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  • summer-23, sharing-summer

    I was incredibly lucky to be invited to visit at a ‘permanent’ summer camp run by a 4WD club, several summers ago. Summer 2023 ISSUE 6 BUY PDF CONTENTS Up Sharing the summertime Up Miriam Richardson I was incredibly lucky to be invited to visit at a ‘permanent’ summer camp run by a 4WD club, several summers ago. A large field bounded by a stream and its fringe of willows, well out of sight of the road — room for everyone to have their own relatively private campsite. There is a central arena, with space for kids on bikes, and a New Year bonfire. They have shared long drops and hot showers — throw a log in the shower boiler whenever you walk past on the way to the loos. The land is leased over the summer period, and each spring group members head out to see what havoc the winter wove. They tidy up and or repair their camp sites, trim the trees, set up the long drops, digging new holes with their handy post-hole digger, chop fire wood for the boiler, set up the showers and tame the grass. Weekends begin the season, then the long summer break when families come and stay for weeks. When work calls, some families stay on, welcoming the workers back for weekends; then school goes back, and camping is a weekend affair again, until the final tidy up — filling in the long drop holes, securing the toilets and showers for the winter, packing down the camping gear and kitchens and taking stuff home. The camp setups are as varied as the people. There are buses, caravans, tents, and mixtures and variations of them. There are day rooms, keeping the sun and rain off. Some families share a kitchen and living area and have their family tents as bedrooms. Some use a totally portable kitchen, others, like the one pictured, have a more permanent kitchen setup, repaired or adapted, as required, each year. This kitchen even has herbs. This kind of ‘permanent’ camping, families sharing the summertime year to year, differs from a regular campground experience. Though it does remind me of my uncle’s camping in the 1960s— at a campground, but each summer the same site, the same set of families: lives from quite different places, sharing just the summer holiday. Perhaps if freedom camping becomes more difficult we will create more of these shared spaces for our summering.   n Up Up Click on the gallery for a full size view Preparing tea. ©2023 M Richardson Poptop and campsite with the neighbour's dog. ©2023 M Richardson When you need lots of hot water the big thermette was perfect. Sometimes, though, you take a bucket over and get hot water from the shower boilers. ©2023 M Richardson Preparing tea. ©2023 M Richardson 1/10

  • Waiohine

    11 autumn 2025 Autumn 2025 ISSUE 11 BUY PDF ToC Click on image for full view and caption The Jim Nimmo Bridge, Waiohine DOC campsite, Wairarapa. © 2025 Jessica Mae Bajet The Jim Nimmo Bridge Waiohine DOC campsite, Wairarapa. © 2025 Jessica Mae Bajet Looking up at the Jim Nimmo Bridge Waiohine DOC campsite, Wairarapa. © 2025 Jessica Mae Bajet Signs Waiohine DOC campsite, Wairarapa. © 2025 Jessica Mae Bajet The shelter. Waiohine DOC campsite, Wairarapa. © 2025 Jessica Mae Bajet GO TO Here & there last summer an adventure-filled campsite! Waiohine Gorge Jessica Mae Bajet Just got back from an adventure-filled Waiohine Gorge campsite! Honest payment system: $10 per adult, $5 child. Flush toilets. Picnic tables. Ample spots for camping. No mobile network signal. Total fire ban. Dogs on a leash only. No dump station in the area. Great swimming and rafting. DOC campsite. ckw.nz/waiohine 18km NW of Greytown. The road in is gravel with rough, narrow, and windy sections. There are two forded stream crossings. n The Jim Nimmo Bridge Up Up 11 Autumn 2025 , p 23

  • rollercoaster

    Winter 2025 ISSUE 12 BUY PDF ToC Click on image for full view and caption chilly-rollercoaster_H.webp GO TO CHILLY CHILLY CHILLY OUT THERE Rollercoaster Francis Donegan It has been somewhat of a rollercoaster ride of late. New campa repairs — gearbox etc. After a new clutch kit, synchro failed. Now up for a new box, thanks Walsh Autospares, Inglewood, and Pitstop Levin for coming to the rescue. I’ll be back on the road soon. ©2025 Francis Donegan Up Up 12 Winter 2025 , p 13

