It's the dream right: parking up among the stunning scenery of New Zealand in your car
or campervan to camp for the night?
Well, that isn't always the reality of a campervan trip in New Zealand.
In order to keep New Zealand beautiful, there are restrictions on where you can camp for
free, more commonly known as freedom camping.
So to set the record straight, here's everything you need to know about freedom camping in
New Zealand, coming right up…
What's up guys!
We're Robin and Laura, the team behind BackpackerGuide.NZ, helping you plan an epic trip to New Zealand.
In today's video, we're gonna go through where exactly can you camp for free in New Zealand.
We'll talk about what type of vehicle you'll need for freedom camping, how to find out
where you can camp, the penalties for freedom camping in restricted areas, as well as some
awesome alternative camping options.
Plus, stick around until the end of this video because we’re also going to share with you
10 best free campsites in New Zealand!
And by the way, we bring out new videos about New Zealand every single day!
So click or tap the subscribe button for more helpful New Zealand travel tips.
And with that, let's get on with this guide to freedom camping!
Let's start with self-contained vehicles.
The easiest way to talk about where you can freedom camp in New Zealand is to talk about
whether you have a self-contained vehicle or not.
A self-contained vehicle is a vehicle that meets the Caravan Self Contained Certificate
standard.
The vehicle must have a Self containment NZS 5465 certification and the appropriate blue
sticker to show this.
The standard for a self-contained vehicle must include a toilet, fresh water storage
for at least three days, waste water storage for at least three days, and a rubbish bin
with a lid.
Check out the description below for a link to an article and a video going really in-depth
into what a self-contained camervan is and how you can get one.
Now that you know what a self-contained vehicle is, let's talk about where you can freedom
camp with a self-contained campervan.
If you do have a self-contained vehicle, then you are generally allowed to camp on district
council land and Department of Conservation land, commonly known as DOC land.
However, each council and sections of DOC land have their own set of rules about freedom
camping.
For instance, some councils will not allow freedom camping with 1km of the town or you
may only be allowed to stay in a car park for one night.
We recommend that when planning to freedom camp in a particular town or area in New Zealand,
simply Google freedom camping in Taupo, for instance, and look on the council's website
for reliable information.
Council website address usually ends in .govt.nz.
You can also ask in information centres.
But to make your life easier, we have a whole bunch of articles on BackpackerGuide.NZ on
where to you can freedom camp around New Zealand, which we keep up-to-date especially for you
guys.
We'll link to a few below.
To get up-to-date information on where there are restrictions or where freedom camping
is prohibited on DOC land, we'll give you the specific link in the description below
as well.
Next up, where can you freedom camp in a non self-contained vehicle?
If you are camping in a tent, car or campervan without a self-containment certificate, then
you need to stay in designated sites that allow freedom camping for non self-contained
vehicles.
These are usually free campsites or parking areas with a toilet block nearby.
Travelling in a non self-contained vehicle definitely restricts the amount of places
that you can camp for free around New Zealand compared to having a self-contained campervan,
as you can't just park up on public land or DOC land and expect it to be Ok.
Like we suggested before, because every area has different rules, take a look at district
council websites, search on the DOC website for free campsites, and give Backpacker Guide
a browse for free campsites as well.
But if you run out of options, you can always rely on paid campsites and holiday parks which
we’ll talk about at the end of this video.
So, what are the penalties for illegal freedom camping?
Council officers and DOC rangers patrol areas that a prone to illegal freedom camping, especially
in the high season and during the mornings and evenings.
So what if you are caught illegally freedom camping in NZ?
While some officers or rangers may politely tell you to move on, you could be given an
instant 200 NZ dollar fine for one of the following reasons…
camping or preparing to camp where you are not allowed to
damage to an area you are camping in dumping any waste or rubbish
refusing to leave an area when told to do so
camping in an area only for self-contained vehicles when you are camping in a vehicle
or tent that is not certified self-contained And, refusing to give information to the officer
or ranger In relation to the above, you could also be
fined 5,000 NZ dollars if you behave illegally toward the officer or ranger.
You could also get a court fine of up to 10,000 NZ dollars if you dump waste onto public land,
such as dumping a waste water tank from a campervan.
Again, in our video about self-contained campervans we’ll tell you where you can dump your waste
water.
How do you pay your fine for freedom camping?
When you receive a fine for freedom camping, instructions on how to pay will be on the
notice.
However, if you do not pay your fine, you will receive another notice to pay the fine
plus an extra cost to be paid within 28 days.
Refusal to pay could mean you have to go to court and if you were using a rental vehicle,
then the rental company can charge the fine to your credit card.
Custom Officers at the airport can refuse you from leaving New Zealand if you have outstanding
fines to pay.
It's pretty scary stuff but all of this can be avoided if you do some research on where
you can freedom camp legally before you hit the road.
But we've done the research for you, so you can just follow the tips in this video and
BackpackerGuide.NZ.
What are your alternative camping options?
So if you find yourself in an area where there are freedom camping restrictions or there
are no appropriate freedom camping sites, then where else can you camp?
It's likely that you will have to pay to camp in a campsite or holiday park.
You can camp in DOC campsites.
The DOC manages over 200 campsites around New Zealand, some of which are accessible
by camping vehicles while others are on hiking trails.
They have basic facilities and range in price from 0 to 15 NZ dollars per person per night.
You can also camp in holiday parks.
Holiday parks have a lot more facilities and even the option to have a powered site so
you can plug in campervans to a power supply.
Expect to pay between 20 to 50 NZ dollars for two people in a tent site or powered site.
For more information on what facilities you can expect in New Zealand campsites and holiday
parks, check out the link to the difference between holiday parks and campsites in the
description.
So there are our tips on freedom camping in New Zealand, but as promised, here are 10
awesome free campsites.
Better yet, you can access them with a vehicle.
Number 1.
The Waikare River Mouth.
This campsite in the Hawke's Bay region of the North Island has great views of the river
and access to a beach.
2.
Greyneys Shelter Campsite in the Arthur's Pass National Park in the South Island is
a great base for hiking.
Number 3.
Robin Hood Bay in Marlborough on the South Island has amazing views but get in there
quick because there are only 10 spots.
4.
Lake Pearson is another free campsite near Arthur's Pass which is a great place for wildlife
spotting.
And 5.
Probably one of the most isolated free campsites for vehicles is on the shores of Lake Monowai
in the Fiordland National Park.
6.
Te Pakau in the Gisborne region on the North Island is a great riverside campsite with
access to walks.
7.
Mangatutu Hot Springs in Hawke's Bay has a free campsite and free hot pools but it has
a gravel road and ford to cross so it's generally not suitable for motorhomes.
8.
Lake Tennyson near Hanmer Springs in the South Island is an awesome place for mountain biking
and hiking.
However, the road is not suitable for vans over 7m.
9.
Thicket Burn is another free campsite in the Fiordland National Park near Lake Hauroko
which is we love for hiking an jet boat tours.
And finally, number 10.
There is a small campsite suitable for cars on the Lindis Pass, one of the main routes
through the South Island, called the Lindis Pass Historic Hotel.
So that's it for our guide to freedom camping in New Zealand.
We hope it has answered all your questions on where you can camp for free but if you
do have any more questions or know any good freedom camping spots, then stick them in
the comments below and help each other out.
Also, if you found this video in anyway useful, give it a thumbs up and don't forget to subscribe
for more New Zealand tips and activity ideas through NZ's Biggest Gap Year where we're
challenging ourselves to 365 activities in 365 days.
Until next time, have fun on the road!