Free Camping in NZ

G'day Rhonda,

Plenty of free camping on the South Island. Spent 3 weeks on the South island & only paid camp fees for 2 nights because we had to stay in Manapouri to take the full day trip to Doubtful sound.

I travel quite a bit there in my job but being a keen camper I always keep an eye out for potential free camps on my travels for when I come back on holiday. The North Island is more developed so from what I have seen is not great for free camping. Just be aware that the weather & sandflies in the south can make your life uncomfortable.
Take your time & enjoy. It's a very beautiful country & there are photo opportunities around every corner.

Cheers
Stu

HI Can't tell you were they are but we traveled around the South and North Islands for five weeks and only stayed in Motor Parks as they call them over there a total of six days out of the five weeks .
While over there we spoke to a local he had been on the road 2 years and free camped all the time and was only 2 hrs away from his home,he also had a wood chip heater in his coaster bus.
We drove Motor homes ,some of the places we stopped at would surprise you.

Hi we were in NZ North in August last year. It is not good news for free camping in the North Island. As usual it is the bad 2% that spoil it for rest of us. It appears to be a local council decision which is enforced by council and/or police. We only managed a couple of frees but found the Parkes both regional and national a good option. Similar to our NP with fees. I think once you move away from the main tourist area it maybe a little easier. We were lucky to have friends just north of Auckland which helped and they gave us to history of why free camping is not the go in their area. Can give you details for the area north of Auckland if that helps. Send an email if you like.

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Gooday,
If this picture turns out it, is a MotorHome (or Motor Camper as they call them), we saw when there for a few weeks in 2007. They had Chimney with decent size wood heater, you can see the chimney above the roof.
They have what they call Park over Properties, (POP'S), which they pay about $5-00 per night for on private properties all through the both Islands. Think you have to be registered to use them though.
Also they can get a permit to stop in Auckland for free , I think up to 30 nights in row, costs $90-00 for a year, there are many designated sites available. They all, (Caravans & Motor Campers), have to have Grey Water tanks fitted over there at time of registration.
Australia could learn,& implement many of their ideas if the Bureaucrats would listen.
Cheers,
Boroma 604