8 Winter 2024 BUY AUTHOR INDEX AUTHORS Click on image for full view and caption Bus-services-H.webp need some helop? Camping and RV Businesses Services Gary Stoneley, NZ Lifestyle Camping Ltd Find services and suppplies for camping and campers of all kinds. Any relevant business can list; it is free. Anyone can recommend a business to add to the list. No endorsement is implied. The thumbs up shows people you can ask , if you are stuck. Local knowledge. Brought to you by nzlifestylecamping.com NZ’s independent national network for self-containment Those who can issue the new green warrants are marked with green icons. North Island South Island National Services Up Up 8 Winter 2024 , p 45

7 Autumn 2024 BUY AUTHOR INDEX AUTHORS Click on image for full view and caption Lake Ohau ©2024 Pam Clarke Looking to the moutains from the Round Bush campsite ©2024 Pam Clarke Looking down from the Round Bush campsite ©2024 Pam Clarke Dusk on Lake Ohau ©2024 Pam Clarke Lake Ohau ©2024 Pam Clarke Lake Ohau Track I also walked half of the Lake Ōhau Track which follows around the lake for 10km coming out on Glen Lion Road. This is part of the A2O and I really wished I’d brought my bike! Again, next time! ©2024 Pam Clarke Glen Lion Rd I also walked half of the Lake Ōhau Track which follows around the lake for 10km coming out on Glen Lion Road. This is part of the A2O and I really wished I’d brought my bike! Again, next time! ©2024 Pam Clarke Part of the A20 great ride. I also walked half of the Lake Ōhau Track which follows around the lake for 10km coming out on Glen Lion Road. This is part of the A2O and I really wished I’d brought my bike! Again, next time! ©2024 Pam Clarke Parsons Creek track I walked some of the Parsons Creek track, which goes up through beech trees then joins the Te Araroa Trail with amazing views over the lake. It was a really hot day so I only continued on for about 45 minutes then turned back, but will go back in cooler weather to do more. ©2024 Pam Clarke as i drove to work on Monday the lake was like glass A lovely long weekend away at Lake Ōhau Pam Clarke I’ve just had a lovely long weekend away at Lake Ōhau in my little Wanda. Stayed one night at Round Bush campsite and 2 at Lake Middleton, both are DOC sites, Round Bush is free and Lake Middleton just $10 at this time of year and free from Easter to October. It was quite windy the entire weekend so my plans of getting out on my paddleboard didn’t happen, but I did have a (very quick and cold!) swim in Lake Ōhau which was refreshing! I walked some of the Parsons Creek track, which goes up through beech trees then joins the Te Araroa Trail with amazing views over the lake. It was a really hot day so I only continued on for about 45 minutes then turned back, but will go back in cooler weather to do more. I also walked half of the Lake Ōhau Track which follows around the lake for 10km coming out on Glen Lion Road. This is part of the A2O and I really wished I’d brought my bike! Again, next time! At the campsite I got chatting to a guy about local walks and he said it’s possible to get up to the Tarnbrae Lookout track from a path behind the village. I had a quick wander to look but didn’t find it. With all the new building going on it’s hard to tell what’s a public path and what’s a new driveway to somebody’s section. As there were high winds Sunday afternoon I decided to stay another night, and drove straight to work early Monday morning, which was of course a bright sunny and calm day! Driving past the lake it was like glass, and much as I enjoy my job I did wish I had the day off to stay and paddleboard. n Photos ©2024 Pam Clarke Up Up 7 Autumn 2024 , p 11

7 Autumn 2024 BUY AUTHOR INDEX AUTHORS Click on image for full view and caption Adrienne, Jean & Carolyn Between them they have over 240 years of camping experience. Adrienne, Jean & Carolyn. ©2024 Bette Cosgrove Sisters, Carolyn and Adrienne ©2024 Bette Cosgrove Passed down camping grear. Passed down camping gear: food safe, table, basin. The caravan behind was built by Adrienne’s father (it appears in Issue 2 and is profiled in Issue 5.) ©2024 Bette Cosgrove river bank sites, a football field, a pickers hut, wild camping all over NZ Three octogenarian campers Bette Cosgrove Between them they have over 240 years of camping experience. Adrienne, Jean & Carolyn. Jean Roger, 88yrs old. I grew up in UK, in South End on Sea. Being born across the road from the beach, I lived alongside thousands of holidaymakers. They arrived in NZ in 1957 and couldn’t afford holidays so they went camping. 