Camping the Kiwi Way, 7, Autumn 2024

CAMPING THE KIWI WAY 7: AUTUMN 2024

2 CAMPING THE KIWI WAY AUTUMN 2024 Read it online or get a screen copy ckw.nz/autumn2024 Order or Subscribe Just this page via email. The magazine by email. (free) The magazine printed and posted: $44 annual sub (4 issues) $13.50 for one issue TO ORDER OR SUBSCRIBE send us an email: MORE FOR COUNCILS AND GOVT 5 Celebrating Summer 34 Living an endless summer 37 Three octogenarian campers 40 Events — Camping 41 Festivals and Shows Bette Cosgrove A gaze into the green crystal ball of hope for a consistent, reliable freedom camping vehicle certification system, designed to protect our environment and keep it ‘clean and green’, reveals an extremely stormy and very cloudy future with a lot of unhappy campers, confused councils and extremely overworked, stressed vehicle inspectors. Potentially 99% of the camping vehicles currently fully certified self-contained with fixed cassette toilets will be non-compliant under the new regulations. Government and the PGDB The Minister for Tourism, Hon Matt Doocey has the power to extend the transition period (up to 2 yrs) for private vehicles certified prior to the law change. This could provide added time to review these problematic regulations. For the thousands of fleet-hire vehicles which must all be upgraded and re-certified by December ‘24, if their customers are to be eligible to freedom camp, there is no support, no extension and very little hope. The impossibility of getting the system working properly by the legislated deadlines has been signalled by the PGDB (Plumbers Board) responsible for implementing the new scheme. Given the lack of inspectors (only 29 nationwide, Feb ’24 ), there is little chance those whose selfcontainment expires in June this year will be able to get a new green warrant, and the law prevents them renewing their blue warrant: no more freedom camping for them. The Responsible Camping Group of the Ministry of Business, Industry and Enterprise (MBIE), is waiting for the Minister of Tourism to request that they revisit the problematic regulations. Does he know? Will he do it? If the regulations are to change, perhaps the Minister might be inclined to rescind the bizarre fixed-toilet requirement at the same time — this was a promise made by National MPs prior to the election. Being self-contained is the point (or is supposed to be). See p10. Certifiers and inspectors The major current certifier networks across Aotearoa have yet to take up the role of Certifying Authority or to train their nation-wide roster of inspectors. It will be months, well beyond June ‘24, before they can begin issuing the new green warrants. Councils: bylaws and enforcement Councils will continue to be confused and out of pocket as they are required to implement and enforce the new laws. BYLAWS: Some received funding to make bylaws. But of the 69 local authorities only 39 have published the required freedom camping bylaws and we’ve seen only half a dozen other councils starting the bylaw process. Councils who have welcoming and open policies for freedom camping but no bylaw, must now create one in order to continue to provide free camping for all. To provide space for non-self-contained campers (or those self-contained to the old standard), it must now be specifically designated in a bylaw, a lengthy, expensive process. ENFORCEMENT: Councils are now tasked with enforcing the new law, a cost to locals which may never be covered by revenue from fines. If councils choose not to enforce the new law, there will be no national consistency, a specific goal of the 2023 law changes. It’s inevitable we will continue to see clouded and confused council interpretations of the new laws. Already we’ve seen over-zealous districts trying to enforce fixed toilets ahead of time, and officers unlawfully insisting on inspecting inside vehicles. Ensuring their officers abide by the legal limits and responsibilities of enforcement is another (and urgent) task for councils. See p12. Is it possible? worth the cost? the hassle? There is a turbulent market ahead for fixed-toilet appliance sales. If everyone wanting selfcontainment must retro-fit a fixed toilet plus vent system how will they obtain these from RV suppliers? No/low stock or supply chain issues will mean tens of thousands of campers won’t get what they need, or find the tradespeople to retro-fit them, in time to meet the 2025 deadline. Both the retrofitting and the certification process is expensive and only useful for freedom camping. The blue warrants do the job for all other camping. Is it worth the effort and cost? What’s the vision for the future? Many eligible campers are likely to be unable to get the green warrants in time, and will be forced out of freedom camping, if the regulations don’t change and the new system is not delivered in the time the law sets out. This is an immensely sad loss for NZ travellers, and for the next generation, many of whom will be effectively barred from