6 Summer 2023 6 Summer 2023 BUY AUTHOR INDEX AUTHORS Click on image for full view and caption RV-Business-Services_MW.webp Rv & Camper services NZ Lifestyle Camping Find rv and camping services. 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. Their local knowledge can help you find the service you need. North Island listings South Island Listings Up Up 6 Summer 2023 , p 40

8 Winter 2024 8 Winter 2024 BUY AUTHOR INDEX AUTHORS Click on image for full view and caption hydro_3394_H.webp ©2024 M Richardson The park There is a longdrop toilet in the bushes to the right of the entrance way. ©2024 M Richardson ©2024 M Richardson The map ©2024 M Richardson How the power is made ©2024 M Richardson Old equipment on display ©2024 M Richardson The walk up to the penstock ©2024 M Richardson More of the path up ©2024 M Richardson Weird metal stuff ©2024 M Richardson Weird metal stuff ©2024 M Richardson Weird metal stuff ©2024 M Richardson Weird metal stuff ©2024 M Richardson Looking down the pipe to the power station ©2024 M Richardson The water race ©2024 M Richardson The water race The path looks really safe and easy. ©2024 M Richardson Wide path beside the water race/ Nice, wide safe and easy. ©2024 M Richardson Becomes very narrow beside the water race. ©2024 M Richardson From the water race edge to the intake weir. Wide enough for a quad bike. ©2024 M Richardson The intake weir ©2024 M Richardson Golden Bay Stunning views over Golden Bay on the loop back. ©2024 M Richardson Golden Bay Stunning views over Golden Bay on the loop back.©2024 M Richardson Golden Bay Stunning views over Golden Bay on the loop back. ©2024 M Richardson The road out (and in) ©2024 M Richardson a board perched on the outer edge of the race Walking the race Miriam Richardson I was parked up alone at the Pupu Hydro Power Scheme carpark on a Winter morning, a very pleasant freedom camping spot by the entrance to the walkway. There is a toilet tucked in the bushes if you need it. The carpark is at the end of an easy gravel road through farmland, beyond Pupu Springs in Golden Bay. The water race was originally built in 1901 for gold workings, and later repurposed to generate electricity, opening in 1929. After 51 years a malfunction put it offline, and volunteers eventually purchased and restored the water race and power plant, reopening it 8 years later, in 1988. It now produces 1.8 Gwh each year. The loop track was completed in 2003. The Pupu Hydro Scheme is an historic site, and the track is in Kahurangi National Park. There is a steep climb up to the penstock, where the water from the race is piped down to the power station. The track then follows the water race up the valley to the intake weir on Campbell’s Creek. From there the loop crosses the stream and winds slowly on a gravel access road, back down to the power station. 5.8km, 2 hours. No dogs. So. I headed up to the penstock, forgetting to take my walking pole. It was steep, rather damp and a bit slippery, so I decided to carry on along the nice wide board walk and do the loop rather than back down the slippery slope. The wide board walk turned into a narrow boardwalk turned into a very narrow board walk. Until this time I had never thought I was afraid of heights. But the very narrow path, with a (felt-flimsy-to-me) rail had me terrified. I haven’t often experienced vertigo before (those bridges without solid bases do it). The wide board walk turned into a narrow board walk turned into a very narrow board walk. Until this time I had never thought I was afraid of heights. But the very narrow path, with a (felt-flimsy-to-me) rail had me terrified. I haven’t often experienced vertigo before (those bridges without solid bases do it). Eyes on the end, hold the rail tight, don’t look left at the drop, step, move hand, step… repeat… ohhh, a post… move hand to the rail beyond the post… step again; repeat…repeat… Whew, made it… I considered turning back after the second round-the-bluff-we-go. If I had only known there were 15, all with terrifying drop-offs, not even trees to catch you as you fall… (how would anyone find me? I thought, if I slipped and fell?). It got narrower than pictured, but I wasn’t taking my clenched hand off the rail to take photos. The race itself was beautiful, with clear water, mosses and ferns. Sometimes the track was a board perched on the outer edge of the race (OMG!) . Eventually, it became a “normal” track, and I met men on a quad bike, up to do track maintenance. “You could have warned us, grumble, grumble …”. From here on it was quad-bikeable, less interesting, but my heart rate could climb down. Some lovely bush and great views over the valley, until it turned into a really boring bit of road to walk along. Boring was surprisingly enjoyable. Staying safe as you travel I had quite a few thoughts about the staying safe aspect of this walk. I was just lucky I didn’t slip or get vertigo and fall. Travelling alone and walking alone has risks and being in places with no mobile coverage has its risks. The hydro scheme site had no internet or mobile coverage when I was there. Personal locator beacon (PLB) Some people invest in a locator beacon, whch is useful not only when walking, but also when in your motorhome. They cost $300–500. When you get into trouble you trigger the alarm and wait for rescue.More: DOC: ckw.nz/doc-plbRescue Coordinanation Centre: ckw.nz/rescue-beacon . Personal safety phone app There are a variety of apps that work in different ways. Some are designed for walking to your car in the dark — hold the button down: if you take your finger off a distress message and your location is sent to bring help. I settled on the Get Home Safe Personal app, a NZ-made app with a good funding model. ckw.nz/get-home-safe With this app, you set a time when you will check back in, and tell it what to do if you don’t. It can send a text (costs) or a message. You tell it who to send the message to, and what to say. You can buy 10 texts for 3.99, and you buy more when you need them. Emails are free. While it is in action, the app monitors your location, sending to its server every 2 mins, or, if you are out of coverage, storing the data for when it next can send it. When it helps: if I feel really unwell at night (will I be capable in the morning?) with a morning check in; are those people a threat to me? with a 10 minute check in; if i am not back from my walk in 1/2/3 hours; driving in snow/ice/weather where there is no coverage: if I dont check in in 2/3/4 hours; travelling out of mobile coverage, if I am not back in contact in 2/3 days. My message can say what my plans are, where I am located and / or travelling, and whether or when emergency services should be involved. Parked up a valley with no coverage, its a bit late: you have to plan in advance. You need a reliable person to receive your messages and act on them. I ask them to try to contact me first (did I just forget to check in?) and take action if they are unable to reach me. More Which to use? The PLB is not tied to mobile coverage and has official, automatic responders, while an app requires preplanning and relies on others, but has more permutations and more general uses. Use both! All images ©2024 M Richardson Up Up 8 Winter 2024 , p 24