  • kiwi-camp

    8 Winter 2024 8 Winter 2024 BUY AUTHOR INDEX AUTHORS Click on image for full view and caption ©2024 Gary Stoneley a convenient way to pay What is KiwiCamp? Miriam Richardson What started out as a pay-for-what-you-need set of camper facilities like National Park, has now expanded to include sites that charge per night or for particular facilities. Check their website in advance. kiwicamp.nz Regional camps without resident managers, such as Hurunui Council’s Amberley Beach Campground, are now using KiwiCamp to collect the fees, and the NZMCA is using them to manage charging for power at some of their parks. The Kiwicash fob To use KiwiCamp sites or facilities you need a KiwiCash fob (digital key), and it needs to have enough credit. See their website for places you can buy one. You recharge the fob online, so internet is required. You need to get the fob before you get to the site. You need the charged fob to lift the barrier and enter the camp. When you depart, it counts the nights you have been there, and debits your fob. The fobs are small enough to carry on your key ring, but bear in mind you need to carry them with you into the shower or laundry etc. Private campsites using KiwiCash have their own rules about who can stay, but KiwiCamp facilities are available if you are using a tent or a vehicle, self-contained or not. kiwicamp.nz/what-is-kiwi-camp Sites vary in what they provide, but these are things you might be able to pay for with the fob: Secure parking Hot showers Dishwashing/cooking facilities Laundry facilities Waste recycling station Water filling station Secure power points (charging laptop, phone etc). Caravan powered sites. WiFi Dump station Kiwicamp module at TECT, in BOP, with showers, toilets, kitchen and laundry. I used these showers at the TECT park (right) in the Bay of Plenty and it was really nice to just wave the fob to get another 4 minutes. It’s a bother to get the fob and to get set up to recharge it, but after the set-up hurdle it is a very convenient way to pay for things. National Park photo ©2024 Gary Stoneley Up Up 8 Winter 2024 , p 37

  • 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

  • kimbolton-21

    1 Spring 2022 1 Spring 2022 BUY AUTHOR INDEX AUTHORS Click on image for full view and caption Sophie Coleman & her sculpture Ashia Sophie Coleman was the ‘Local yokel’ competition winner in 2021 for her Kimbolton Butterfly. Ashia The creativity and imagination of the exhibitors is just incredible. What can be made out of what a lot of us see as junk is unbelievable. Kimbolton Sculpture Festival 2021. The creativity and imagination of the exhibitors is just incredible. What can be made out of what a lot of us see as junk is unbelievable. Kimbolton Sculpture Festival 2021. The creativity and imagination of the exhibitors is just incredible. Kimbolton Sculpture Festival Gary Stoneley Kimbolton hosts an annual sculpture festival in April. The outdoor art and sculpture exhibition is accompanied by food, music, and lots of family fun. The most recent festival was in 2021. Fingers crossed for 2023. Sophie Coleman was the ‘Local yokel’ competition winner in 2021 for her Kimbolton Butterfly. The creativity and imagination of the exhibitors is just incredible. What can be made out of what a lot of us see as junk is unbelievable. Kimbolton Sculpture Festival 2021. BY: Gary Stoneley The Kimbolton Butterfly My entry for the Kimbolton Sculpture Festival was a monarch butterfly, built to the scale of 25:1. I named my sculpture Ashia, which means life and hope, reflecting the symbolism of a butterfly. The main idea behind my sculpture was to encourage a positive perspective on change and new beginnings. The sculpture transformed items such as corrugated iron, baling twine and an axle, and gave them a new life. It was such a lovely surprise to have received the Local Yokel award for my creation which you had sponsored, so a huge thank you for your continued support of the Kimbolton Sculpture Festival. BY: Sophie Coleman 2023 31 Mar–2 Apr 2023 RSVP: Come and stay with All Points Camping. Kimbolton Sculpture Festival 2023 Photos: ©2022 Gary Stoneley Up Up 1 Spring 2022 , p 30

  • cheese-festival

    10 summer 2024 Summer 2024 ISSUE 10 BUY PDF ToC Click on image for full view and caption GO TO Springing Mark it on your calendar NZ Cheese Festival Marty Ireland The 2024 Cheese Festival was held again in Marlborough, at the Clos Henri Vineyard, and will do so again next year around early Oct (to be confirmed).( site live soon: nzcheesefest.nz ) Besides a great selection of well-priced food venders, there was also a variety of specialty foods including cheese, mushrooms, paté, cured meats, sweet treats, wine, beer. And we had ‘Music on the Green’ to relax to. The festival has pre sales and gate sales, $20 for general admission; $30 includes attendance at any of the half-hour classes such as cooking with cheese, making cheese and matching with wine and beer. (You can upgrade on-site on the day.) There are also premium masterclasses (that sold out ahead of time this year) — if that interests you, mark an earlier date in your calendar. This year there were limited free on-site overnight parks for self-contained vehicles the night before, day and night of the event.This needs to be arranged beforehand with a local contact. There are local campgrounds, a POP (park over property), there is a bus service available from town and there is free parking among the vines. Mark it on your calendar: Marlborough, October 2025. Cheese and Cheers! See the gallery Photos: ©2024 Marty Ireland Up Up 10 Summer 2024 , p 15