freedom camping. Only the well-off with large vehicles will be able to meet the increased cost and carry on enjoying freedom camping. The tourism industry will also be adversely affected. There will be fewer of NZ’s most lucrative tourists, those who enjoy a long slow journey around the country, who contribute more than wealthy hotel visitors who jet in and out on short stays. The cost of retrofitting will raise motorhome hire costs; much of the rental fleet may be barred from freedom camping at all. Paid campgrounds, already full at peak times, are likely to be overwhelmed by those without fixed toilets, both international and domestic. DOC sites and affordable regional sites may become overcrowded and over-used, and this could lead to a decline in the quality of the space or potentially lead to closures. The net result of these law changes is likely to be unhappy and fewer travellers and a tarnished national tourism reputation. The 29 inspectors would need to re-certify about 260 vehicles per working day to update alreadycertified vehicles by the Jun ’25 deadline: IMPOSSIBLE Predictable problems with the new CSC green warrant system 4 Editorial 6 Self-containment warrant cards 8 How to manage the freedom camping transition period 10 What is ‘self-contained’, anyway? 12 Enforcement of freedom camping rules 14 ‘I am not freedom camping’ cards 16 No more freedom camping for these responsible campers 18 Kaikōura: the freedom camping Wild West 19 SMALL TOWN: Taihape: the perfect stopover 20 Hey NZ Govt? You are messing with my mental health 21 7 days a week

AUTUMN 2024 CAMPING THE KIWI WAY 3 Camping the Kiwi Way ISSUE 7, AUTUMN 2024 ISSN: 2815-8261 (Print) ISSN: 2815-827X (Online) ©2024 All Points Camping Club of NZ Inc Editor: Miriam Richardson [email protected] campingthekiwiway.org Published quarterly by All Points Camping Club of NZ Inc & NZ Lifestyle Camping Ltd ORDER OR SUBSCRIBE Printed copies including postage: $44 for a year (4 issues) $13.50 for a single copy [email protected] READ IT ONLINE OR GET A PDF ckw.nz/autumn2024 Subscribe for an email link to each issue: [email protected] ADVERTISING [email protected] See ckw.nz/advertising SHARE YOUR STORIES If your group or club is promoting NZers enjoying our great outdoors, we would like to share your stories. Tenting, caravanning, motorhoming, van camping, bike camping, hiking and more. • Camping photos and stories. • Club stories and photos. • Upcoming events that include camping. • Opinion pieces on camping issues. • Technical / helpful articles. Photos 1mb or more in size. Email words and (separate) images: [email protected] CONTRIBUTIONS CLOSE May 1 for the Winter issue For late-breaking articles talk to the editor. 2 Predictable problems with the new CSC green warrant system 4 Editorial 4 The packdown 5 Celebrating Summer 6 Self-containment warrant cards 8 So you want to freedom camp: How to manage the transition period 10 What is ‘self-contained’, anyway? 12 Enforcement of freedom camping rules 14 ‘I am not freedom camping’ cards 16 Do your bit: Task of the week 16 No more freedom camping for these responsible campers 17 Ten tips for hitting the road full time 18 Kaikōura: the freedom camping Wild West 18 Charly the campervan 19 SMALL TOWN: Taihape: the perfect stopover 20 Hey NZ Govt? You are messing with my mental health 21 7 days a week 23 Kiwi camping with a difference 25 Hidden gem: Waipu 26 My caravan that floats 29 Make caravan fridges work as claimed 32 Recipes for camping 33 DOC update 34 Living an endless summer 34 The perils of a coiled power supply cord 35 Camp au naturel 36 Whanganui vintage camping 36 Waihopai camp and the Marlborough Wine and Food Festival 37 Three octogenarian campers 38 STOP & STAY — with your dog 39 — Land of the Lotus 39 — Scottland Motorhome Park 40 Events — Camping 41 Festivals and Shows 42 GAME: DOC campsites 1: In the north 43 RV & camper business services Navigating freedom camping law changes 2 Predictable problems with the new system 6 Self-containment certification: Which is yours? 8 How to manage the freedom camping transition 10 What is ‘self-contained,’ anyway? 12 Enforcement of freedom camping 14 ‘I am not freedom camping’ cards 16 Do your bit: Task of the week 16 No more freedom camping for these responsible campers 18 Kaikoura: the freedom camping Wild West 20 Hey NZ Govt? You are messing with my mental health. 25 7 days a week

