Click on image for full view and caption lithium-Li-ion-bike-banner_mw.webp Article title Author Up Up this item , p pageNum GO TO Celebrating Summer Pull quote FC status SEASON 2024 ISSUE 1 BUY PDF CONTENTS Feilding, New Zealand ​

BUY PDF CONTENTS 6 Summer 2023 Up Fire blankets Up Fire and Emergency New Zealand Fire blankets are useful for covering cooking related fires, and for wrapping around a person to smother a clothing fire . Fire blankets are made of fabrics that are fire resistant and can be purchased at most hardware stores. Store fire blankets in a location close to your kitchen. Fire blankets can usually be bought from your local hardware store. Source: ckw.nz/fire-blankets © Fire and Emergency New Zealand. Creative Commons (CC-BY-NC-ND) More: Caravan fire safety More: Lithium-ion battery safety More: Do you need a permit for your BBQ? (Gas & charcoal) Up Up ​ ​ fire-blanket_mw.webp fire-blanket_mw.webp 1/1

4 Winter 2023 ISSUE 4 BUY PDF CONTENTS Up Camping The Kiwi Way, Winter 2023 ​ Up Featured ‘ Let’s go south for a few weeks ’ ‘How many weeks?’ ‘Eight.’ ‘How about six?’ Greenies on the road : Managing food scraps. Winter's here : Some of our most glorious times camping have been in the winter season. Tips and tricks. Before the cyclone : Freedom Camping Eastern Hawke's Bay, Winter 2022. Kiwi Burn Hut Loop Track : We put it to a family-friendly test: with my toddler (and his dada) in tow, we set out. Self containment changes in brief RV & Camper business services : Self containment, LPG work, electrical work, motorhome work & more. Table of Contents 2 Small town friendly 4 Editorial: The good news 4 One hundred nights a year 4 Winter’s not going to stop Mavis 5 ‘Let’s go south for a few weeks’ 6 Why we chose our Swift Sprite Quattro caravan 7 I am on track 7 Eight degrees of harm 8 Halfway through my 73 days traveling 9 Greenies on the road: Managing food scraps 10 A stove jack 11 It was cold at Mavora Lakes. Plenty of snow around. 12 Winter's here... Tips and tricks 13 Pegs for tough weather 13 Quinneys Bush Family Holiday Camp 14 Get on ya bike 16 Two long blacks and a cheese scone 17 I did it! My very first solo camping and tramping trip! 18 Gold miner Wattie Thompson 19 Before the cyclone : Freedom Camping Eastern Hawke's Bay, Winter 2022 23 Winter at Nokomai Station 23 CampFest — Bulls, 2023 24 Kiwi Burn Hut Loop Track, Mavora Lakes : A family test 26 Waikato west coast road trip 27 Camping as a young family 27 Recipes for camping: Vege Nachos 27 Our morning view, heater on 28 Game: Fill in the grid 29 Kimbolton Sculpture Festival 2023 33 Stop and Stay The Store cafe and camp – Kekerungu (Marlborough) Lakelands Holiday Park , Whanganui 34 NZers go camping: clubs & groups : Life of Van 34 EVENTS — Camping 35 EVENTS — Festivals and show s 36 Self containment changes in brief 37 RV & Camper business services 47 Coffee Time Up Up ​ 1/0

Click on image for full view and caption fire-fenz-logo-64.png fire-blanket_mw.webp Article title Author Up Up this item , p pageNum GO TO Celebrating Summer Pull quote FC status SEASON 2024 ISSUE 1 BUY PDF CONTENTS Feilding, New Zealand ​