62 years ago, and with our infant son Peter, we first went camping as a family. We shoved all the stuff in the work Vanguard station wagon and loaded paint sheet, broom handles, nails as pegs, ball of string, with a grey blanket safety-pinned on as a screen. Slept in the back of the vehicle. They had to disengage the horn because 3 yr old Peter slept across the front seat, and would put his foot on the horn in the night. Sisters, Carolyn and Adrienne Adrienne Leslie, age 86 My earliest camping memory was at age 4, October 6, 1943, with Ngati Porou on the marae at Ruatoria in the historic presentation of the VC medal to 2nd Lt Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa Ngarimu, posthumously, at a massive hui of 7,000 people presided over by Sir Apirana Ngata. We slept on the whare floor with all the local kids. There were 1200 children at the event. Her Father, Thomas Houston, Govt Inspector of Health who spoke fluent te reo, pointed out his Excellency, the Governor-General, Sir Cyrill Newall and the Prime Minister, Rt Hon Peter Fraser in the back of big black cars. I remember amazing kapa haka and waiata performed by hundreds of beautiful dancers. I remember I was told it was one of the most important events I would ever attend in my life … and it was in fact reported at the time as one of the largest and most fully documented Māori gatherings ever held. This ceremony doubled as a tribute to the magnificent part played by the Māori Battalion in all the operations of the Second New Zealand Division, as well as acting as a form of public mourning for the fact that no bodies had been returned to New Zealand. † For Adrienne it was unforgettable The war was on so no tents, and couldn’t get anything. Carolyn Moore, aged 82 Began camping at age 5 or 6. We went with Mum and Dad in a borrowed tent, and camped on the Buller at Gowan Bridge, because Mum ’n Dad loved dry-fly trout fishing. Our tents were mouldy and leaked like a sieve and we had to pack up and leave. Absolutely miserable; and have had many miserable camps over the years. We slept in the car half the time. We never went into campgrounds, finding river bank sites, on football fields, a pickers hut near Motueka, so always wild camping. All over NZ. We always had a spade to dig holes. One for the long drop, and one for the rubbish. Lake Mavora was a three week stint in the rain, most memorable. Camped alongside the river, outside the old homestead which is gone now. As an adult they took their infant son camping. Drove the Jowett Javelin, which I still own. We loaded up with a Farmers green and brown canvas tent, cot, high chair, and travelled up to the far north at Taipa. The tent was handed down from our parents-in-law who had used it at little Oneroa on their land in Waiheke. We eventually graduated to a caravan. Their legacy has been passed down through the generations, to great-grand children in the family, who now camp at All Points Camping Club. Passed down camping gear: food safe, table, basin. The caravan behind was built by Adrienne’s father (it appears in Issue 2 and is profiled in Issue 5.) † www.28maoribattalion.org.nz/photo/ngarimus-vc-hui-ruatoria-1943 Grandad's grandad's Caravan (Issue 5) Freedom camping (Issue 3) Up Up 7 Autumn 2024 , p 37

7 Autumn 2024 BUY AUTHOR INDEX AUTHORS Click on image for full view and caption I can’t really take in how gorgeous the McKenzie Basin is ©2024 Louise Hamilton I can’t really take in how gorgeous the McKenzie Basin is ©2024 Louise Hamilton swimming and reading this afternoon Foray into paradise Louise Hamilton Up Up 7 Autumn 2024 , p 5

6 Summer 2023 BUY AUTHOR INDEX AUTHORS Click on image for full view and caption Waikato River Trails Waikato River Trails Waikato River Trails ​ Biking the Waikato River Trails Glyn Wooller Waikato River Trails recently attended the motorhome and campervan show at Mystery Creek, Hamilton. We were delighted and slightly overwhelmed with the interest in cycling, particularly from those with ebikes, and the keen interest in the camping areas along the trails. Here’s the exciting opportunities for your stay and cycle journey on the Waikato River Trails. The Trails are just over 100km long, extending from Atiamuri in the south to Lake Karapiro in the north. Seventy km is off-road and just over 30km on-road. The Trails largely sit close to the beautiful Waikato River with stunning