2 Summer 2022 2 Summer 2022 BUY AUTHOR INDEX AUTHORS Click on image for full view and caption electrics_LFP_m.webp Lithium-ferro phosphate (LFP) batteries – a lithium battery rival Collyn Rivers The two battery types share some similarities but differ in high-energy-density, long life-cycles, and safety. The use of lithium-ferro phosphate (LFP) in batteries increases the choice of chemicals for battery production and reduces reliance on the more expensive, and difficult to produce, lithium hydroxide.Collyn Rivers. Read here: ckw.nz/lithium-rival Up Up 2 Summer 2022 , p 23

7 Autumn 2024 7 Autumn 2024 BUY AUTHOR INDEX AUTHORS Click on image for full view and caption DOC campsites 1: In the north how many have you visited? DOC campsites 1: In the north: Fill in the spaces Rhonda Marshall DOC campsites 1: In the north: Fill in the spaces Rhonda Marshall There are more than 200 DOC sites throughout New Zealand, 34 in the north. Over the next issues the puzzles will travel from North to South. Download a pdf of the game In the grid, fill in 15 different DOC sites from the list on the right. One site will run vertically and the others will run horizontally across the grid. The puzzle does not have gaps between the words., eg., Puriri Bay > PuririBay. Billygoat Basin Booms Flat Broken Hills Cable Bay Catleys Dancing Camp Dickey Flat Fantail Bay Fletcher Bay Hotoritori Kahikatea Kapowairua Maitai Bay Otamure Bay Pandora Port Jackson Puketi Puriri Bay Raetea North Rarawa Beach Shag Stream Stony Bay Tapotupotu Totara Flat Trestle View Trounson Kauri Park Twilight Uretiti Beach Urupukapuka Bay Waikahoa Bay Waikawau Bay Wainora Wentworth Valley Whangaiterenga How many have you visited? Download a solution pdf See the solution Up Up 7 Autumn 2024 , p 42