4 CAMPING THE KIWI WAY AUTUMN 2024 Editorial Miriam Richardson When I began assembling this issue I came up against a dilemma. If I focused on the many wonderful summer camping stories, the government might be able to use this magazine to say the slipshod new freedom camping selfcontainment laws and regulations were not spoiling things for New Zealand campers. Sadly, the changes are bringing restriction, distress, anxiety, and insoluble dilemmas for many of us (p20). To give a balanced picture, I have included the serious stuff, putting it on the left pages while we celebrate summer on the right-hand pages. Match your side to your mood. Many campers, who will soon be barred from freedom camping, have used this summer to enjoy it while they can. Until their self-containment certificates run out or the government’s deadlines arrive, they can continue to freedom camp. Some regions are failing to follow the law during the transition period, which has given campers a needlessly stressful time. (p18). (Check p6 to see what your particular blue warrant allows you to do, and for how long.) Check out page 8 for suggestions on how to manage over the transition period, if you want to freedom camp. The new laws bring in a raft of new offences: I thought we might need to actually know what they are, so you will see them in “ordinary” language on page 12. Since it is now an offence to “prepare to freedom camp” as evidenced by “parking”, consider having a notice for your dashboard to let enforcement officers know what you are intending to do (p14). Once they get trained in mind-reading we wont need these notices, but until then… Can you do your bit to shake up the powers-that-be? If commonsense was going to prevail we wouldn’t have a problem now. We need to apply political pressure to persuade politicians to be sensible. See page 16 for some options. Many voices may bring action, while lone voices will be ignored. Add your voice, if you can. At the same time as pondering the challenging thought of taking political action (shudder) to protect freedom camping, take heart from the many wonderful stories from summer campers. All over the country people have been out and about and enjoying the dry and the heat, tolerating the wind and the wet, and making the most of it. Read all about it. Read on… Tiaki mai. The packdown Kristy-Lee Biggs Somebody asked recently about the pack down. In our previous years, we could never pack down in time for check out and were always hot and bothered by the end. This year, we nailed it with time to spare! I loved the frequently offered idea of an extra night and taking the day to do it, but our place rarely has extra nights (and is a bit $$$). So we used a couple of hours the night before to pack down the shelter, leaving only the next morning’s essential clothes, food and cooking things unpacked. Everything else was packed up in the relative cool of the night and stored in the tent. We have young kids so were up by 7am, rolling up bedding before the sun hit the tent. We used a rubber broom with a squeegee on the back to remove the morning surface water on the tent, leaving it to dry while we had coffee and breakfast. All done in two hours for a 12-man tent and five days’ of beach life/family camping supplies. Smashed it … …and then we went for a swim before driving home.

AUTUMN 2024 CAMPING THE KIWI WAY 5 Another little foray into paradise. I can’t really take in how gorgeous the McKenzie Basin is. Very sore bum after cycling yesterday however, so swimming and reading this afternoon. ©2024 Louise Hamilton Canterbury High Country The dogs had visitors at Knottingly Park and Arboretum camp. Making new friends at camp is fun! All Points Camping at Knottingly Park, Waimate, January. ©2024 Linda Butler Campground. Not affected by law changes. We made it to Curio Bay Well we made it to Curio Bay on Monday afternoon, after an 8¾ hour drive. I did the Balclutha to Curio Bay run. Jeeze it’s like Gisborne to Tolaga Bay 5 times non stop. And the road’s crap as well. Lots of soft spots on the fog line where the seal has been squeezed out of the holes and looks like 9 or 10 inches from top to bottom. Then there’s the normal refills that aren’t working or didn’t work. I guess the message is, the roads around the country are generally not fit for purpose, so drive and be very wary — scan the road 30 or 40 meters ahead so you can mitigate the risks. I guess I’m lucky. I had good patient teachers in the military, on trucks with power steering by arm and shoulder movement only. Anyway, greeted by reception and allocated a site. We asked for as close to the amenities as possible as we are broken arses. No worries, got a great site. Hauled out our new air tent and with some glitches got set up in about an hour. Cook a feed, take meds, do washing up, tidy up and hit the sack. Day two, up at sparrow fart and do a recce, have breakfast then off exploring. Right to the top of the headland then over to the petrified forest. If for no other reason, the petrified forest is a good enough reason to visit. The sites are natural land and each site is surrounded by mature harakeke. The first sound you are greeted by is something that sounds like it’s a stuka of WW2 vintage. Then you start bleeding and realise its fekin Curio Bay sandflies. Despite the bombers it’s a pretty good camp. For a few nights or a day trip it’s a pretty cool place. The Catlins, Southland Maurie EdwardsPhotos © 2024 Maurie Edwards Campground. Not affected by law changes. Hammock time, Tokomaru Bay ©2024 Bette Cosgrove Free camping with a nonfixed toilet. Impossible after law changes.

