Summer 2025 ISSUE 13 BUY PDF Contents Click on image for full view and caption Frustration-QTown-council_H.webp GO TO as the seasons change they could invest in practical solutions that benefit everyone Frustration continues over QLDC’s freedom camping approach Bette Cosgrove 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. Despite increasing demand, Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) has yet to take a practical approach to their Freedom Camping Bylaw that balances access, environmental protection, and infrastructure. Many are asking a simple question: Why can’t QLDC designate safe, sensible overnight camping areas near existing public facilities? These spots are already used by day visitors — yet self-contained campers, who leave no trace, are being penalised or pushed out. While QLDC claims that more sites will be open to camping under their new bylaw, the fine print tells a different story. The criteria to use rural roadside sites are so restrictive that, in practice, very few will be usable. Further adding to the confusion is misinformation around 14 newly-announced “freedom camping sites” — some of which are not under QLDC jurisdiction and were already available. Many are just public car parking areas, and campers are expected to vacate spots by 7am or 8am — making the 2-day allocated overnight stays virtually impossible. It’s important to remember that, by law, all areas (except reserves) should be open to camping unless there is a genuine reason to prohibit it. The previous QLDC bylaw was overturned in the High Court for not meeting this standard, and many, including NZMCA, argue the new bylaw is no better. (NZ Herald interview with NZMCA: youtu.be/tSdpxSTkfao .) It’s also difficult to ignore the irony of QLDC’s strict stance on campers while the council itself struggles with serious environmental issues — such as a $1.8 million failure at the Shotover Wastewater Treatment Plant and an additional $600,000 in legal costs ( ckw.nz/qtown-shotover ). Compared to this, the environmental impact of a responsible, self-contained camper is negligible. The truth is, 99% of freedom campers are respectful and self-contained, thanks to the new freedom camping law amendments of 2023. But there are only two public dump stations provided between Queenstown and Haast, limiting proper waste disposal options. What could a better solution look like? 1. Fix local pollution first Before targeting campers, QLDC should address ongoing local wastewater and pollution issues. 2. Support visitors with reasonable options If QLDC are going to continue to try to ‘designate’ freedom camping sites — then use existing infrastructure. Even basic, low-cost “pay to stay” areas would better provide for campers. 3. Use the International Visitor Levy appropriately: invest in practical solutions Instead of spending up to $500,000 a year — and untold amounts of ratepayer money — on restrictive bylaws and costly enforcement, QLDC could invest in practical solutions that benefit everyone. The freedom camping issue doesn’t need to be a battleground. With a little manaaki (hospitality), balanced views, and genuine use of community engagement, Queenstown could become a welcoming destination — without alienating responsible campers or overburdening locals. Watch this space. Because right now, almost no-one is winning. 🏕️ Up Up Summer 2025 , p 2

Summer 2025 ISSUE 13 BUY PDF Contents Click on image for full view and caption emergency-bonfires-checkitsalright_H.webp GO TO as the seasons change keep up, keep up Emergency links on the road FIRE Fire danger fireweather.niwa.co.nz has maps showing the danger in the different regions. Checkitsalright.nz 
 Check before you light a fire. 
 How to prevent wildfires. 
 Be prepared for a wildfire. 
 Do you need a fire permit? WEATHER metservice.com/warnings/home (includes ocean swell). ROAD 1] Travel information: 
 nzta.govt.nz/traffic-and-travel-information 2] Highway conditions: journeys.nzta.govt.nz 3] Freephone: 0800 4 HIGHWAYS IS THERE A LOCAL EMERGENCY? RADIO Tune your radio to the local stations to know what’s what in the local area. RadioNZ has a list of frequencies, which vary around the country. Get a copy while you have internet: rnz.co.nz/listen/amfm 🏕️ Up Up Summer 2025 , p 38