scenery along each bend and it touches the villages of Atiamuri, Whakamaru, Mangakino and Arapuni. Cafés await you at Whakamaru, Mangakino and Arapuni. About half the use of the Trails is cycling the other half walking or running. Now the great news, if you have a campervan or caravan. Thanks to South Waikato and Taupo District Councils there are a number of fantastic riverside reserves available for camping, each directly connected to the trails. Dunhams reserve, Lake Whakamaru, Whakamaru reserve, Mangakino Lakefront reserve, Lake Mareatai, Jones Landing, Lake Arapuni and Little Waipa Reserve, Lake Karapiro. The Waikato River Trails website has detailed maps including all reserve locations. For maps and more information about the Waikato River Trails visit our website waikatorivertrails.co.nz . Have a great summer and we hope to see you on the trail — enjoy the ride, the cafes and remember if you need a shuttle there are great operators to help you out. A request from South Waikato District Council Freedom camping is welcomed at the following South Waikato District reserves: Little Waipa, Jones Landing, Lake Whakamaru Reserve and Dunhams Point. All these camping reserves have public toilets, BBQ, rubbish bins and shower facilities. Also boat ramp access. Council ask that you get a camping permit from the council website, it only takes a few minutes: ckw.nz/waikato-camp-permit Glyn Wooller, Waikato River Trails Up Up 6 Summer 2023 , p 11

5 Spring 2023 BUY AUTHOR INDEX AUTHORS Click on image for full view and caption SStay-lake ohau_1MNR218.webp SStay-ohau_MNR1133-2.webp SStay-Bendigo_MNR4811.webp SStay_DOC park Hanmer.webp SStay-Paeroa-museum.webp SStay-VinegarHill.webp SStay-Lake-Aniwhenua.webp SStay-F_lake ohau_1MNR218 copy.webp a growing, nationwide, Stop and Stay listing for campers and travellers Why not stop and stay a while? Angela Bryan Introducing Stop and Stay, where to stop when travelling and camping in NZ — use it, share it, add to it. NZ’s national camping club, All Points Camping, is proud to bring you their growing, nationwide, Stop and Stay listings for campers and travellers. With the NZ Government and local authorities moving to restrict camping access for both traveling NZers and for recreational campers, it is more important than ever to have recommended places to stop and stay. Finding that perfect spot to relax or get together with family and friends is getting harder and you shouldn’t have to belong to specific organisations to get access to an overnight park. Stop and Stay brings you this. It’s a free resource for NZ campers and travellers, brought to you by campers, for campers. Its free, too, for property owners to be on the list. Stop overs come recommended; some are discounted; they are scattered throughout the country: north, south, east or west there is likely to be a Stop and Stay property on your way. It might be a country pub for a meal, a rural property, a council reserve, a DOC camp; it might be a commercial campground to stay at or a unique day-stop or cafe to visit on your travels. Properties are recommended by the camping public, so you know that they are the best places for NZ travelling campers. Remember to always check with hosts first — phone numbers are provided on most listings, and keep in mind that some properties have restrictions. Dog-friendly properties are indicated on each listing, as are wheelchair accessible properties. Anyone one can access the list or make recommendations, not just club members. The listings can be accessed online on any device, they can be downloaded or printed: stopandstaynz.org Can it get any easier? Can’t find a property in the area you are travelling to? Some areas around NZ have more listings than others; we are always keen to add to the current listings, provided the property has come with recommendations from campers. Tell us about your favourite camping spot, no matter where it is, and what makes it special. Is it right off the beach for an easy fish before breakfast, is it a great spot to go camping with the family pooch, is it super family-friendly with great entertainment for the kids? We want to know. It is as easy as filling in a form: ckw.nz/add-one-now Our regional divisions:North Island: Upper NICentral NI Lower NI South Island:Upper SI Lower SI Symbols on each listing make it easy to find the property that suits you at a glance, including seaside, countryside, or mountains.If you want to fish, go boating , tramping