the meantime, we can keep the issue alive by discussion forums and making MP’s and the public aware of the failings and implications of the bill. Online discussions, petitions and public protests are all good options. Camping the Kiwi Way has developed ‘Proud to be a Camper’ vehicle decals. BY: Gary Stoneley, Founder, All Points Camping Club of NZ Up Up Up Spring 2022 ISSUE 1 BUY PDF CONTENTS The bill is based on the flawed premise that travellers with a portable toilet are less responsible than those with a fixed toilet ©2022 Tackle Tactics ©2022 Tackle Tactics 1/1
- Issue 5, Cooking on the road: planning food for…off the road
A 4-day camp adventure at Lake Tarawera Hot Water Beach, a long way from roads and power: how to manage the food? BUY PDF CONTENTS Spring 2023 ISSUE 5 Up Cooking on the road: planning food for…off the road Junaya Binns WInning an adventure This winning adventure package came with a 2 person tent, 2 camp chairs, a light for the tent, 2 self inflating sleeping mats and a cute little collapsible table. Thanks Kiwi Camping! We are van-life people, so we had to investigate the facilities in full, and we appreciated the help of Jonathan Collins from NZ Fun Adventures. No power or showers just long drop toilet facilities and the ground you camp on. And we don’t have a boat. No fridge. Jonathan loaned us a massive chilly bin. Getting there by water taxi meant space was of premium importance! How to carry enough food? The most enjoyable part of this adventure was experiencing the ‘true blue’, ‘pay it forward’ Kiwi nature. We had the absolute best site of this campground, right on the lake front, so we became the camp meet and greet, as everyone else camping there had boats. As people arrived, we would jump up and help carry their gear up to the elevated sites. Through this we met some wonderful people. Which gained us 5-minutes boat rides to the amazing natural hot pools that were otherwise a long, 1hr 30min, uphill trek! When we ran out of alcohol on the last night, a lot of those who we met and helped and engaged with in the evenings, quickly came to our rescue. Got to love NZ! So, if you want to get away from absolutely everything including reception, Lake Tarawera Hot Water Beach is the place to go. And so ... We won a 4-day camp adventure at Lake Tarawera Hot Water Beach in Rotorua for Easter this year, courtesy of NZ Fun Adventures. We are van-life people, and this site is only accessible via water, no van this time! How on earth were we going to keep food cold for 5 days? With the date, the tenting gear, a loaned chilly bin ready to go, it was time to plan. Let the planning begin To reduce the amount of carry-on I decided to pre-prepare the meals then flat pack freeze them in large snap lock bags for easy stacking in the chilly bin. Also freezing 8 large bottles of water to layer on the bottom of the chilly bin, as there is no drinking water available at this site, so as well as food we required enough drinking water for the 5-day escape. Top tip: Take baking paper to line your frying pan, we did not have to wash the pan once while away. Another top tip, for this site in particular —the ground is hot so forage for some logs and get your chilly bin off the ground. Dinners Night 1: After a long drive up from Wellington to ensure we met the water taxi on time. we set up camp. We are no strangers to tents but have not done it for a while, and dinner was going to be quick before daylight faded. So American hot dogs it was. We only took 1 frying pan so everything had to be one-pan meals. I packed the sauces into tiny containers so no wastage or leftovers floating around; pre-grated a small bag of cheese, just enough for the meal. Fried the hot dogs, filled the rolls popped them back in the pan, foil on top to get the delicious melty goodness, boom! All ready in 15 mins. The next 3 nights are meals that I had prepared and flat pack frozen at home. Night 2: Creamy chorizo and mushroom pasta. Night 3: Home made sweet and sour pork with udon noodles Night 4: Vegetarian nachos, just in case things weren’t so cold at this point. We topped them with plain yoghurt and of course piled high on the chips. Dinners covered, we then had to think about brunch food. Brunch We still wanted to tantalise the taste buds with holiday goodies like bacon and eggs and so on. So again, to combat the space issue, I decided to pre-make