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  • bluff-farm

    Winter 2025 ISSUE 12 BUY PDF ToC Click on image for full view and caption bluff_H_farm-night-5.webp GO TO CHILLY CHILLY CHILLY OUT THERE the stunning night sky envelopes us STOP and STAY Bluff Farm Leigh Naylor Kings Birthday weekend 2025 If you’ve never been to Bluff Farm then you are missing a treat. Situated at 926 Ashley Gorge Road, Oxford with a red letterbox marking the turn off onto Kimbers Road, it is a working dairy farm owned by Gavin and Kylie Bay. You arrive to the welcoming yap of two Jack Russels— Bear and Poppy, who escort you into an expansive camping area recently planted in native shelter trees. To the west are the alluring foothills of Oxford where the sun sets leaving its final splash of hue before the stunning night sky envelopes us, revealing its magical, celestial display of stars and satellites. Oxford has now gained dark sky accreditation. The eerie call of morepork reaches us and the challenge is on — to find his home. To the east is the Ashley River with its braided channels and is home to wrybill, banded dotterel, black-backed gull, pied stilt, and South Island oyster catcher. Some of these birds are endangered and would make a great photo. Gavin and Kylie have recently built a spacious pergola area that we can use for shelter if it rains. It is graced by an enormous fire drum with two chimneys that draw so well when the fire is stoked with the wood generously supplied by the owners. When the door is open it invokes thoughts of fire breathing dragons with horns that also roar their presence. Our circle grows and the warmth invites conversation amongst the members. The fire guards our sacred stories of yesteryear as we reminisce, sharing our own camping experiences. Eventually the marshmallows and chocolate biscuits arrive. It’s time to toast up a treat!! Squishy hot marshmallow sandwiched between two choice bikkies. Yum!! Thanks to the children who volunteered to do the toasting. The glowing embers are massive and their warmth reaches our chilled bodies. Morepork is still calling to us — tomorrow we will find him. The new day is here with blue sky and sunshine. Magpies are warbling and bellbird is serenading us from the ribbonwood tree. Baby piglets eagerly grunt at us as we pass by their pen and mother pig lazily grazes in the paddock nearby. Life is good. It’s milking time and before the cows return, we amble up the farm track in search of elusive morepork. We check out barns and look in trees but to no avail — he is too clever for us! However, determination does win out. Tony spots him the following day, resting on the wood pile. Oh morepork with your uncanny cry !! You have made Bluff Farm your home. How good is that? Debbie has decided to try out her new oven. She has cooked scones and has served them with jam and cream — thanks Debbie. They were delicious and didn’t last long!! Some of us visit the Oxford market with its numerous craft and food stalls. Others bring out their metal detectors and share their skills in the art of metal detecting. A great pastime but no gold to be found. Oh well!! There’s always another day. Finally, a big thank you to our hosts Gavin and Kylie, who were there to chat to us and stoke the fire. You were terrific and your efforts were much appreciated. 🏕️ stopandstaynz.org Up Up 12 Winter 2025 , p 29

  • diesel-heaters

    8 Winter 2024 8 Winter 2024 BUY AUTHOR INDEX AUTHORS Click on image for full view and caption 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

  • apc-morisons

    7 Autumn 2024 Autumn 2024 ISSUE 7 BUY PDF CONTENTS Click on image for full view and caption Morisons Bush, Waitangi Weekend 2024 All Points Camping at Morisons Bush, Waitangi Weekend 2024. ©2024 Bette Cosgrove Morisons Bush, Waitangi Weekend 2024 All Points Camping at Morisons Bush, Waitangi Weekend 2024. ©2024 Bette Cosgrove All Points Camping at Morisons Bush Bette Cosgrove All Points Camping at Morisons Bush, Waitangi Weekend 2024. ©2024 Bette Cosgrove GO TO Celebrating Summer Private property. Not affected by law changes. Up Up 7 Autumn 2024 , p 21 ISSN 2815-827X (Online) | ISSN:2815-8261 (Print) ISSUE 4 editor@campingthekiwiway.org