or cycling we have pretty much covered all the options. New Zealand has so many hidden, out of the way little places that may not otherwise appear on your radar when you’re looking for that special place to Stop and Stay. If you find A SPOTdon’t keep it a secret: ckw.nz/add-one-now Some of those special places North Island Lake Aniwhenua Reserve,Bay of Plenty, Whakatane FREE This is a freedom camping area with basic toilet and shower facilities and a cooking shelter. The lake is a popular trout fishery and water ski area. Camping in non-self-contained vehicles and tents is allowed. Sites must be left clean. Who: Tents, caravans, motorhomes, vans Facilities: Toilets, showers, drinking water Activities: Hiking, fishing, swimming, boats and water sports Vinegar Hill, Manawatu Low cost/Free Awesome campsite located right next to the river. A peaceful, council-operated campground, situated just north of Hunterville on the bypass route into the beautiful Manawatu district. Who: Tents, caravans, motorhomes, vans Facilities: Toilets and cold showers Activities: Fishing, swimming, cycling, hiking Cost: Low cost in summer; free in winter Historic Maritime Museum & Park, Paeroa, Waikato Low cost Five minutes from Paeroa the Historic Maritime Museum and Park has beautifully laid out grounds, river boardwalks and daily boat rides. Who: Caravans, motorhomes, vans:must be self-contained Facilities: Toilets, BBQ’s, fresh water Activities: Hiking, cycling, river boat rides, museum South Island Hanmer Amenity AreaHanmer Springs, Canterbury Free Just behind the DOC fenced compound is a lovely reasonably flat camping area. There’s a stream, several walking and cycling tracks. It’s an easy walk into the town and the famous Hanmer Springs pools. Who: Tents, caravans, motorhomes, vans: non-self-contained is allowed; dogs allowed. Facilities: Toilets Activities: Hiking, mountain biking, cycling Round Bush CampsiteLake Ohau, Waitaki, Canterbury Free Beautiful beech forest, hung with mistletoe in summer, grows right up to the edge of Lake Ohau. Stunning views of Lake Ohau and the mountains. It’s a gravel road from the Ohau township. Bring insect repellant. Large vehicle access. 4 nights max. DOC. Who: Tents, caravans, motorhomes, vans Facilities: Non-flush toilet, water from stream. Activities: Boating, swimming, walks, photography. Bendigo freedom campingCromwell – Lindis Crossing Rd Free A beautiful site between the road (SH8) and Lake Dunstan looking across to the Pisa Range. Flush toilets, rubbish bins. 3 nights max. No fires. Some road noise. Who: Tents, caravans, motorhomes, vans Facilities: Flush toilets, rubbish bins. Activities: swimming, boating, walks. Up Up 5 Spring 2023 , p 12

7 Autumn 2024 BUY AUTHOR INDEX AUTHORS Click on image for full view and caption A self-contained caravan at Waihopai. ©2024 M Ireland substantial unnecessary costs 7 days a week Gary Stoneley 7 days a week, NZ Lifestyle Camping works to support NZ campers and the commercial vehicle industry that require certified self-containment — to meet central and local government requirements. At a recent industry-wide meeting, there was a consensus that the new PGDB-administered self-containment regulations are not fit for purpose. There are substantial unnecessary costs on campers and the industry. The Government is being lobbied to urgently fix the issues. We recommend holding off on getting a new green warrant at this time unless it is essential for you to do so. The new regulations may be yet be amended or the legislation repealed. From 7 June this year we cannot give new (or renew) blue warrant cards that can be used for freedom camping. Check out where existing blue warrant cards work on PAGE 6 . If you have a fixed toilet, consider renewing your blue warrant before 7 June, so you can continue to freedom camp as long as possible. PROS and CONS: SEE p8 . The 4-year blue warrant card will continue to be recognised by most private and commercial host properties, at events, including club events and any land not managed by Councils or LINZ. If camping in an area designated for ‘all campers’ or ‘non self-contained vehicles’ by councils, the green warrant is no more effective than a current blue warrant. There are now thousands of private host properties throughout NZ, plus DOC campsites and council-managed reserves that welcome all campers: your blue warrant will likely suffice. NZ Lifestyle Camping Ltd is continuing to certify vehicles under the current