and freeze camp toasties! An absolute favourite of ours. These are no basic toasties by any means, chock full of all things breakfast. You can make them as amazing as your creativity takes you. Simply construct using your favourite loaf and wrap individually and freeze them fresh, no pre-toasting. Save the toasting for the one pan on the day. These also stack amazingly in the chilly bin. The rest To wrap it up, the only thing we had to make fresh was our coffee in the morning. Nothing took longer than 15mins to reheat or toast in the pan and like I say, baking paper was key!! No washing of the pan only the 2 plates, cutlery, and coffee mugs. We also took a 24-pack of water bottles just in case, which came in handy for teeth brushing and providing the hikers, that passed through daily, thirsty after their 5 hours walk, and not realising they couldn’t refill their bottles at the beach while they waited for the water taxi, to arrive to pick them up Junaya & Dan @adventures_of_the_escapegoats (instagram) Up Up Up I decided to pre-prepare the meals then flat pack freeze them Click on the gallery for a full size view The best site We had the absolute best site of this campground, right on the lake front. On the lake front, Lake Tarawera. We became the camp meet and greet On the lake front, Lake Tarawera. The best site We had the absolute best site of this campground, right on the lake front. 1/6
- Issue 5, This is the story of three types of self-contained vehicles…
Baby Bear, Mama Bear and Papa Bear campers BUY PDF CONTENTS Spring 2023 ISSUE 5 Up This is the story of three types of self-contained vehicles… Bette Cosgrove Baby Bear, Mama Bear and Papa Bear campers… and how they all parked up for an All Points Camping NZ gathering and cooked breakfast t ogether one winter’s day. Baby Bear Mama Bear Papa Bear No porridge was consumed in the making of these meals. All Points Camping Club organises regular get togethers across Aotearoa. This gathering was in July, at Featherston School, Wairarapa, for a Matariki Weekend camp for self-contained vehicles. The next Wellington Region APC Spring camp event will be hosted at Carterton Holiday Park Sept 29–Oct 1. More: ckw.nz/carterton-apc Book: ckw.nz/carterton-apc-rsvp cartertonholidaypark.co.nz Editor: Grandpa Bear? Geraldine Classic Caravan Club ©2023 Gary Hitchcock Up Up Up Three bears and no porridge Click on the gallery for a full size view Baby bear Geraldine Classic Caravan Club ©2023 Gary Hitchcock Mama bear Grandpa bear? Baby bear Geraldine Classic Caravan Club ©2023 Gary Hitchcock 1/4
- get-outdoors
7 Autumn 2024 Autumn 2024 ISSUE 7 BUY PDF CONTENTS Click on image for full view and caption NZ Fun Adventures NZ Fun Adventures Camping: camping, locations, gear, group events, ‘how to’ and more. NZ Fun Paddleboarders Join for group paddles, learn about safety, gear info, get inspired and give it a go. Life of Van — NZ Van adventurers. Adventure Rex Inflatable T-Rex racing sound fun? Join the antics. NZ Adventure Women women’s-only outdoor group for all types of adventure. NZ Night Walkers A Wellington group —start one in your area Cooking With Fire Outdoors Small Boat Camping Oztent owners local NZ See how and why people love them. Getting outdoors Jonathan Collins Get outdoors in a fun way, meet new people, try something new. NZ Fun Adventures Camping : camping, locations, gear, group events, ‘how to’ and more. NZ Fun Paddleboarders: join for group paddles, learn about safety, gear info, get inspired and give it a go. Life of Van — NZ: Van adventurers. Adventure Rex Inflatable T-Rex racing sound fun? Join the antics. NZ Adventure Women : women’s-only outdoor group for all types of adventure. NZ Night Walkers : A Wellington group —start one in your area. Cooking With Fire Outdoors Small Boat Camping Oztent owners local NZ : See how and why people love them. GO TO Celebrating Summer Up Up 7 Autumn 2024 , p 40 ISSN 2815-827X (Online) | ISSN:2815-8261 (Print) ISSUE 4 editor@campingthekiwiway.org
- 20-years