6 CAMPING THE KIWI WAY AUTUMN 2024 Certified Blue before 6/23, any toilet OK to freedom camp on public land† until 6 June 2025 (or until your card expires, if earlier). Certified Blue before 6/6/24, fixed toilet OK to freedom camp on public land† until 6 June 2025 (or until your card expires, if earlier). Last chance for new or renew: 6 Jun ‘24 Certified Blue portable toilet You may not freedom camp on public land†. NEW: Certified Green (fixed toilet only) OK to freedom camp on public land†. Lasts 4 years. All of these are OK on private or commercial properties, crown land (that isn’t LINZ or council-controlled land), club sites, organised events and anywhere payment is made. Good for 4 years or until the card expires. Self-containment warrant cards Which one is yours? Identify which kind of self containment you have, and be clear about where you are allowed to camp, so you can avoid fines and hassles. The new freedom camping law specifically states that ‘short term parking’, and ‘day-trip excursions,’ are not freedom camping. Recovering from driver fatigue continues to be allowed, and is, specifically, legally, not ‘freedom camping’. † What is ‘public land’? All land managed by district and local councils is covered. This can include land otherwise controlled by NZTA, LINZ or DOC. Currently LINZ has 5 freedom camping areas in Central Otago and the McKenzie Country, and the new law applies. As at Feb 2024 DOC has made no changes relating to self-containment: the existing standard applies (portable or fixed toilet) for sites that require self-containment. ckw.nz/linz An enforcement officer may inspect your warrant card. If asked, you must produce the self-containment certificate. An enforcement officer may not inspect inside your vehicle. More on enforcement p12

AUTUMN 2024 CAMPING THE KIWI WAY 7 I could live like this forever. Mavora Lakes 2024. Southland Photos ©2024 Nigel Henry DOC. Not currently affected by law changes. Tucks Bay, Coramandel. Not quite freedom camping, but the weather was bad where we intended to stay (at Little Waikawau Bay, Thames Coast) so home for the night became Tucks Bay, the overflow part of the Long Bay Campground, Coromandel. It’s basic tent sites, composting toilet. The lady gave us a discount as they had no powered sites left in the main camp. Nice little drive through the bush, about 1km from the main campground. Its more of an old-school camp site, better than any top 10. Darryn Phayer Photos © 2024 Darryn Phayer Campground. Not affected by law changes. 3 adults, 3 kids & 5 dogs. We settled on Lake Opuha (Fairlie) for our latest trip. 1 pod, 1 rooftop, 1 homebuilt caravan, 2 tents, 1 boat, 3 biscuits (2 survived). First time using the portaloo. ©2024 Fee Kat Free camping with a non-fixed toilet. Impossible after law changes. Free camping in a pop-top. Without a fixed toilet, impossible after law changes. Love Woodville Ferry Reserve, hardly anyone here. Darren Mansfield ©2024 Darren Mansfield Private property. Not affected by law changes. Campground. Not affected by law changes. Stunning coastal camp site at Maraehako Campground, Whanarua Bay (East Coast). Plus camping beside the pub in Waihau Bay, the classic ‘Kiwi bach’ site. Bette Cosgrove ©2024 Bette Cosgrove Not FREE but truly freedom at its best. SH 35 is a magical journey. Put it on your list.