I’ve always dreamed of travelling around my own back yard in a van and I finally did! BUY PDF CONTENTS Spring 2023 ISSUE 5 Up Around my own back yard Maia Steiner I’ve always dreamed of travelling around my own back yard in a van and I finally did! I saved up and brought myself Wally (my van) in May 2022. I worked 6-day weeks to save up some travel money and left for my solo adventure on my 20th birthday! I got home a few days before Christmas and sold my van not long after, for the same price I brought it for. All in all it was an awesome trip I will never forget! Get out there and travel our awesome country! Photos ©2023 Maia Steiner Up Up Up My solo adventure began on my 20th birthday Click on the gallery for a full size view Watching the sunrise in Bluff Cruising on the open road. 
No where to be — everywhere to see. Heading for Te Anau. Me and Wally at Port Waikato! Watching the sunrise in Bluff 1/26

Winter 2025 ISSUE 12 BUY PDF ToC Click on image for full view and caption chilly-stuck2_H.webp GO TO CHILLY CHILLY CHILLY OUT THERE I was bogged for the night! Stuck! Heather Auckram Oh no! After all the rain in the deep south the gravel track had turned to slush. I was bogged for the night! The next morning two heroes turned up in the pouring rain and hauled my campervan out of the water logged mud with a hefty chain and their trusty Huffer machine. Eternally grateful to you, Nathan and Dougie. ©2025 Heather Auckram Up Up 12 Winter 2025 , p 9

2 Summer 2022 2 Summer 2022 BUY AUTHOR INDEX AUTHORS Click on image for full view and caption Record the spacing needed for your awning Record the order and lengths for your awning ropes Laminated sheet Download my laminated sheet. Camping / caravan tips — Setup / packup Marty Ireland Do you struggle when you set up your camp or your caravan? We are on to our 3rd caravan but the latest came with a host of manuals for everything like gas stove, fridge, awning etc. so as a specialist assembler and installer, advising others that they should read all instructions provided, I decided to do just that. Now here is a suggestion: just relax, sit down with a coffee and read, even if you do not fully understand, read all the information to get a general overview.Then go and try each appliance until it works and you feel comfortable and confident with it. Do a dummy run on awning or tent set up if you have or can find an area to do this before leaving. It may be a little trying, but as you get each thing down pat, start a set up list with each step in order and have it laminated and ready inside the car, caravan door or tent bag. Label poles with a marker with appropriate numbers or letters and a brief description of which end, or middle etc; or colour code with electricians tape. Tent or awning assembly will become a dream. Have you ever driven off with a support leg still down, or a jockey wheel not retracted, even a power cable still plugged in? Not a good look and it can be both embarrassing and expensive. So do a reverse-order pack-down list too, and stick to it. Having an assistant read out the lists while you do the tasks is a help, both to set up and to pack down. Having a measured plan of your tent or van footprint with awnings and ropes sizes will help you quickly decide on arrival at the holiday site which way to face your tent or van saving a lot of frustration if you find you have to reposition. See my plan, above. A seamless set-up lets you sit down for your first refreshment early, and the satisfaction of doing it both quickly and without forgetting anything is very rewarding. Watching new arrivals go through the same process can be cheap entertainment, however offering to assist with your experience and wisdom is a pleasure in itself. Happy and safe camping all. Download these files if you would find them helpful: My sheet (print it A4, double sided and laminate; pdf). The .doc version of my sheet , to edit and make it your own. Or the .rtf version . The awning assembly order sheet (pdf). The awning space sheet (pdf). A blank awning space sheet to put in your own measurements (pdf). Up Up 2 Summer 2022 , p 13