NZ Standard. There are a few plumbers issuing green certs under the flawed regulations. SEE p2 If and when we know that the substantial issues with the new regulations are resolved NZ Lifestyle Camping will move to becoming a certifier under the new scheme. In the meantime the pressure is on the Government to fix this. NZ’s independent national network for self-containment certification With a national network of more than 170 self-containment testing officers, NZ Lifestyle Camping supports the NZ leisure camping industry. You do not need to be a member of a club or organisation to get your self-containment certification through NZLC but must have a vehicle that is fit for the purpose of habitation. NZ Lifestyle Camping’s network of testing officers adhere to the requirements of the current NZ Standard, NZS 5465:2001, for the self-containment of motor vehicles. FYI: We do not recommend freedom camping while you await your final documentation and window card. Without these you are at risk of receiving a $400 fine. We remain committed to supporting all types of campers throughout NZ. For persons with camping vehicles containing portable toilets, a limited certificate can be issued which identifies your vehicle as self-contained for staying on all other land in NZ (commercial, private, club-owned) or at events requiring self-containment. To find or arrange a self-containment check please contact a testing officer near you: nzlifestylecamping.com | North I sland | South Island . Fees • NZ Lifestyle Camping has a standard processing and issue fee of $45 to cover the costs of issuing the required documentation and maintaining our national network. • This is as well as any fee testing officers may charge for their time. ( The new green warrant system will be more much expensive). We wish everyone safe travels. We encourage ‘Leave no Trace’ principles when camping. Kind regards,Gary Stoneley, NZ Lifestyle Camping LtdPh 027 246 9778 nzlifestylecamping.com LIFESTYLECAMPING.COM Articles in this issue on the freedom camping law changes: Predictable problems with the new CSC green warrant system (p2) Editorial (p3) Self-containment warrant cards: Which one is yours? (p6) So you want to freedom camp (p8) What is ‘self-contained’, anyway? (p10) Enforcement of freedom camping rules (p12) I am not freedom camping' cards (p14) Do your bit: Task of the week (p16) No more freedom camping (p16) Kaikōura: the freedom camping Wild West (p18) Hey NZ Govt? You are messing with my mental health (p20) 7 days a week (p21) Celebrating Summer (p5) Up Up 7 Autumn 2024 , p 21

7 Autumn 2024 BUY AUTHOR INDEX AUTHORS Click on image for full view and caption Kārearea / NZ Falcon chick with down feathers Image: Kārearea / NZ Falcon chick with down feathers, © DOC finding creative ways to enjoy nature DOC update DOC Above image: Kārearea / NZ Falcon chick with down feathers, DOC Clear water in Nelson Lakes. ©2024 Miriam Richardson Clean your gear DOC call to help prevent the spread of invasive algae to lakes and rivers. People heading into Nelson Lakes National Park this summer are being asked to clean their gear at new cleaning stations to prevent invasive algae being spread to the park’s pristine alpine lakes and rivers. ckw.nz/invasive Coastal forest on the Nikau Loop Track , Andrej Ricnik | Creative Commons Works underway to reopen Morere Hot Pools Reopening Morere Hot Pools (Hawke’s Bay) has begun on major remedial and infrastructure works at the pools. They hope to open in April or May 2024. ckw.nz/morere George Ledgard, DOC More than 10,000 wild goats removed in anational competition DOC, the New Zealand Deerstalkers Association and Hunting & Fishing NZ are thrilled by strong support for the National Wild Goat Hunting Competition. ckw.nz/goats | Image: George Ledgard, DOC Karamea, © 2024 Andrew Morton Nature as therapy is the focus of a new guide A new free guide to help improve well-being by connecting with nature for therapy is available in Tairāwhiti, Gisborne. Ways to Wellness Tairāwhiti: He Te Ara Taiao ki te Ora Tairawhiti was originally developed using the ‘Healthy Nature Healthy People’ programme, which ran until 2021, encouraging us to connect with nature to improve their health and wellbeing. ckw.nz/nature-therapy | Drift Bay, Queenstown, DOC DOC report shows short adventures trending for travellers Short walks and leisurely activities like sightseeing, photography, and bird and wildlife watching were the most popular outdoor