8 CAMPING THE KIWI WAY AUTUMN 2024 Some (but not all) can freedom camp with their blue warrants during the transition period (p6). At the end of the transiton period green warrant cards will be required for anyone freedom camping. See note at the end for more on ‘blue’ and ‘green’ warrants. Can you actually go green? The new system is not yet ready to do the job. As at Feb ’24 only 29 can do this work in the whole of the country. This is so spectacularly inadequate, that it has been estimated that those 29 would need to certify 260 vehicles a day to get everyone through before the 2025 end of the transition period. Further, the rental motorhome fleets all have to be recertified before 7 Dec this year, which will leave little opportunity for us. When can you or I choose to re-certify for a green warrant? Unknown. Might your blue warrant expire before you have a chance to get a green warrant? This is a distinct possibility. Check your expiry date and give that some thought. What upgrades must you do? We are faced with making bizarre and expensive modifications before we can be certified green. It is possible, but not at all certain, that some of these regulations might fall to commonsense, in a revision process that could take as long as 6 months‡. There is an advantage if we can delay upgrading and going green until the outcome is clear. It is worth considering renewing your blue warrant before 7 Jun ’24 to extend your personal transition time to the maximum, a transition-end date of Jun ’25 (or later, if the transition period were to be extended). 7 June: A last chance for new blue or renew 7 June ‘24 is the last day you can renew (or get a new) blue warrant with a fixed toilet, and use it for freedom camping during the transition period. After that, only a new green warrant can be issued for freedom camping. Self-contained with a blue warrant and a fixed toilet • 1: Upgrade and get a green warrant before your blue warrant expires or transition-end (likely 7 Jun ‘25†). A fixed toilet is just one of the requirements (ckw.nz/go-green). • 2a: Renew your blue warrant before 7 Jun ’24 to maximise the transition time, and in case your blue warrant expires before you can get a green warrant. • 2b: THEN do any upgrades required and get a green warrant before transitionend (likely 7 Jun ‘25†). Self-contained with a blue warrant and a portable toilet Once your blue warrant expires you cannot freedom camp with a portable toilet‡ (you need a blue warrant, issued before 7/6/23, not yet expired). You need to install a fixed toilet‡ (true for blue, probable for green‡) • 1a: Upgrade to a fixed toilet and renew your blue warrant before 7 Jun ’24. • 1b: THEN do any other upgrades required to get a green warrant before transition-end (likely 7 Jun ‘25†). • 2: Upgrade and get a green warrant before your blue warrant expires or transition-end (likely 7 Jun ‘25†). A fixed toilet is just one of the requirements (ckw.nz/go-green). Fixed toilet, not yet self-contained • 1a: Get a new blue warrant before 7 Jun ’24. This will allow you to freedom camp until transition-end (likely 7 Jun ‘25†). • 1b: THEN do any other upgrades required to get a green warrant before transition-end (likely 7 Jun ‘25†). • 2: Upgrade and get a green warrant now. A fixed toilet is just one of the requirements (ckw.nz/go-green). Portable toilet, not yet self-contained You need to install a fixed toilet‡ (true for blue, probable for green‡). • 1a: Upgrade to a fixed toilet and get a new blue warrant before 7 Jun ’24. This will allow you to freedom camp until transition-end (likely 7 Jun ‘25†). • 1b: THEN do any other required upgrades to get a green warrant before transition-end (likely 7 Jun ‘25†). • 2: Upgrade and get a green warrant now. A fixed toilet is just one of the requirements (ckw.nz/go-green). Which is you? What are your choices if you want to freedom camp? Why extend your transition time • There are too few certifiers and inspectors to meet the current need. • There may be no inspectors in your area. • If your blue warrant expires before you can get a green warrant, you are barred from freedom camping. • The regulations might be updated in the next 6–8 months to change requirements; wait until it is clear. • There might be so many people wanting parts and services at the same time that upgrading may be both difficult and slow. • The transition period might be extended as long as 2 years. • It will be so expensive! Another year before paying the new fees is a bonus. Just get it done! • Get it off your mind, and go freedom camp. • Save the cost and effort of an interim blue warrant. • Get ahead of the rush for the parts and the professionals to install them. • Get ahead of any last minute rush for certification. • Accept that