11 autumn 2025 Autumn 2025 ISSUE 11 BUY PDF ToC Click on image for full view and caption Full time for 20 odd years One thing I learnt after travelling full time for 20 odd years. It doesn't matter so much where you are, as long as you are present where you are. ©2025 Rv and Tiny House Living NZ Full time for 20 odd years ©2025 Rv and Tiny House Living NZ Full time for 20 odd years ©2025 Rv and Tiny House Living NZ GO TO Here & there last summer One thing I learnt 20-odd years Fran One thing I learnt after travelling full-time for 20 odd years: It doesn’t matter so much where you are, as long as you are present where you are. Mind you, I still struggle with that at times, wanting nature and just the sounds of nature. lol. FB: facebook.com/rvandtinyhouselivingnz YouTube: ckw.nz/tiny-youtube©2025 Rv and Tiny House Living NZ Up Up 11 Autumn 2025 , p 29
- Index: 9 Spring 2024 | Camping the Kiwi Way
Spring 2024 ISSUE 9 BUY PDF CONTENTS INDEX ISSUE 9 Camping the Kiwi Way, 9, Spring 2024 Table of contents • Editorial • Councils and government list • Come camping • Stop and Stay Contribute • About Cover image: Steampunk. ©2024 Margarte Earle Read more Gourmet snag Q. What’s better than a gourmet snag on some fresh Turkish bread, with relish, cooked and eaten outdoors while freedom camping? Read more Steampunk— from north to south and back again “It’s a chance to get dressed up and have some have fun” in Oamaru and Thames. Read more Lake Pukaki Lake Pukaki in winter. I can’t get enough of this place. Freedom camping! ©2024 M Richardson Read more The re-build of my Toyota van When I built the van, I knew that sometime later I would have to upgrade it. Read more Ekatahuna Camping at the Eketahuna campground, April 2024 ©2024 Bette Cosgrove Read more The West Coast in winter One winter’s morning in June, my son and I spontaneously took the campervan on a road trip up the coast. Read more Solar basics for dummies Solar power for us campers is a simple process. All you need is a solar panel, a solar controller, and a battery. Read more Ready for sun Ready for sunbathing and a book. Morrisons Bush. ©2023 Bette Cosgrove Read more Converting your camper van: The Cruzar Campervan story We’d been converting campervans as a hobby for a few years and discovered we loved building and creating things together. Plus, we were tired of our dull 9–5 jobs… Read more Caravan at Whanganui Vintage weekend Vintage caravan at a Whanganui Vintage weekend 2024 ©2024 Margaret Earle Read more Towing your caravan — tips, tricks and weights Firstly, make sure your caravan is ready to move. Read more Buyer beware At the time of writing this, the caravan still sits empty, untouched in our back yard. We are in discussions with our lawyer. Read more Buying used caravans Unlike cars, a well-made caravan may last for decades with only minor areas that need attention. Read more Cautionary tyre tale Passing over a bit of road where the rumble strip had been removed but not filled in, my tyre got stuck in the rut and shredded. Read more A great great grandchild A multi-generation caravan and great great grandchild. ©2024 Bette Cosgrove Read more A night in an arboretum I filled the fridge, tossed in some clothes, a hot water bottle, the dog and hit the road Read more Beautiful obscure things When you are out camping you notice beautiful and obscure things. ©2024 Gary Hitchcock Read more A winter day on Farewell Spit Winter is not the best time to visit Farewell Spit from a bird point of view, but I was there, so I took the tour anyway, and it was spectacular. Read more Freedom camping Freedom van camping ©2023 Bette Cosgrove Read more On the shoulder of a god I had a great view of Mt Ngāuruhoe on my first day there, though it was invisible for the rest of my stay. Read more Campground at Opoutere Campground, Opoutere, Stop and Stay, Coromandel Read more Whitebaiting Whitebaiting. Rakaia River Mouth ©2024 David Liddel Read more It was freezing This winter was my first in the Otago cold— a bit of a learning curve. Read more Home roasted coffee beans Sitting under the awning, I enjoy a read or an ale while roasting coffee beans. Read more Lake Pukaki Lake Pukaki, freedom camping in Winter: I cant get enough of this place. Any season. ©2024 M Richardson Read more Freedom camping and self-containment Where are we at? At a government level, a council level, a certification level, at a camper level. Read more Developing an innovative camping toilet solution: Fix-a-Potty™ In short, I designed Fix-a-Potty™ for the campervan community to provide more affordable and compact toilet options, with the intention of helping everyone continue to enjoy all that New Zealand has to offer. Read more A new cassette toilet for small spaces: The making of the BlackMOA™ A response to a legislative challenge has brought us the compact, front-opening BlackMOA™ Cassette Toilet Read more Fix’n’Rail Due out late October, the Fix’n’Rail is a heavy duty sliding rail and secure bracket that lets you slide a portable toilet in and out of its storage area Read more View More