7 Autumn 2024 Autumn 2024 ISSUE 7 BUY PDF CONTENTS Click on image for full view and caption APC Social gathering at the Morisons, Waitangi Weekend, 2024. ©2024 Margaret Earle All Points Camping Club of NZ All Points Camping We are proud to sponsor this issue of Camping the Kiwi Way Brought to you by NZ’s inclusive, friendly, camping club, for your reading pleasure. Family membership to the All Points Camping Club gives you: ✶ Membership support ✶ Friendly, inclusive camping events ✶ Nationwide savings ✶ Lobbying support for campers’ rights. You don’t have to have a self-contained vehicle to join. You don’t have to be a member to come to our events. It's m ore than just a club, it’s like one big family. All Points Camping at Morison's Bush, Wairarapa, Waitangi Weekend 2024 ©2024 Bette Cosgrove Come along to one of our events near you.Bring the tent, bring the kids. Join now JOIN only $35 (1st year) (less, after that) NZ’s national camping club Our home page: www.all points camping nz .org ✶ When the benefits far exceed the cost you’d be crazy not to take it up. ✶ Our values: compassion, inclusion, support and encouragement More from All Points Camping Read about The Whanganui Vintage weekend | The Waihopai gathering Look our for a camping event near you Join us on Facebook (open to all) Check out Stop and Stay, camping with your dog ; the full Stop and Stay listings For business services check out Camping and RV Businesses Services on NZLifestyle.com All Points Camping at Morison's Bush, Wairarapa, Waitangi Weekend 2024 ©2024 Bette Cosgrove GO TO Celebrating Summer Up Up 7 Autumn 2024 , p 52 ISSN 2815-827X (Online) | ISSN:2815-8261 (Print) ISSUE 4 editor@campingthekiwiway.org

2 Summer 2022 Summer 2022 ISSUE 2 CONTENTS PDF BUY Up Camping without a fridge: chilly bins and cooler bags Graham Leslie Up I am no expert, but here are my tricks for keeping food and drink cool or fresh when camping. In the old days, people used “meat safes” or “safes” which were insect-screened, ventilated boxes or containers located in cool, draughty places. I have no experience with these aand can’t comment about them. My experience is with chilly bins or Esky cooler bags. Without a fridge it is hard to cool things down, so when using a chilly bin or Esky it is important to get everything as cold as possible before you add them in. For instance, we would pre-freeze our drinks in plastic bottles and our meat etc. and these would slowly thaw during our trip. We also pre-froze 3 litre juice bottles filled with drinkable water for a few days before we left so they were really frozen solid. They provided a good reservoir of coldness and when they melted we drank the cold water. When restocking your chilly bin try to get pre-cooled or frozen food to go in it. The coldness in your chilly bin can be extended by: Keeping it in a cool shady spot (this may require shifting it around your camp as the sun moves around). Having it full of cold stuff so there is less room for warm air to circulate around inside it. Avoid opening and closing the bin any more than you need to. Don’t leave things like milk out of the chilly bin longer than necessary as they will warm up. As said previously, without a fridge it is really hard to cool things down, but there are a few tricks. First some science. When something changes from solid to liquid (like ice to water) or from liquid to gas (like water to water vapour) it sucks in heat from the stuff round it. This is effectively how refrigeration and heat pumps work. You can also sometimes see this as condensation or cold patches on the outside of a gas bottle as when the gas inside is drawn off it converts from liquid to gas. Trick 1: Party ice Use a bag of party ice, a chilly bin and salt to cool your drinks or to chill some freshly caught fish to take home. Empty the ice into the bin with your drinks or fish and add some salt and maybe a little bit of water (or use sea water). The salt makes the ice melt faster. The ice needs energy /heat to melt, which it sucks out of your fish or drinks. This cooling is more rapid than just packing stuff in ice. Trick 2: A damp cloth A damp cloth wrapped around what you want to cool will provide cooling as the water evaporates off the cloth. For water to evaporate it needs to go from a liquid to a gas which requires heat which it sucks out of the surrounding objects. This is increased with more air flow. Think about how cold you get wearing wet clothes on a windy day even when the day is warm. This is basically how cooling towers work. Another variation I saw in Egypt was roadside drink stations that looked a bit like large shady rural letter boxes (roof but no sides) with unglazed earthenware jars full of cold water. They were not glazed and were semi-porous so the outsides were always damp and evaporation was happening to keep the water cooler. A couple of other things to be aware of For some foods like milk and butter the light is as much a problem as the temperature and so keeping them in a dark place is important. Cooling drinks in a stream will only work if the stream is colder than the air which often it is not. Our skin is normally about 33°C so most often the air and stream water are going to be cooler than us and we will be shedding heat to them. As water is a better conductor of heat it will feel colder than the air even when this may not be the case. So sometimes putting your drinks in the creek will actually warm them up if they are already at air temperature. Happy Camping Up Up Evaporation can lower the temperature as much as 15°C 1/1