the upgrade costs might turn out to be unnecessary. So you want to freedom camp: How to manage the transition period We are in a transition period from the old ‘blue’ warrant system to a new ‘green’ warrant system. The transition period is set to expire 7 June ’25†. There is a small possibility that the Minister might choose to extend the transition period; the law allows this until 7/6/27†. It could help, with so many needing to be certfied by so few. IMPORTANT DATES 7 June ‘24 Last chance for a new or renewed blue warrant you can use to freedom camp. TRANSITION-END 7 June ‘25 (unless it’s extended) 7/6/25 is the intended end of the transition period. GREEN WARRANTS ARE THEN REQUIRED But the transition-end could be delayed. 7 June ‘27 is the end of the longest possible delay. ‡ Efforts to overturn the ‘fixed toilet’ regulation continue. This was promised by National on the campaign trail. References here to the need for a fixed toilet for a green warrant will become obsolete if these efforts succeed. NOTES MORE> Certified blue: a blue warrant card; certified to the NZ Standard, Self containment of motor caravans and caravans (NZS 5465:2001. The old, existing system. (pdf). Certified green: a green warrant card; certified to new regulations (ckw.nz/go-green). The new system. † The transition period started 7 Jun 2023 and is set to expire 7 Jun 2025 (transition-end: 7 Jun ‘25). The legislation allows for the transition period to be extended. The Minister can set any length extension, to, at the latest, 7/6/27, an extra 2 years (transition-end would be 7 Jun ‘27). Given the logistical problems in the implementation of the new system, the Minister might choose to do this. Renew your blue BY 6 JUNE 2024 FIXED LOO?

AUTUMN 2024 CAMPING THE KIWI WAY 9 A beautiful peaceful place, Fortrose, in The Catlins. Southland. ©2024 Sheryl Moffat Free camping here with a non-fixed toilet will be impossible after the law changes. In two minds about posting this as it was so wonderful to have had it all to ourselves (the way I like it this side of Xmas!) for 3 nights! But its such a cool place I can’t not share and recommend it. I just got back from camping at Waipu Caves Farm Park (not the same as Waipu Caves DOC campsite), Northland. Such a cool place that’s only recently opened to public camping. My 3 boys absolutely loved it, as did I! Big flat 9m by 9m tent sites plus parking (vehicle camping sites available too), wellequipped kitchen, flush toilets and hot showers, fantastic network of walking and biking tracks around limestone boulders and crags and (marked) tomos, a cave tour (stalactites and glow worms), river with swimming holes, eels, crayfish etc to discover, limestone crags set up for climbing and abseiling (byo gear and skills), a campfire, playground, farm animals to visit and super helpful and friendly owners. Definitely my new favourite spot and would definitely recommend it! Emma Pearson Photos ©2024 Emma Pearson Camping ground. Not affected by law changes. Great place to enjoy the shade. Orton Bradley Park. Banks Peninsula, Canterbury. Gary Hitchcock ©2024 Gary Hitchcock Camping ground. Not affected by law changes. So thankful After 21 days #vanlife freedom camping: 30 + swims; 3 lakes 4 rivers 9 beaches 12 FREE camps 2 koha sites 2 DOC paid sites 21 days of a happy dog 4 dump stations 3 Sunday pannekoeken days 1 Christmas dinner BBQ in the rain 19 sunny days 6 hours on the paddleboard 5 nights in family or friends’ driveways 15 regions of Te Ika-a-Maui crossed 2 meals of amazing fresh fush n chips 1 paua pie Multiple new friends made in lovely small towns where we spent $$$ at every stop. Saw 21 sunrises and 21 sunsets plus billions of stars. Bette Cosgrove Photos ©2024 Bette Cosgrove Free camping with a nonfixed toilet. Impossible after law changes. See p25: Hidden Gem

10 CAMPING THE KIWI WAY AUTUMN 2024 Miriam Richardson Self-containment is at the heart of the the latest raft of freedom camping changes instituted in 2023. What is ‘self-containment’? The NZ Standard gives us our definition of self-containment. To provide “for the containment of solid waste, toilet waste, and grey waste water, resulting from the approved number of occupants’ daily activities, and to supply their minimum fresh water needs, for at least three days.” NZ Standard, Self containment of motor caravans and caravans (NZS 5465:2001), © 2024 Standards New Zealand. • Do you need a fixed toilet to be self-contained? No. • Can you be self-contained and use a portable toilet in a toilet tent? Yes. • Does a preference for using public toilets mean you aren’t selfcontained? No. • Does the one-in-many-million chance of catching Legionnaires disease feature in self-containment? What?! No! • Do cassette toilets enable the