- Index: 5 Spring 2023 | Camping the Kiwi Way
Spring 2023 ISSUE 5 BUY PDF CONTENTS INDEX Issue 5 Camping the Kiwi Way, 5, Spring 2023 Table of contents • Editorial • For councils and government • Come camping • Stop and Stay Contribute • About Cover image: Lake Monowai. ©2023 Kayla Laatz Next Grandad’s Grandad’s caravan A caravan travels through five generations. Next The Homestead, St Bathans I’ve been enjoying a few days away at one of my favourite spots, The Homestead Campsite near Saint Bathans. Next Building a connected NZ camping and tourism industry To ensure a sustainable recreational camping industry related interest groups need to be more engaged and appreciative of the issues each group faces. Next At the beach Next 10 Tips for safe caravan towing 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. Next The only ones at Lake Pukaki I can’t believe we are the only ones at Lake Pukaki tonight. So incredibly grateful to have captured these skies. Next Lake Monowai campsite Our small family of 3 set up camp in a quiet and secluded paradise in the heart of Fiordland National Park Next Why not stop and stay a while? Introducing Stop and Stay, where to stop when travelling and camping in NZ — use it, share it, add to it. Next Easy-to-make flat breads — Recipes for camping These recipes come from the fabulous book New Zealand Backcountry Cooking by Paul and Rebecca Garland. Next Cooking with fire NZ Fun Adventures was pleased to see so many outdoor enthusiasts join with us for this, now annual, event in our events calendar. Next Really feeling autumny now! Really feeling autumny now! Whakaipo Bay, DOC camp at Taupo. Next Pros and Cons of full time family travel 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 Next More cold season tips Sharing our best hacks which made life so much easier on a recent Matariki vanning trip. Next A small, beautiful cassette toilet There is a cassette toilet in that beautifully crafted cabinet. Next Winter adventures Winter doesn’t mean the end of camping adventures! Instagram Next Freedom camping & self-containment status, spring 2023 The short version Next Freedom camping: who does what The structure of the self containment system. Next Update: Self-containment and freedom camping changes 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. Next Freedom camping under the new law 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. Next Cooking on the road: planning food for…off the road A 4-day camp adventure at Lake Tarawera Hot Water Beach, a long way from roads and power: how to manage the food? Next Thinking about your overnight park Do you park your camper facing outwards? (Quick evac if needed.) Or just how you feel? Next The Desert Road The Desert Road On our first road trip with our new caravan. We made it successfully from Wellington to Whangarei. Next Freedom inside the fence 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. Next Small town: Waiau 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. Next Small town New Zealand: Find the words Puzzle From North and South Islands see how many you recognise. Next A small paint kit, a few good brushes… I have found that it is the obscure, forgotten little places that hold the most interest and subject material for paintings and rewarding experiences. Next This is the story of three types of self-contained vehicles… Baby Bear, Mama Bear and Papa Bear campers Next A Classic Geraldine Classic Caravan Club Next The Aeropress: quality coffee with an easy clean up No more sloppy grinds in the bottom of the waste bucket. No more looking for bushes to throw them under. Next View More
- Camping the Kiwi Way, Issue 11, Autumn 2025