  • summer-22, purakaunui

    2 Summer 2022 Summer 2022 ISSUE 2 CONTENTS PDF BUY Up Purakaunui Bay Campsite Kayla Laatz Up What a stunner this place was! Its a DOC campsite with long drop toilets, water taps, and fire pits. Nothing like falling asleep to the sound of waves crashing on the beach. Getting there, there’s about 20 minutes of gravel road with a few cattle crossings; nothing too steep. There were a few other caravans parked up. Just be aware the grass can be quite muddy. For this particular DOC camp site you can book online in advance or pay on arrival by bringing exact change. We saw tons of playful seals and heaps of brave surfers too! 10/10. Catlins, Southland. Photos ©2022 Kayla Laatz Up Up Purakaunui Bay Campsite ©2022 Kayla Laatz Purakaunui Bay ©2022 Kayla Laatz Purakaunui Bay ©2022 Kayla Laatz Purakaunui Bay Campsite ©2022 Kayla Laatz 1/3

  • fix-n-rail

    10 summer 2024 Summer 2024 ISSUE 10 BUY PDF ToC Click on image for full view and caption GO TO Springing giving new life to portable toilets Revolutionizing Kiwi camping with Fix’n’Rail Mustafa Pasha Kiwi Camping Culture Meets Innovation Camping is an iconic part of New Zealand’s lifestyle— a cherished time for reconnecting with nature, spending nights under starry skies, and exploring the rugged beauty of Aotearoa. However, as the Kiwi camping community grows, so does the challenge of balancing outdoor enjoyment with regulations and environmental sustainability. Fix’n’Rail, an inventive new solution developed right here in New Zealand, is designed to make portable toilet systems easier, safer, and legal. What is Fix’n’Rail? a simple solution with big impact Approved by NZ Lifestyle Camping, this innovation helps those looking to upgrade to meet New Zealand’s new self-containment regulations for freedom camping, that require that campervan toilets are permanently fixed. The Fix’n’Rail bracket gives campers a way to secure their existing portable toilet in place. The portable toilets that are supported by this device are: Rocktrail, 145, 365, 165 Dometic, Seaflo, and Burnsco. Durable, lightweight, and easy to install Crafted from resilient materials, the Fix’n’Rail bracket is lightweight, durable, and designed for easy installation. Simply mount it in your chosen space, snap in your portable toilet, and you’re ready for the open road! This ease of use means that seasoned campers, as well as newcomers, can install it without hassle or professional help, allowing you to focus on the adventure ahead. Sustainability and the circular economy The design behind Fix’n’Rail supports a circular economy by giving new life to portable toilets that may otherwise end up in landfills. Rather than purchasing new equipment to comply with regulations, campers can use Fix’n’Rail to repurpose their current toilet, reducing waste and conserving resources. It’s a small step that contributes to a larger movement of eco-conscious camping. Where to get Fix’n’Rail Available directly from MystEnterprise.com ( ckw.nz/fix-n-rail ), the first batches land in NZ in December. Final thoughts Fix’n’Rail is more than just a product— it’s a movement towards sustainable camping practices that allow Kiwis to experience the best of New Zealand’s landscapes while preserving their natural beauty for generations to come. Whether you’re a weekend warrior or a full-time vanlifer, Fix’n’Rail brings you closer to a sustainable camping lifestyle that doesn’t compromise on comfort or convenience. So, if you’re looking to step up your eco-conscious camping game, Fix’n’Rail is here to help— one secure toilet at a time! ◊ Up Up 10 Summer 2024 , p 12