activities for kiwi and international visitors, according to DOC’s annual visitor in. sights report. “It is really encouraging to see people are still finding creative ways to enjoy nature, by switching to different areas and exploring different activities such as short walks and cultural heritage sites.” ckw.nz/most-popular The waharoa © 2024 Andrew Morton Ōparara Basin waharoa unveiled A waharoa (gateway) marking the entry to a viewpoint of the Ōparara Basin north of Karamea was unveiled in November ‘23 signalling the completion of a major upgrade to visitor facilities. Ōparara, in Kahurangi National Park, is known for its spectacular limestone formations, including incredible arches and the Honeycomb Caves. A summer to remember p15. The new viewpoint provides a spectacular view of the basin and includes interpretation for visitors such as a stone diorama explaining the geological formation of the area. ckw.nz/unveiled The new viewpoint provides a spectacular view of the basin and includes interpretation for visitors such as a stone diorama explaining the geological formation of the area.© 2024 Andrew Morton Image: Giverny Forbes / DOC A sea lion/pakake mum swam 60 kilometres inland Unusually, a sea lion/pakake mum swam 60 km inland to find her preferred spot to give birth. People are reminded to keep their distance from all marine mammals. ckw.nz/sea-lion Image: DOC video Checking a week-old Albatross chick, Tairoa Heads Rangers doing their daily check of the week-old nestling at the Royal Cam nesting site. The chick is at a good and healthy weight! 1/2/24. ckw.nz/albatross-cam Up Up 7 Autumn 2024 , p 33

5 Spring 2023 BUY AUTHOR INDEX AUTHORS Click on image for full view and caption tiny-van-dog-beach-TH.jpg ​ At the beach Steve Allen ©2023 Steve Allen Up Up 5 Spring 2023 , p 4

7 Autumn 2024 BUY AUTHOR INDEX AUTHORS Click on image for full view and caption Traction engine rides ©2024 Margaret Earle Traction engine rides My granddaughters particularly liked the traction engine rides and dancing to the music at the various stages around the central business district. ©2024 Margaret Earle Vintage and classic cars On Saturday the main street was packed with a display of vintage and classic cars and other vehicles of those eras. ©2024 Margaret Earle Vintage and classic cars On Saturday the main street was packed with a display of vintage and classic cars and other vehicles of those eras. ©2024 Margaret Earle The vintage weekend is an annual event held over Wellington Anniversary Weekend. Music at the various stages around the central business district. ©2024 Margaret Earle More music Music at the various stages around the central business district. ©2024 Margaret Earle Dancing to the music Dancing to the music at the various stages around the central business district. ©2024 Margaret Earle SteamRail Wanganui ©2024 Margaret Earle Wanganui Aeroclub ©2024 Margaret Earle Aeroclub We drove out to the Whanganui Aeroclub on Sunday morning to see the planes on display. My three-year-old granddaughter had lots of fun climbing into the cockpit of a top-dressing plane and a couple of others that were open to view. ©2024 Margaret Earle Aeroclub We drove out to the Whanganui Aeroclub on Sunday morning to see the planes on display. My three-year-old granddaughter had lots of fun climbing into the cockpit of a top-dressing plane and a couple of others that were open to view. ©2024 Margaret Earle Aeroclub We drove out to the Whanganui Aeroclub on Sunday morning to see the planes on display. My three-year-old granddaughter had lots of fun climbing into the cockpit of a top-dressing plane and a couple of others that were open to view. ©2024 Margaret Earle All Points camp at the Whanganui Intermediate School In January, 70 adults and 25 young people took part in an All Points camp at the Whanganui Intermediate School. ©2024 Margaret Earle A mix of caravans, tents, motor homes and small vans We were camped in a mix of caravans, tents, motor homes and small vans and many camped as family groups or groups of friends. There was a great sense of community during the weekend. ©2024 Margaret Earle A mix of caravans, tents, motor homes and small vans We were camped in a mix of caravans, tents, motor homes and small vans and many camped as family groups or groups of friends. There was a great sense of community during the weekend. ©2024 Margaret Earle A mix of caravans, tents, motor homes and small vans We were camped in a mix of