  • shoulder-of-a-god

    9 Spring 2024 Spring 2024 ISSUE 9 BUY PDF CONTENTS Click on image for full view and caption ©2024 M Richardson ©2024 M Richardson ©2024 M Richardson ©2024 M Richardson ©2024 M Richardson ©2024 M Richardson ©2024 M Richardson ©2024 M Richardson ©2024 M Richardson ©2024 M Richardson ©2024 M Richardson ©2024 M Richardson ©2024 M Richardson ©2024 M Richardson ©2024 M Richardson ©2024 M Richardson ©2024 M Richardson ©2024 M Richardson ©2024 M Richardson ©2024 M Richardson I am perched on the shoulder of a god On the shoulder of a god Miriam Richardson It was August when I set off from Ōtaki for a few nights on Mt Taranaki. This was before my campervan days, so I was booked in to The Camphouse, high on Mt Taranaki in the National Park. Although there is a sealed road to The Camphouse, like other DOC tramping huts I was booking just a bed and mattress in a bunk house. Apart from some late night hoons in the carpark I had the place mostly to myself. I had a great view of Mt Ngāuruhoe on my first day there, though it was invisible for the rest of my stay. On the shoulder of a god I feel the last of the sun’s winter warmth in the macrocarpa seat Squint a little in the bright snow-light Watch my black footprints soften in the snow Listen to a drip from the roof a faint gurgle in the drainpipe corrugated iron ticking in the sun. I am so high up I see a storm ride from land to sea swallowing the broad curve of coast. I see our civilisation shrink —nothing more than a patchwork quilt moulded to the curves and hollows of the plain, dotted with bright beads and sequins. I’m perched on the shoulder of a god. Beyond, on the white plateau another god, pale pink and mauve,rides my horizon. I still struggle to accept that anything so large can so completely disappear. Thankfully Taranaki didn’t disappear on me. There are several day-walks from the hut. You must book online with DOC for this hut. Your booking gives you an unlock code, to obtain a key. There are locked boxes at the visitors’ centre below the Camphouse that hold the keys.tip: Take a torch. If you can do without your privacy for a night or two, you get an easy access, fantastic base to explore the mountain, with spectacular views, and, if the gods are kind, views of Ruapehu and Ngāuruhoe. ◼️ More: ckw.nz/camphouse Images ©2024 Miriam Richardson Up Up 9 Spring 2024 , p 19

  • caravan-wants

    1 Spring 2022 1 Spring 2022 BUY AUTHOR INDEX AUTHORS Click on image for full view and caption The new caravan We watched our neighbours with a more modern caravan heading off in winter with dogs included and thought that should be us too A New Zealand built Anglo Imp The caravan was a New Zealand built Anglo Imp which was basically a heavy square box with a brand-new awning but was a little tired. A seccond awning We set up another awning on the opposite side to the usual which doubled the covered area for cooking, eating and shade. Two awnings again Again we set up 2 awnings, one totally enclosed for cooking and a fly awning for shade, eating and seating. An Awning for shade We thought that should be us too -- so we sold our pop-top and started looking for caravan Do you know what you want in a caravan — or are you just winging it? Marty & Diana Ireland My wife and I bought our first caravan over 10 years ago, just because it was for sale at a price we thought would be a good buy, to go caravanning. Prior to that we had only tented once or twice with loaned gear and this was our starting point. The caravan was a New Zealand built Anglo Imp which was basically a heavy square box with a brand-new awning but was a little tired. We set up another awning on the opposite side to the usual which doubled the covered area for cooking, eating and shade. Eventually with health reasons driving a change, instead of a refit we sold and purchased a Sprite fiberglass roof pop-top, sight unseen, apart from photographs and a description. We found hidden rot in the floor and very light joinery so we did a strip out and rebuild with a large comfortable bed, seating and storage. Again we set up 2 awnings, one totally enclosed for cooking and a fly awning for shade, eating and seating. We watched our neighbours with a more modern caravan heading off in winter with dogs included and thought that should be us too and so we sold our little pop-top and started looking for an English import type. What we thought we wanted soon changed as we sat in and viewed a number of vans over about 3 months. With size restrictions due to wanting to store on our home section, rather than off-site∞ we finally made a decision. We decided on motor movers: these assist with home and campsite parking. We really recommend these. We discovered and joined APCNZ and got it certified for self-containment. We have found the club’s online information very helpful. We have enjoyed contributing to their suggested camps and to see others’ suggestions. We now plan and check out camp sites for an excursion every 4 months or so. We are looking forward to many happy camps and experiences into the future and invite you to do the same. 
 Our backdoor is our playground. BY: Marty & Diana PHOTOS: ©2022 Marty Up Up 1 Spring 2022 , p 17

  • ferrymead

    10 summer 2024 Summer 2024 ISSUE 10 BUY PDF ToC Click on image for full view and caption GO TO Springing My day at Ferrymead Tony Knights My day at Ferrymead Heritage Park, Christchurch. ©2024 Tony Knights See the gallery Up Up 10 Summer 2024 , p 19

  • 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

  • rugby-mt-somers

    8 Winter 2024 Winter 2024 ISSUE 8 BUY PDF CONTENTS Click on image for full view and caption autumn-rugby-5_H.webp GO TO Autumn Gold Rugby at Mt Somers Linda Butler Campers enjoying a local rugby game at Mt Somers. See p31, A weekend at Mt Somers. ©2024 Linda Butler Up Up 8 Winter 2024 , p 13

  • halfway

    4 Winter 2023 4 Winter 2023 BUY AUTHOR INDEX AUTHORS Click on image for full view and caption Halfway through my 73 days traveling Roland Jones 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 Up Up 4 Winter 2023 , p 8