2 Summer 2022 2 Summer 2022 BUY AUTHOR INDEX AUTHORS Click on image for full view and caption Pannekoeken for breakfast ©2022 Bette Cosgrove Pannekoeken for breakfast ©2022 Bette Cosgrove Pannekoeken for breakfast ©2022 Bette Cosgrove Best brunch option ever, and a traditional favourite! Pannekoeken for breakfast Bette Cosgrove Every trip we make a breakfast fruits pancake. Usually apple pannekoeken. You need: Your favourite pancake mix: We often get the great pannekoeken mix from De Moelen, Foxton whenever we pass by and keep it permanently in a sealed container in our campervan. Or grab the Edmonds buttermilk or gluten-free shake-up pancake mix from supermarket. You can be flexible and add milk (or alternative milks like oat, soy, rice, coconut, or almond) or just use water. Check the pancake-mix container for how much liquid you need. If we have fresh eggs (free-range, bought along the way) we add one. Beat or shake up until well mixed. Slice in one fresh apple / pear cut in tiny pieces; or mashed banana; or berries if you have them. Mix your fruit of choice in, but just lightly. Make one, full-pan-sized fruit pancake per person: fill the pan with mixture. We use a small non-stick pan with a lid on our single ring gas burner as it's easy to wipe clean when done. Flip when bubbles appear and put a lid on when cooking the second side. We usually have coconut yoghurt in our fridge to serve with this, or open a tin of reduced cream if you have it. Best brunch option ever, and a traditional favourite! Photos ©2022 Bette Cosgrove Up Up 2 Summer 2022 , p 24