BUY PDF CONTENTS 6 Summer 2023 Up Fire safety: Caravans and sleep-outs Up Fire and Emergency New Zealand Caravans and sleep-outs are great fun, but they also carry a much greater risk of fire than a traditional home. These tips will help keep you safe: Every caravan should be fitted with a long-life photoelectric smoke alarm. Never leave children alone in your caravan. Keep matches and lighters out of their reach. Have a fire extinguisher or fire blanket near the exit and make sure you know how to use it. Always ensure there is adequate ventilation. Lighting and heating Use proper lighting units or torches. Don’t use candles as they may start a fire . Used fixed heaters only. Make sure furniture and fittings are at least 1 meter from any heaters. Oil column heaters or fan heaters with a cut off switch are the safest. Appliances and gas cylinders Check electrical appliances for frayed cords and other damage. Caravans should also have a current Electrical Warrant of Fitness. Caravans and sleep-outs often use gas cylinders to fuel cooking. Make sure you read our tips on using gas cylinders safely to reduce your risk of fire [ see p24 for BBQ tips Ed]. Always ensure there is adequate ventilation when using a gas cylinder in or near a caravans or sleep-out. Smoke alarms Because caravans and sleepouts usually only have one door and few window openings, it’s especially important to make sure you have working smoke alarms installed, and that you’re testing them regularly. Caravans and sleep-outs are often small, so it might be necessary to install a smoke alarm near a cooking area. To avoid false alarms, use the silence feature to put the smoke alarm into a ‘hold’ status when you’re cooking. Press the button before you start cooking to silence the alarm for a pre-set period of time, between 8 and 15 minutes depending on the brand. S ource: ckw.nz/caravans © Fire and Emergency New Zealand. Creative Commons (CC-BY-NC-ND) More: Fire blankets More: Lithium-ion battery safety More: Do you need a permit for your BBQ? (Gas & charcoal) Up Up ​ ​ fire-fenz-logo-64.png fire-blanket_mw.webp fire-fenz-logo-64.png 1/2

​ ​ BUY PDF CONTENTS Click on image for full view and caption Teardrop © Andrew Morton There’s no need to rush this Summer. Is it better on the other side? Gary Stoneley #Notfitforpurpose #Self-containedvehicleregulations #Longandwindingroad The new self-containment regulations that the Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers Board are trying to implement have more bumps, twists and turns than the North Island Saddle Road. Since 2017 and the closure of the Manawatu Gorge, with many millions spent, there has been slow progress for people wanting to travel across from Tararua / Hawkes Bay to the Manawatu. For many campers it is now a brief but expensive trek across the steep winding hills to get to the other side. On the other side there are always camping opportunities but weather is fickle in these parts and you never know what you are going to get. It is intended that the new Manawatu Tararua Highway will be operating in 2024 but there are still a few bridges to cross before that happens ( more ). The new self-containment regulations managed by the Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers Board (PGDB ), soon to be implemented and running alongside the current standard, are a bit like this. Pushed by disgraced former MP Stuart Nash, with a fetish for portable toilets, it was rushed through the 2nd and final reading without a Select Committee report by Peeni Henare MP and Kiri Allen MP, by the Labour Party majority. The legislation was quickly followed by MBIE-drafted regulations that had not been tested in the industry. Fast forward to November and the PGDB are recklessly trying to implement flawed regulations and self-containment testing officer guidelines that have more holes than a kitchen sieve, because they have been legislated to do so . Somehow, even with all the technical experts, the MBIE Responsible Camping Team, with government ministers tasked to do due diligence, we have still ended up with new regulations that don’t actually work. Common sense would dictate that if you are bringing in regulations that affect the fit-out and construction of caravans, campervans and other vehicles you would actually do physical testing within the industry to ensure everything works out as planned. Um… no. The regulations weren’t tested and no, they don’t work. For the vast majority of motorhomes, caravans and other camping vehicles the planned new regulations do not follow international industry standards. And all due to the misguided assumption that vehicle campers using portable toilets just aren’t responsible enough to freedom camp. I estimate that the new highway across the Tararua ranges will be up and running with all bridges crossed well before the new regulations can be implemented, due to the many legal and technical issues. A technical regulation is binding in law but when it contains fundamental errors it cannot be implemented. At least travellers will soon be better off with the Manawatu Tararua Highway completed and looking forward to what’s on the other side. We can’t say that vehicle campers will be any better off with the new regulations that can’t be applied in the industry without millions of owners’ dollars being spent. So what are the failings in the new regulations? They only apply to council-managed land for free camping The new alternate regulation s (targeting vehicle campers without fixed toilets) primarily apply only for ‘free’ camping on council-managed land that is not a designated camping area, plus LINZ (South Island land). Where camping areas are designated or available for all campers, on private or commercial properties and other Govt land, clubs events etc. or where any payment (incl paid parking) is made, the new regulations don’t apply. Basically, outside of the ‘free’ council-controlled land the current self-containment standard with the blue card is fine. Cost If you are in a rush to move across to the new self-containment regime, and can find someone to do it, it will cost you the $120 levy to fund PGDB plus the cost of the testing. Strange and unnecessary venting requirements The majority of cassette toilets are industry designed as a sealed system and not vented externally. Under the new regulations the vehicle inspector/testing officer will be required to sign off that your waste water tanks, including your fixed toilet’s cassette, is vented directly to the exterior of the motor vehicle, and designed to prevent entry of birds and vermin. Though unnecessary, this can be done and tested. The alterations will cost an additional $600 + installation costs for each vehicle (for 50,000 NZ vehicles that is more than $30 million). Certifying that legionella has been prevented In addition, the testing officer, without scientific knowledge, will need to certify that your fresh water tanks/containers are suitably insulated or away from heat sources / direct sunlight to prevent legionella. This also applies to external and portable water tanks. Anyone gets legionella: the testing officers are liable. Who is brave enough to sign off on these? It is unlikely that any sane, self-containment testing officer will be happy to sign off on any self-contained vehicle in this situation, given that they are legally liable for any failings. Accordingly, it is highly unlikely that the new PGDB regulations will be able to be implemented in the foreseeable future. A long winding road yet For now there is no need to rush to get to the other side. With Government changes and a new Ministry of Regulation, it’s going to be a long and winding road for a while. There are still more bridges to cross yet, but it’s looking promising. Summer is here, for now, let’s all just get out and enjoy it. Gary Stoneley is co-founder of the All Points Camping Club of NZ and Managing Director of NZ Lifestyle Camping Ltd . The regulations The regulations weren’t tested and no, they don’t work. More on Freedom camping and self-containment: The freedom camping law needs to change Self-containment certification: which one is yours? What to do? Upgrade? Wait? Editorial — Caught in the middle Who is advocating for NZers who camp? There’s no need to rush this summer NZ’s independent national network for certification GO TO Celebrating Summer ​ ​ Up Up ​ , p 13