A magazine by and for campers in New Zealand Summer 2025 Select which topic to show ISSUE 13 BUY PDF ToC Camping the Kiwi Way, 13, Spring 2025 Table of contents > Editorial > Come camping > Stop and Stay > Contribute > About > Cover image: Lake Ohau, home for the next week. ©2025 Tony Kissel Read More As the seasons change Love spring road trips. I was going to walk to the end of the valley… On a wild beach. Four of us went camping. Happy Friday. Who’s camping? Home for the next week. Final winter camp at Lake Tekapo Read More A short trip to some big country — Route 52 A beautiful and remote part of the country. Our flying trip, which covered many kilometres, left a real appetite to head back into this fascinating area. Read More Road trip for a mid-winter meal It had been quite some time since I had been to Canterbury and the thought of meeting up with fellow club members, that I hadn’t seen for many months, appealed. Read More Frustration continues over QLDC’s freedom camping approach Freedom campers, both international and domestic visitors, face frustration with the proposed bylaw restrictions in the Queenstown Lakes District. Many campers simply refuse to go there. Read More The hospital visit for my bus In March my bus went into the Rigs’n Things hospital for some major surgery. The operation was done by Dr Chris with the utmost care and to a very high standard. Read More Water water everywhere On a recent club camp I did a wee survey of the parked vehicles, caravans, motorhomes, buses and others to observe the water supply and disposal systems. Read More A simple camp shower Our friend Jean Roger said she used old plastic milk bottles to make a simple solar shower. We have just tried this on our sailing holiday and it works brilliantly. Read More Recipes for camping: Fresh flavours Spring and summer bring a great array of fresh vegetables. Ingredients like fresh ginger, lime, sesame oil, red curry paste and lemon bring fresh flavours to curries, salads and side dishes. Read More Lightning risk in RVs Lightning frightens, but lightning risk in RVs is very low. That risk however is far from random. Here’s how to reduce it yet further. Read More On maintenance Here are my whimsical maintenance tips from my bus Keltic Star. Read More Travels around the South Island I wanted to share some photos from my travels around the South Island last winter. I do love the winter down here, with lack of crowds and the snow on the mountains being two of my favourite things. Read More No snow down low: winter camp 3/3 I am having one winter camp each winter month. This was my third, in August. Read More Buyer beware update: We won! We had to go to the Disputes Tribunal regarding our leaky 9 year old caravan. Read More Butcher’s Pool Tucked away on a side road off SH5 (near Reporoa), is this free hot pool. Read More Windy Pack Down Tips One of the hardest things to do is to know when enough is enough, and when it’s time to pack up and leave. The very best time is just before the weather event hits. Read More Campfest South Island There is something happening for the entire family over this family-orientated weekend. Read More It’s not always sunshine & roses Nine severe weather forecasts in Canterbury. Read More DOC Update DOC charges for parking at four South Island sites. Do your bit for nature. Remediated mine becomes a Reefton attraction. Read More Recipes on the road Lucy’s gluten-free scones, crustless quiche, zero carb chicken bread loaf , home made butter: Kiwi gold. Read More The camping train departs 3 March 2026 Enjoy the whole trip, or meet up or depart from any location along the way! Read More Te Puna Quarry in spring This is such a hidden gem with sculptures of dragons, a castle slide for kids, water wheel, art hiding in every corner, and all kinds of themed gardens. Read More Stop and Stay Places to stay. Read More Athenree hot springs and campground Close to Waihi, Waihi Beach and Katikati this is a prime campground. Read More Brunel Peaks Cafe, Blackmount I wonder how many of you know about the Stop and Stay nestled at the foothills of the Takitimu mountains? Read More Omokoroa Domain Omokoroa is only 20km northwest of Tauranga’s CBD and 24km to Katikati. Read More Harrison Cut, Papamoa Four mins drive to Papamoa Plaza or a 30 min walk. Read More Uretara Domain I stayed here for three nights; a great spot. Every Friday night they have a Farmers market at the adjacent A&P Show grounds Read More Mid winter dinner Canterbury There is something precious about meeting around the table. Sharing food, or in this case buying your own! Read More First aid practice at camp! Penny was keen to put the newly learnt knowledge of how to assist someone up, into practice. Down on the floor she went! Read More MORE