10 summer 2024 Summer 2024 ISSUE 10 BUY PDF ToC Click on image for full view and caption GO TO Springing Beautiful, free, birds & sunsets STOP and STAY Rays Rest Miriam Richardson A thoroughly relaxing, free camp on the Firth of Thames. Ray’s Rest is 4km south of the Kaiaua township, on the Hauraki Rail Trail and about the same distance from the Pūkorokoro–Miranda Shorebird Centre further south. No dogs, no fires, you must be self-contained, and a max of 2 nights. See the gallery for more photos Its a long flat area beside the sea with stunning views across the firth to Coromandel, and sunrises and sunsets refresh the soul, as do the flocks of birds that feast in the shallows when the tide is out. It’s a bit shallow for swimming, and a bit sharp underfoot for paddling. Those with boats go fishing. If you want to exercise rather than relax you can walk, ride or run the Hauraki Rail Trail (e-bikes 300W or less) to get to the fish and chip shop in Kaiau, or the shorebird centre (25min walk), or even do a day trip to Thames (5hr). haurakirailtrail.co.nz Lovely in any weather. Images ©2024 Miriam Richardson Up Up 10 Summer 2024 , p 43

6 Summer 2023 6 Summer 2023 BUY AUTHOR INDEX AUTHORS Click on image for full view and caption battle_20230218_074430_mw.webp battle_20230218_125924_w.webp battle_20230217_191709_w.webp Battle Hill Farm Forest Park: A great Summer camping spot Bette Cosgrove STOP and STAY Pauatahanui, Paekakariki Hill Road, Wellington Regional Park This super affordable camp ground close to Wellington, Hutt Valley and Kapiti is situated on a former farm and a significant historical site. In a sheltered valley, it caters for everyone on a pay per person basis with online reservation and payment services at the gate. It’s a lot like freedom camping in that you simply register and park up wherever there’s a suitable spot, either near the stables, river or forest. There are plenty of natural spaces for everyone from pup tents to large RVs. There’s always a wide variety of campers enjoying this camping spot. We love the masses of eels to feed, day hikes and night walks to search for glow worms; there are safe fire-pits too and a little swimming hole for hot days. A basic flushing toilet block and water facilities are provided, with the only restriction being that no dogs are allowed. Big vehicles stick to the southern road access. MORE Pauatahanui, Paekakariki Hill Road, Wellington Regional Park. STOP and STAY Where to stop when travelling and camping in NZ — use it, share it, add to it. Stop and Stay is a free resource for NZ campers and travellers, brought to you by campers for campers. It might be a country pub for a meal, a rural property, a council reserve, a DOC camp; it might be a commercial campground or a unique day-stop or cafe. Please add your recommendations to the list. Anyone one can access the list or make recommendations. It’s free, too, for property owners to be on the list. 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. STOP and STAY | Add a place to Stop and Stay Up Up 6 Summer 2023 , p 33