  • events-camping

    6 Summer 2023 6 Summer 2023 BUY AUTHOR INDEX AUTHORS Click on image for full view and caption event-morisons-grahamleslie_mw.webp event-motukarara_mw.webp event-campfest.webp event-campfest04722_mw.webp event-mtsomers_mw.webp event-MWF+Fest+2023_mw.webp event-orton_mw.webp event-oxford_mw.webp event-waikato_mw.webp event-waimate2_mw.webp event-whanganui_mw.webp EVENTS — Camping Editor Join up with others and go camping. Oxford Pre-xmas Farm Stay 8–10 Dec, Fri, Oxford, Nth Canterbury Run away with us. Avoid the Christmas shopping a little longer (or see if the Oxford Farmers Market will fill out your list). Children and pets welcome. All Points Camping Club. ckw.nz/oxford-xmas | ckw.nz/oxford-rsvp Pre Christmas Fun 8–10 Dec , Fri, Arapuni, Sth Waikato Relax before the craziness of Xmas. Kayaking, swimming, bush walks, cycling, glow worms, campfires and more. All Points Camping Club. ckw.nz/arapuni-camp   |   ckw.nz/arapuni-rsvp Christmas/New Year in the Park 24 Dec–2 Ja n, Motukarara, Canterbury Come for a cuppa, a day, a night, relax for a week at Waihora Domain! All welcome. Water, toilets, playground, rail trail, horse racing 29th. All Points Camping Club. ckw.nz/motukarara-xmas | ckw.nz/motukarara-rsvp Whanganui Vintage Weekend camp 19–22 January , Fri, Wanganui, Region Markets, vintage car display, bands and other events. Camp in the city. All Points Camping Club. ckw.nz/vintage23-camp | ckw.nz/vintage23-rsvp Waimate Getaway! 26–28 Jan , Fri, Waimate, Sth Canterbury Join us at this hidden jewel, Knottingley Park & Arboretum. Pet friendly. All Points Camping Club. ckw.nz/waimate-getaway | ckw.nz/waimate-rsvp Camp at Morison’s Bush 2–6 Feb , Fri, Martinborough, South Wairarapa Camp under manukau trees by the Ruamahanga river for Waitangi weekend. Swimming, fishing, visit the Martinborough Fair. Dogs on leads. All Points Camping Club. ckw.nz/morisons-feb23 | ckw.nz/morisons23-rsvp Campfest 2024 9–11 Feb , Fri, Bulls, Rangitikei An incred-i-bull family venue: join us for a fun camping weekend with a market, walking distance to shops and cafes. All Points Camping Club. ckw.nz/campfest-24 | ckw.nz/campfest-24-rsvp Marlborough Wine and Food Festival Camp 9–12 Feb , Fri, Waihopai Valley, Marlborough Camp the weekend and visit the biennial wine and food festival on Saturday, just a 15 min drive away. All Points Camping Club. ckw.nz/waihopai-camp | ckw.nz/waihopai-rsvp A weekend at Orton Bradley Park 23–25 Feb , Fri, Charteris Bay, Canterbury Cast a line, have a round of golf or tennis or just relax at Charteris Bay, at the lovely Orton Bradley Park. No pets. All Points Camping Club. ckw.nz/orton-feb23ckw.nz/orton-feb23-rsvp Mount Somers in Summer 22–24 March , Mt Somers, Canterbury Explore this picturesque region from the Holiday Park. Dogs on leads. All Points Camping Club. ckw.nz/mtsomers-mar23ckw.nz/mtsomers-mar23-rsvp For more camps keep an eye on l allpointscampingnz.org/events l ckw.nz/nzfunadventures-events (FB) Up Up 6 Summer 2023 , p 35

  • editorial

    3 Autumn 2023 3 Autumn 2023 BUY AUTHOR INDEX AUTHORS Click on image for full view and caption Editorial: looking back, looking forward Miriam Richardson As the season turns we look back on our summer — the adventures, the challenges, the starry nights, friends (new and old), the places we have explored, the places we plan to explore later. On shanks’s pony, in kayaks, boats, bikes, cars, vans, caravans, poptops, teardrops, motorhomes, we have spread out over the summer, loving our country. The season has turned with catastrophic weather taking out roads and houses leaving many with sheer survival as their focus. The autumn and winter ahead will be challenging on many fronts, so each chance you get, for a night, a weekend, a few days: take up your bed and go out and restore your spirit; enjoy the rivers, the beach, the hills, mountains, if they are close enough, and if all else is beyond reach, take your bed into the back yard and enjoy the stars. This issue is kindly sponsored by the All Points Camping Club of NZ and NZ Lifestyle Camping. Up Up 3 Autumn 2023 , p 4

  • driftaway

    3 Autumn 2023 3 Autumn 2023 BUY AUTHOR INDEX AUTHORS Click on image for full view and caption Twilight view ©2023 Dave Adamson Hard stand park by the lake. Playground Cabins View over the lake The new Driftaway camping ground Heather Auckram The new Driftaway camping ground at Frankton in Queenstown. I have stayed in a car, and in a tent. Dogs are welcome. There are bbqs, a playground for kids, breathtaking views over Lake Wakatipu from the dining area, swimming in the lake and a hot tub for adults. A nice place to go for a treat. Heather Auckram Photos ©2023 Heather Auckran, Dave Adamason, Driftaway Up Up 3 Autumn 2023 , p 16

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