  • stubborn-peg

    4 Winter 2023 Autumn 2024 ISSUE 7 BUY PDF CONTENTS Click on image for full view and caption Cure for a stubborn peg Cure for a stubborn peg © 2024 Heather Edmeades A cure for the stubborn peg Heather Edmeades I thought people might find this useful — I always struggle to pull pegs out (yes I use another peg, use the guy — I’m just lacking in strength) then I learnt how to splice, and was looking for something to make once I had done all the guys that needed replacing. It is an old steel peg that I bent into a ring using a hammer and vice. Super useful as it is easy to grip with both hands and use your legs to heave out even the most stubborn peg. ©2024 Heather Edmeades GO TO Celebrating Summer I can heave out even the most stubborn peg Up Up 7 Autumn 2024 , p 18 ISSN 2815-827X (Online) | ISSN:2815-8261 (Print) ISSUE 4 editor@campingthekiwiway.org

  • terako-entracne

    10 summer 2024 Summer 2024 ISSUE 10 BUY PDF ToC Click on image for full view and caption GO TO Springing Terako Downs entrance Debbie Tutton Terako Downs entrance, Labour Weekend. Teeming at Terako Downs ©2024 Debbie Tutton Up Up 10 Summer 2024 , p 17

  • events-spring-22

    1 Spring 2022 Events Up Editor FRI, 16 Sept: Onaero Onaero Bay Spring Club Camp North of Taranaki on the west coast, Onaero Bay Holiday Park is a great place for a Spring camp. RSVP. More: ckw.nz/onaero FRI, 30 Sept: Kaitoke Kaitoke All Points Camp (Upper Hutt) Join our Wellington area hosts for a relaxing scenic camp at Kaitoke Regional Park. All campers are welcome. Powered sites are limited (6). Note: Due to poison currently no dogs (subject to change). RSVP.
 More FRI, 11 Nov: Thames Thames Steampunk Camp A weekend camp at Thames South School for the Thames 2022 Circus Punk weekend. Come as you are or dress up for a fantastic weekend. Yes, you can bring your tent; bring the family. (See page 25.) 
More FRI, 02 Dec: Pāuatahanui Battle Hill (Wgtn) A Club camp — guests welcome but registrations required. Battle Hill is a historic site within a short distance of Porirua and nestled under Transmission Gully. Feed the eels, enjoy a farmland nature walk. Campfires yes but dogs no as its a working farm. Families with tents welcome. 
More: ckw.nz/battle-hill THU, 29 Dec: Reporoa New Year Camp Taupo — All Points Camping Club 7th Birthday Let’s make it an extra special Happy New Year camp. It’s our club’s 7th Birthday and we are just itching to have fun. Club members and guests are welcome to join us. Please register. More: ckw.nz/new-year 2023 MAR 17 – 19 2023: CAMP FEST Bulls Domain, Rangitikei A weekend of camping, craft and trade stalls, workshops and entertainment. Tents, campervans, caravans, trailer campers, housetrucks and more. More: route54.org/campfest | fun@route54.org MAR 31 2023: Kimbolton Camping 2023 Kimbolton Sculpture Festival Join us for an amazing weekend camping at the Kimbolton Sculpture Festival. The Festival day is Saturday 1 April. All campers — tents, trailer campers, teardrops, caravans, motorhomes welcome. (See page 30.) More: All Points Camping | Festival LIST YOUR EVENT? Any event with a camping component can list here free. 
Country fairs, music festivals &c, if they cater for campers. Photos 1mb minimum. Get the details in by 1 NOV for the Summer/December issue. Up Up Up Spring 2022 ISSUE 1 BUY PDF CONTENTS Onaero Bay Holiday Park FRI, 16 Sept: Onaero Onaero Bay Spring Club Camp North of Taranaki on the west coast, Onaero Bay Holiday Park is a great place for a Spring camp. RSVP. Kaitoke FRI, 30 sept: Kaitoke Kaitoke All Points Camp (Upper Hutt) Join our Wellington area hosts for a relaxing scenic camp at Kaitoke Regional Park. All campers are welcome. Powered sites are limited (6). Note: Due to poison currently no dogs (subject to change). RSVP. Near Reporoa, Taupo THU, 29 dec: Reporoa New Year Camp Taupo — All Points Camping Club 7th Birthday Let’s make it an extra special Happy New Year camp. It’s our club’s 7th Birthday and we are just itching to have fun. Club members and guests are welcome to join us. Photo: nearby Reporoa gorge. Onaero Bay Holiday Park FRI, 16 Sept: Onaero Onaero Bay Spring Club Camp North of Taranaki on the west coast, Onaero Bay Holiday Park is a great place for a Spring camp. RSVP. 1/7

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