3 Autumn 2023 3 Autumn 2023 BUY AUTHOR INDEX AUTHORS Click on image for full view and caption The power of freedom camping bylaws Bette Cosgrove Bylaws differ between regions of Aotearoa New Zealand, and do not exist in almost half of all council districts. Bylaws are created by local authorities — regional and district councils — to manage public land and facilities. Bylaws add to the current Freedom Camping Act 2011, which is the overarching national legislation. Bylaws used to restrict or prohibit freedom camping The Freedom Camping Act gives local authorities the right to manage and control freedom camping in their district. They can prohibit or restrict some areas, but they cannot apply a restriction across a whole region as the intent of the Freedom Camping Act is to make freedom camping a permissible activity. The Act allows authorities 3 reasons for making restrictions: in order to: protect an area; protect the health and safety of people who may visit an area ; or protect access to local authority areas. A bylaw also has to be the most ‘appropriate’ and ‘proportionate’ way of addressing the perceived problem and it must be consistent with the Bill of Rights Act which protects NZers rights and freedom to travel to public areas of our land. http://ckw.nz/bill-rights The Act allows bylaws to be enforceable, with a maximum fine of $200. Of the 68 district & regional councils which have bylaws? 38 have written and notified bylaws which can restrict or prohibit some areas of their public land from freedom campers staying overnight. 62 have allocated some freedom camping sites on public land. -- The other 6 have none, or only paid sites. 30 have no current bylaws, and generally allow freedom camping according to the Act. 31 have areas set aside for ‘non self contained’ freedom camping in a vehicle, but in many cases this means ‘not certified as self contained using the NZ Standard’. 50 councils have guidelines or bylaws restricting camping, -- 43 to ‘certified self contained’ vehicles -- 7 to a ‘self-contained’ vehicle.. 65 councils provide public toilets at campsites. -- 61 have toilets at every freedom camping site; -- 4 have some sites with and some without toilets. 3 councils do not offer freedom camp sites on their managed public land, contravening the Freedom Camping Act . Restricted areas Bylaws can state clearly that people may freedom camp in particular areas, but that there might be restrictions in place. Examples of some restrictions councils use: restricted to self-contained vehicles; restricted to a maximum of three consecutive nights in any four week period; restricted to designated carparks within a particular area; camping in a non-self-contained vehicle or a tent must occur within 100m of a public toilet. Self containment of vehicles as it may be used in bylaws If local authorities restrict freedom camping at a particular site to self-contained camping only, the following definition of self-contained vehicle may be useful: “Self-contained vehicle means a vehicle designed and built for the purpose of camping which has the capability of meeting the ablutionary and sanitary needs of occupants of that vehicle for a minimum of three days without requiring any external services or discharging any waste and complies with New Zealand Standard 5465:2001: Self Containment of Motor Caravans and Caravans, as evidenced by the display of a current self-containment warrant issued under NZS 5465:2001.” From a model bylaw, Local Government NZ Note that “self-contained vehicle” is not defined in the Freedom Camping Act and that this is not the only example of how it may be definedThe NZ Standard 5465 is currently a voluntary standard for self-containment of caravans and campervans, which is not monitored by any government agency or written into any national legislation. You may download one free copy of the standard here: ckw.nz/standard . Compliance to the Standard is not mandatory, although it is not included in current legislation, it is used in some bylaws as a (legal) condition of restriction. The NZ Standard 5465 is included in the new bill before Parliament — the Motor Vehicle Self Containment Legislation — which has not yet passed into law. All information shared here is correct at time of publication, by researching all 68 councils’ published information about Freedom Camping Bylaws or Guidelines See also What’s in a name? If the law changes Waiting on a law change Up Up 3 Autumn 2023 , p 28

Winter 2025 ISSUE 12 BUY PDF ToC Click on image for full view and caption matariki_H_3-marty.webp GO TO CHILLY CHILLY CHILLY OUT THERE an almost spring-like day in the shadow of the snow-covered Kaikōura ranges STOP and STAY Matariki weekend camp Marty Ireland Marlborough / Canterbury; Donegal House, Kaikōura Early in the year a camp for Matariki weekend was planned for Marlborough and Canterbury campers to meet up at Donegal House, Kaikōura. We arrived on the Thursday to an almost spring-like day under the shadow of the snow-covered Kaikōura ranges. This is an historic homestead boasting 30 powered sites with water supply and a host of unpowered sites, just minutes out of Kaikōura. Its packed chip hardstand, pet friendly, with good ablution rooms. Its in a very rural scenic setting with several small lakes, having an Irish-themed bar and restaurant with reasonably priced and generous meals. This is a Stop and Stay park over property. Suffice to say those who attended enjoyed coffee, some drinks and food by the large open fire. Friday was another fine day and later in the afternoon we gathered in a paddock to try chipping golf balls in closest to the pin and played quoits for prizes of bags of lollies. Some went to a close-by 9-hole golf course, others socialised in chat and coffee groups. There was a local musician and a wedding to add to our entertainment over the weekend. A little grey cloud cover and a few spots of rain didn’t really dampen the event on Saturday, and a good frost but fine day ushered in our final day on Sunday. Another long weekend and reason to camp experienced and recorded in our log books. 🏕️ Photos ©2025 Marty Ireland stopandstaynz.org Up Up 12 Winter 2025 , p 32