​ ​ BUY PDF CONTENTS Click on image for full view and caption fire-fenz-logo-64.png fire-blanket_mw.webp Fire safety: Caravans and sleep-outs Fire and Emergency New Zealand Caravans and sleep-outs are great fun, but they also carry a much greater risk of fire than a traditional home. These tips will help keep you safe: Every caravan should be fitted with a long-life photoelectric smoke alarm. Never leave children alone in your caravan. Keep matches and lighters out of their reach. Have a fire extinguisher or fire blanket near the exit and make sure you know how to use it. Always ensure there is adequate ventilation. Lighting and heating Use proper lighting units or torches. Don’t use candles as they may start a fire . Used fixed heaters only. Make sure furniture and fittings are at least 1 meter from any heaters. Oil column heaters or fan heaters with a cut off switch are the safest. Appliances and gas cylinders Check electrical appliances for frayed cords and other damage. Caravans should also have a current Electrical Warrant of Fitness. Caravans and sleep-outs often use gas cylinders to fuel cooking. Make sure you read our tips on using gas cylinders safely to reduce your risk of fire [ see p24 for BBQ tips Ed]. Always ensure there is adequate ventilation when using a gas cylinder in or near a caravans or sleep-out. Smoke alarms Because caravans and sleepouts usually only have one door and few window openings, it’s especially important to make sure you have working smoke alarms installed, and that you’re testing them regularly. Caravans and sleep-outs are often small, so it might be necessary to install a smoke alarm near a cooking area. To avoid false alarms, use the silence feature to put the smoke alarm into a ‘hold’ status when you’re cooking. Press the button before you start cooking to silence the alarm for a pre-set period of time, between 8 and 15 minutes depending on the brand. S ource: ckw.nz/caravans © Fire and Emergency New Zealand. Creative Commons (CC-BY-NC-ND) More: Fire blankets More: Lithium-ion battery safety More: Do you need a permit for your BBQ? (Gas & charcoal) GO TO Celebrating Summer ​ ​ Up Up ​ , p 14