1 Spring 2022 1 Spring 2022 BUY AUTHOR INDEX AUTHORS Click on image for full view and caption Lake Rotokare Situated in a secure wildlife reserve Lake Rotokare is known as ‘the rippling lake’. Being able to camp in a wildlife reserve is a unique experience — but you must ensure your vehicle is completely free of unwanted guests. You can hike around the lake, go trout fishing or kayak on the lake and tents are welcome. Meet Rotokare’s Founder Kiwi #39: Benny! Meet Rotokare’s Founder Kiwi #39: Benny! 
 After a bumpy start to life, Benny was safely hatched at the National Kiwi Hatchery Aotearoa and brought to her new home at Rotokare. The Taranaki Kōhanga Kiwi at Rotokare project has been working to establish 40 kiwi as founders in the reserve, permanent breeding residents for the population. Pakawau Beach Camp Looking through my windscreen at Pakawau Beach Camp. Only 10 minutes to Farewell Spit and 20 minutes to Takaka, this beach-side camp is a great base for exploring Golden Bay. Pakawau and Lake Rotokare STOP and STAY Stop and Stay: Lake Rotokare & Pakawau Beach Editor Each issue we feature a couple of places Recommended camps and stopovers e.g. country pubs, private properties, cottage crafts, caravan parks, reserves and more. Go to stopandstaynz.org to find your next campsite. FEATURED THIS SPRING Lake Rotokare in Eltham, Taranaki and Pakawau Beach Camp in Golden Bay. Lake Rotokare, Eltham, Taranaki Situated in a secure wildlife reserve Lake Rotokare is known as ‘the rippling lake’. Being able to camp in a wildlife reserve is a unique experience — but you must ensure your vehicle is completely free of unwanted guests. You can hike around the lake, go trout fishing or kayak on the lake and tents are welcome. • BYO water. • A cash donation to support the work is appreciated. Meet Rotokare’s Founder Kiwi #39 : Benny! After a bumpy start to life, Benny was safely hatched at the National Kiwi Hatchery Aotearoa and brought to her new home at Rotokare. The Taranaki Kōhanga Kiwi at Rotokare project has been working to establish 40 kiwi as founders in the reserve, permanent breeding residents for the population. At number 39, Benny’s got us inches away from our goal! "Thank you to all the responsible campers at Rotokare this summer for: - Checking their vehicles and watercraft for stowaways and invasive weeds before entering Rotokare - Taking their rubbish away with them — Using our toilets and facilities kindly and considerately. We are a freedom camping site largely maintained by our amazing volunteers! If you have enjoyed your time at Rotokare, please donate to our Givealittle page to support site maintenance and ecological restoration at our beautiful sanctuary." ‘We loved camping there recently. Saw fernbirds, heard kiwi, and discovered that pateke are active at night. So cute.’ ‘I camped there overnight recently. There were quite a few motorhomes and about 4 campers. I took cash for the donation box especially, as I read that on the website.’ 365 Sangster Road, Eltham, Taranaki 06 764 8500 www.rotokare.org.nz Pakawau Beach Camp, Golden Bay Only 10 minutes to Farewell Spit and 20 minutes to Takaka, this beach-side camp is a great base for exploring Golden Bay. There is golf, a restaurant, a salmon farm, a distillery as well as great fishing for snapper close by. 1112 Collingwood-Puponga Main Road, Pakawau www.facebook.com Pakawau Beach Park 03 524 8308 Stop and Stay Go to stopandstaynz.org to find your next campsite. The online directory is hosted and maintained by the All Points Camping Club. Add your recommendation — fill out the online form Want your property considered? Fill out the online form (there is no charge).
 Send us an email if you find any errors. info@allpointscampingnz.org Up Up 1 Spring 2022 , p 29

2 Summer 2022 2 Summer 2022 BUY AUTHOR INDEX AUTHORS Click on image for full view and caption How many freedom campers are there? Bette Cosgrove and Miriam Richardson Nobody knows. The Ministry has made some guesses. 'Certified self contained' freedom campers MBIE, the government ministry charged with providing the Minister of Tourism with facts, does not know how many freedom camping vehicles there are. They do not know how many private vehicles, that are currently certified self contained, would become ineligible because their toilets are not fixed (if the law changes, as proposed). They have estimated (because they do not know) that there are 73,000 vehicles currently certified, all of which have usable toilets, but they do not know what kind of toilet. [ ckw.nz/mbie-numbers MBIE estimates the rental fleet at 5,000 vehicles, and they do not know how many of those have fixed or non-fixed toilets either. Responsible, but uncertified freedom campers MBIE does not know how many New Zealanders use their vehicles to freedom camp. How many freedom campers shit in the bushes? MBIE do not know. They have an estimate from a small survey, of how many don't use their onboard toilets, but they did not ask, so they do not know, how many of those used public toilets instead. See Talking to four van loads of international tourists for some real life information on this. How many NZ travellers, not camping, get caught short and use the bushes as a loo? MBIE do not know, and I don't think they have even considered this, nor the inadequate provision of public facilities across the country. They, and we, can pretty safely assume that travellers that don't expect to camp probably don't carry a toilet (fixed or unfixed) with them. All in all, an appalling lack of facts All in all, the lack of facts underlying the proposed legislative changes is pretty appalling. These changes will affect New Zealanders for generations to come, and are being rushed through, regardless of a profound lack of facts. Up Up 2 Summer 2022 , p 4