7 Autumn 2024 7 Autumn 2024 BUY AUTHOR INDEX AUTHORS Click on image for full view and caption Kakaying Momorangi Bay ©2024 Two Kids and a Caravan Cycling ©2024 Two Kids and a Caravan Abel Tasman Hike ©2024 Two Kids and a Caravan The lighthouse ©2024 Two Kids and a Caravan Slope Point ©2024 Two Kids and a Caravan St Arnaud Bushline Hut overnight walk ©2024 Two Kids and a Caravan Sundown at Cobden Lagoon ©2024 Two Kids and a Caravan we’ve made the mistakes so you don’t have to Ten tips for hitting the road full time Kimberlea Turner Van life is becoming more and more popular but the transition to this lifestyle can be far from smooth. Don’t worry, we’ve made the mistakes so you don’t have to. After 3 years on the road, here’s our list of 10 tips to get you from house life to road life. 1. Join a club We recommend joining All Points Camping Club of NZ which opens up a whole host of events, advice, regional groups to connect with, people to meet as well as a host of discounts — ferry crossings, internet, insurance, retail, experiences etc. 2. Check your insurance Check your insurance is for living full time in your caravan/motorhome, plus contents. Star Campercare is a popular option as they specialise in caravan, camper and motorhome insurance. Most policies include a figure for caravan-related contents, but weigh up your options whether it’s worth adding on an extra contents policy for your personal effects. 3. Internet You’ve got a few options these days between endless data plans, portable wifi and satellite wifi. A popular portable option is Netspeed Mobile Broadband, who can also supply antenna boosters and 12V adapters so if you need to be on grid while you’re off grid your internet connection is something to look into. Abel Tasman National Park 4. Homeschooling If you’re travelling with kids, plan for their schooling well in advance — the two main options are a. Te Kura Correspondence via the Itinerancy Pathway, where they are “attending” a registered school with a teacher setting their work. b. Homeschooling, where you are building your own curriculum and required to apply to the Ministry of Education for an ‘Exemption from Attending a Registered School’. This requires at least 6 weeks to be approved, plus the time it takes you to research and write it, so get started early! 5. Move into a smaller place (if possible) One of the best things we did was move from our huge 4 bedroom home, into a smaller 2 bedroom flat for the last 6 months while we prepared to hit the road. It allowed us to get our home ready to rent, and we were forced to do most of the downsizing then, taking with us only what we needed to get through the next 6 months. It made it much easier to pack up all our belongings at the end and the kids got used to having only a box or two of toys, and we all got used to putting things away as soon as we used them… well that was the theory anyway, it’s always a work in progress. 6. Pick a date and stick with it Our deciding date was our eldest daughter turning 5 in February 2021, but we ended up picking a date just shy of the Christmas before, and once we had that date in our minds we had something to work back from otherwise it’s so easy to drag it out longer and longer because, SPOILER ALERT, you’ll never feel “ready”. 7. Take half of what you “need” Disclaimer: we’re still learning this one. But honestly, in your mind what you think you need and what you actually need are worlds apart. We each have one small cupboard of clothes and only one “going out” outfit each and a small selection of toys. One option is to store a bunch of things you might need, and if you haven’t come back for them in a year you’ll be more open to donating or sell them. 8. Pack all-weather gear Have gear ready for all seasons when you head off — good quality rain jackets and gumboots as well as sun hats and swimming togs — you’ll be way more in touch with nature and surprised how often you need clothes for every season. 9. Pack a tool kit If you’re not already a handy person, you will be! Four people in a 14m2 home on wheels is going to put stress on things and between the caravan, the car, and the bikes there’s always something to fix. Maybe our claim to fame is we’ve visited almost every hardware store in the South Island! 10. Be prepared for the highs and lows We have some pretty neat highs, but remember not everything makes it to social media… There are days we want to pull our hair out (or each other’s) or sometimes you’re just “go go go” for so long you start to burn out and take the journey for granted. Remember it’s a long-term journey and the vibes will ebb and flow. Always, when we look back at our journey, we are blown away with where we’ve been, what we’ve seen and all the time we’ve been able to spend together. We can’t wait to see you out there! All photos ©2024 Two Kids and a Caravan facebook.com/twokidsandacaravan St Arnaud Bushline Hut overnight walk Up Up 7 Autumn 2024 , p 17