4 Winter 2023 ISSUE 4 BUY PDF CONTENTS Up Camping The Kiwi Way, Winter 2023 ​ Up Featured ‘ Let’s go south for a few weeks ’ ‘How many weeks?’ ‘Eight.’ ‘How about six?’ Greenies on the road : Managing food scraps. Winter's here : Some of our most glorious times camping have been in the winter season. Tips and tricks. Before the cyclone : Freedom Camping Eastern Hawke's Bay, Winter 2022. Kiwi Burn Hut Loop Track : We put it to a family-friendly test: with my toddler (and his dada) in tow, we set out. Self containment changes in brief RV & Camper business services : Self containment, LPG work, electrical work, motorhome work & more. Table of Contents 2 Small town friendly 4 Editorial: The good news 4 One hundred nights a year 4 Winter’s not going to stop Mavis 5 ‘Let’s go south for a few weeks’ 6 Why we chose our Swift Sprite Quattro caravan 7 I am on track 7 Eight degrees of harm 8 Halfway through my 73 days traveling 9 Greenies on the road: Managing food scraps 10 A stove jack 11 It was cold at Mavora Lakes. Plenty of snow around. 12 Winter's here... Tips and tricks 13 Pegs for tough weather 13 Quinneys Bush Family Holiday Camp 14 Get on ya bike 16 Two long blacks and a cheese scone 17 I did it! My very first solo camping and tramping trip! 18 Gold miner Wattie Thompson 19 Before the cyclone : Freedom Camping Eastern Hawke's Bay, Winter 2022 23 Winter at Nokomai Station 23 CampFest — Bulls, 2023 24 Kiwi Burn Hut Loop Track, Mavora Lakes : A family test 26 Waikato west coast road trip 27 Camping as a young family 27 Recipes for camping: Vege Nachos 27 Our morning view, heater on 28 Game: Fill in the grid 29 Kimbolton Sculpture Festival 2023 33 Stop and Stay The Store cafe and camp – Kekerungu (Marlborough) Lakelands Holiday Park , Whanganui 34 NZers go camping: clubs & groups : Life of Van 34 EVENTS — Camping 35 EVENTS — Festivals and show s 36 Self containment changes in brief 37 RV & Camper business services 47 Coffee Time Up Up ​ 1/0

Click on image for full view and caption Teardrop © Andrew Morton Article title Author Up Up this item , p pageNum GO TO Celebrating Summer Pull quote FC status SEASON 2024 ISSUE 1 BUY PDF CONTENTS Feilding, New Zealand ​