10 summer 2024 10 summer 2024 BUY AUTHOR INDEX AUTHORS Click on image for full view and caption Beautiful, free, handy. STOP and STAY Lake Poaka Miriam Richardson This is a free DOC camp between Twizel and Tekapo. It is a large flat area, with spectacular mountain views. There is a single long-drop toilet. You don’t need to be self-contained, and tents are ok. No dogs. No open fires. Max 4 nights See the gallery for more photos You turn off SH8 on the Lake Pukaki side of the Pukaki Canal onto the gravel access road, along the banks of the canal. Take it slow, it is rough and rutted. Ignore the first road down from the canal bank as it is very steep and soft. Carry on to the next, easy-access road, which brings you down at the western end of Lake Poaka. There are tracks which let you choose any location around the lake. Get your camera out. You can walk, swim or cycle. Handy to the Ruataniwha Conservation Park.Fishing depends on a permit, but if you are fishing the Pukaki Canal, it provides a handy camping spot. DOC: ckw.nz/doc-poaka | ckw.nz/doc-ruataniwha Photos: Autumn ©M Richardson Up Up 10 summer 2024 , p 43

3 Autumn 2023 3 Autumn 2023 BUY AUTHOR INDEX AUTHORS Click on image for full view and caption Ten hours into a power cut Cheine Matheson Ten hours into a power cut with this cyclone .... THEN I remembered I've got full batteries in Mavis! Cheine Matheson ©2023 Cheine Matheson Up Up 3 Autumn 2023 , p 7

4 Winter 2023 Winter 2023 ISSUE 4 BUY PDF CONTENTS Up Gold miner Wattie Thompson Roland Jones Up I started my travels around the South Island in late March 2023 in my campervan. I decided to travel the South Island anti-clockwise. Over to Nelson and down the coast, stopping at freedom camping sites. I love the natural surroundings that can be found at these back-of-the-way places. Lindis Pass Hotel ©2023 Roland Jones One such place was the Lindis Pass Hotel. I was intrigued by the history of this building. First set up in 1861 it became a permanent building in1873. As I explored the area, I came across this derelict house (above) built by Wattie Thompson who had panned the river for gold for over 50 years. Unfortunately, he went on the AirNZ Erebus flight to Antarctica and never returned. There is a full article which is interesting reading if you follow the link on 1964.co.nz . In the article it states that people are still looking for the place where he stashed his gold. However, I became friendly with another prospector on-site who told me that he left a letter to a farmer’s wife that if anything happened to him, she should read the letter. On opening the letter, it told her where to find the pickle jar containing 80ozs of gold. So the locals still searching are after fools’ gold — LOL. ©2023 Roland Jones Up Up 1/4 ISSN 2815-827X (Online) | ISSN:2815-8261 (Print) editor@campingthekiwiway.org

12 Winter 2025 ISSUE 12 BUY PDF ToC Click on image for full view and caption chilly-onearo_H_ 2.webp GO TO Chilly chilly chilly out there Taranaki STOP and STAY Just some more pics from Onearo Sally Perfect Photos ©2025 Sally Perfect Northern Taranaki, between Waitara and Urenui. Up Up 12 Winter 2025 , p 12

1 Spring 2022 1 Spring 2022 BUY AUTHOR INDEX AUTHORS Click on image for full view and caption Hororata swap meet Fantastic night & great day at the Hororata Mechanical Swap Meet DUZ GO Gary Hitchcock Gary took his teardrop camper to the Hororata Swap Meet and snapped this beauty. “Fantastic night & great day at the Hororata Mechanical Swap Meet. Satisfied my need to go camping & getting a bargain or two. Thanks Hororata. “ May. Photo: ©2022 Gary Hitchcock Up Up 1 Spring 2022 , p 1