caravans, tents, motor homes and small vans and many camped as family groups or groups of friends. There was a great sense of community during the weekend. ©2024 Margaret Earle A mix of caravans, tents, motor homes and small vans We were camped in a mix of caravans, tents, motor homes and small vans and many camped as family groups or groups of friends. There was a great sense of community during the weekend. ©2024 Margaret Earle A great sense of community at the All Points Camp. All Points camp at the Whanganui Intermediate School. ©2024 Margaret Earle Come and camp with us next year Whanganui vintage camping Margaret Earle In January, 70 adults and 25 young people took part in an All Points camp at the Whanganui Intermediate School. They were camped in a mix of caravans, tents, motor homes and small vans and many camped as family groups or groups of friends. There was a great sense of community during the weekend. The Intermediate School is in walking distance of the many events held during the Whanganui Vintage Weekend. The vintage weekend is an annual event held over Wellington Anniversary Weekend. The first vintage weekend was held in 2012 and the following year the Whanganui Vintage Weekend Trust was formed to grow the event for the benefit of the Whanganui community. Over the course of the weekend a great variety of events are held. Many of these events are free or very low cost. My granddaughters particularly liked the traction engine rides and dancing to the music at the various stages around the central business district. We also visited the steamboat and tram museums on Taupo Quay. On Saturday the main street was packed with a display of vintage and classic cars and other vehicles of those eras. Lots of the activity takes place by the Whanganui River including a riverside market on the Saturday and a Riverside Shindig with live music and food stalls on Sunday. Some locals and visitors get dressed up in vintage outfits and we saw a few steampunkers strutting around as well. On Saturday night the town reverberated to the bands playing on the stages in the main street. We drove out to the Whanganui Aeroclub on Sunday morning to see the planes on display. My three-year-old granddaughter had lots of fun climbing into the cockpit of a top-dressing plane and a couple of others that were open to view. There were also planes taking off and landing on the nearby runway, including a vampire jet and a DC3. After the visit to the Aeroclub we dropped in at the SteamRail Whanganui workshop for a jigger ride. This is the fourth time All Points has used the Intermediate School to camp during at the Whanganui Vintage weekend. By using the school grounds we can keep the camping fees low. The money we raise is donated to the school. The Whanganui Intermediate school grounds are a big grassy site on two levels with a playground and a swimming pool. This year the weather was tropical — hot, sunny, humid, and even a torrential downpour on Saturday afternoon. The school pool was a great place to cool off. On the Sunday evening we had a communal dinner when many of us came together with our food, drinks, tables and chairs. Low-cost camping and community fundraiser. Holding camps to coincide with local community events is a great way to provide low-cost accommodation for out-of-town people who want to visit these events. Schools, scout halls and other community or group facilities are a practical option for these types of weekend. They have the sorts of facilities that campers require and it’s a great fundraiser for them. Come and camp with us next year for the Whanganui Vintage weekend and look out for other All Points camps organised to support local community events. n All Points Camping Club of NZ JOIN US: allpointscampingnz.org For only $35 (1st year) Up Up 7 Autumn 2024 , p 36

7 Autumn 2024 BUY AUTHOR INDEX AUTHORS Click on image for full view and caption Celebrating Summer ​ Celebrating Summer Editor Six pages of stories from around the country and the season. EXPLORE THE STORIES Up Up 7 Autumn 2024 , p 5

3 Autumn 2023 BUY AUTHOR INDEX AUTHORS Click on image for full view and caption ​ Tramping the Kaweka Forest Park Outdoorsman Dave I love the freedom that carrying an ultralight tent provides, it empowers you to camp wherever your legs can take you. I also love my classic but new-to-me macpac backpack. Outdoorsman Dave Watch the video: youtu.be/Nbvio1Z1RQQ Facebook: ckw.nz/OutdoorsmanDave Up Up 3 Autumn 2023 , p 26