BUY PDF CONTENTS 6 Summer 2023 Up There’s no need to rush this Summer. Is it better on the other side? Up Gary Stoneley #Notfitforpurpose #Self-containedvehicleregulations #Longandwindingroad The new self-containment regulations that the Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers Board are trying to implement have more bumps, twists and turns than the North Island Saddle Road. Since 2017 and the closure of the Manawatu Gorge, with many millions spent, there has been slow progress for people wanting to travel across from Tararua / Hawkes Bay to the Manawatu. For many campers it is now a brief but expensive trek across the steep winding hills to get to the other side. On the other side there are always camping opportunities but weather is fickle in these parts and you never know what you are going to get. It is intended that the new Manawatu Tararua Highway will be operating in 2024 but there are still a few bridges to cross before that happens ( more ). The new self-containment regulations managed by the Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers Board (PGDB ), soon to be implemented and running alongside the current standard, are a bit like this. Pushed by disgraced former MP Stuart Nash, with a fetish for portable toilets, it was rushed through the 2nd and final reading without a Select Committee report by Peeni Henare MP and Kiri Allen MP, by the Labour Party majority. The legislation was quickly followed by MBIE-drafted regulations that had not been tested in the industry. Fast forward to November and the PGDB are recklessly trying to implement flawed regulations and self-containment testing officer guidelines that have more holes than a kitchen sieve, because they have been legislated to do so . Somehow, even with all the technical experts, the MBIE Responsible Camping Team, with government ministers tasked to do due diligence, we have still ended up with new regulations that don’t actually work. Common sense would dictate that if you are bringing in regulations that affect the fit-out and construction of caravans, campervans and other vehicles you would actually do physical testing within the industry to ensure everything works out as planned. Um… no. The regulations weren’t tested and no, they don’t work. For the vast majority of motorhomes, caravans and other camping vehicles the planned new regulations do not follow international industry standards. And all due to the misguided assumption that vehicle campers using portable toilets just aren’t responsible enough to freedom camp. I estimate that the new highway across the Tararua ranges will be up and running with all bridges crossed well before the new regulations can be implemented, due to the many legal and technical issues. A technical regulation is binding in law but when it contains fundamental errors it cannot be implemented. At least travellers will soon be better off with the Manawatu Tararua Highway completed and looking forward to what’s on the other side. We can’t say that vehicle campers will be any better off with the new regulations that can’t be applied in the industry without millions of owners’ dollars being spent. So what are the failings in the new regulations? They only apply to council-managed land for free camping The new alternate regulation s (targeting vehicle campers without fixed toilets) primarily apply only for ‘free’ camping on council-managed land that is not a designated camping area, plus LINZ (South Island land). Where camping areas are designated or available for all campers, on private or commercial properties and other Govt land, clubs events etc. or where any payment (incl paid parking) is made, the new regulations don’t apply. Basically, outside of the ‘free’ council-controlled land the current self-containment standard with the blue card is fine. Cost If you are in a rush to move across to the new self-containment regime, and can find someone to do it, it will cost you the $120 levy to fund PGDB plus the cost of the testing. Strange and unnecessary venting requirements The majority of cassette toilets are industry designed as a sealed system and not vented externally. Under the new regulations the vehicle inspector/testing officer will be required to sign off that your waste water tanks, including your fixed toilet’s cassette, is vented directly to the exterior of the motor vehicle, and designed to prevent entry of birds and vermin. Though unnecessary, this can be done and tested. The alterations will cost an additional $600 + installation costs for each vehicle (for 50,000 NZ vehicles that is more than $30 million). Certifying that legionella has been prevented In addition, the testing officer, without scientific knowledge, will need to certify that your fresh water tanks/containers are suitably insulated or away from heat sources / direct sunlight to prevent legionella. This also applies to external and portable water tanks. Anyone gets legionella: the testing officers are liable. Who is brave enough to sign off on these? It is unlikely that any sane, self-containment testing officer will be happy to sign off on any self-contained vehicle in this situation, given that they are legally liable for any failings. Accordingly, it is highly unlikely that the new PGDB regulations will be able to be implemented in the foreseeable future. A long winding road yet For now there is no need to rush to get to the other side. With Government changes and a new Ministry of Regulation, it’s going to be a long and winding road for a while. There are still more bridges to cross yet, but it’s looking promising. Summer is here, for now, let’s all just get out and enjoy it. Gary Stoneley is co-founder of the All Points Camping Club of NZ and Managing Director of NZ Lifestyle Camping Ltd . The regulations The regulations weren’t tested and no, they don’t work. More on Freedom camping and self-containment: The freedom camping law needs to change Self-containment certification: which one is yours? What to do? Upgrade? Wait? Editorial — Caught in the middle Who is advocating for NZers who camp? There’s no need to rush this summer NZ’s independent national network for certification Up Up ​ ​ Teardrop © Andrew Morton Teardrop © Andrew Morton 1/1

Click on image for full view and caption Waikato River Trails Waikato River Trails Waikato River Trails Article title Author Up Up this item , p pageNum GO TO Celebrating Summer Pull quote FC status SEASON 2024 ISSUE 1 BUY PDF CONTENTS Feilding, New Zealand ​

​ ​ BUY PDF CONTENTS 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 GO TO Celebrating Summer ​ ​ Up Up ​ , p 11