containment of toilet waste? Yes. • Do toilet cassettes have any problems doing it? No. • Does every toilet cassette in the country need to be modified to be self-contained? No. (Do the new regulations require such a change? Yes. Why? Ignorance on the part of the regulation writers.) What is the point of self-containment? The point is protecting the environment by making sure all those enjoying it can keep their waste contained and can dispose of it safely and cleanly in the right place and time. How did we get here? When the NZMCA first mooted self-containment as a way to protect the environment, they focused on facilities rather than behaviour. It’s much easier to work out if there is a toilet, than it is to know that a person truly knows that peeing or shitting in the bushes is not acceptable. (Oh, men, should I have left peeing in the bushes out?) The Responsible Campers Association promoted an alternative, a teaching-based option, where campers learned how to handle their waste responsibly. Sadly, this got little traction. Climbers and trampers learn to handle their waste responsibly; it can be done, even without a vehicle. Many of the reported problems with travellers and waste are not about facilities within their vehicles so much as actions taken by the travellers: education might have successfully managed this, particularly for short term visitors. Many are self-contained but are not “certified self-contained” Some are self-contained to the same criteria as those who get certified, and some follow the definition and intent of selfcontainment but not all the details of the standard. It is not hard to contain your waste, and jumping through the certification hoops has only become necessary as exclusionary laws have been enacted, barring those who are not certified. There is now a legal requirement to be ‘certified selfcontained’ if you want to freedom camp which means having passed the test to prove your vehicle meets either NZS 5465:2001 the ‘old’ standard (blue warrant)(until 7/6/25) or the new regulations for a green warrant. Certifying for self-containment: the laws and regulations Strangely, nowhere in either the Freedom Camping Act 2011, or the Self-contained Motor Vehicles Legislation Act 2023 do they trouble to define self-containment. They define enforcement officer, freedom camp, motor vehicle inspection, motor vehicle inspector, Registrar of Motor Vehicles, and even the humble ‘registration plate’, but not what they mean by “self-contained”. The Plumbers, Gasfitters, and Drainlayers (Self-Contained Vehicles) Regulations 2023 which are the new regulations for selfcontainment, don’t define it either. They define blackwater, greywater, wastewater, wastewater system, Board, certificate of self-containment, self-containment levy, self-containment authority, enforcement officer, and warrant card, but nope, not “self-containment”. The government department charged with making the regulations, the Ministry for Business Innovation and Employment (MBIE), does not show any awareness what it means. The simplest reason to infer from these omissions is that none of those involved in regulating it really care about selfcontainment, per se. Being either ignorant, or able to ignore, what self-containment actually means, they can regulate to the tune of their other imperatives which are more about restricting freedom camping to large vehicles and wealthier people, than to containing waste and protecting the environment. Given that the laws and regulations are not based on any definition of self-containment, it is perhaps explicable that they demonstrate a lack of knowledge around how motorhome waste can be safely and sensibly managed, they perpetuate exMinister Nash’s peculiar fetish around the fixedness of toilets, and they give plenty of rope, I mean scope to show how little house-based plumbers know about vehicle-based plumbing. Usually this ignorance would have been ameliorated by the Select Committee process, and by consultation with experts during the formation of the regulations. Sadly the Select Committee process was knee-capped by the then-opposition members (now the government), and those tasked with developing the regulations seem to have taken shortcuts with the consultation, only choosing to hear who or what suited them, and their lack of knowledge and professionalism is evident in the regulations, for all to see. Unintended consequences: the mandate for large campers The shift from small vehicles to large vehicles is going to increase the impact of each traveller on the environment. Being larger, heavier, and taller, they will make a bigger impact on the roads, on the phyiscal environment and intrude much more on the scenic view. What is ‘self-contained’, anyway?

AUTUMN 2024 CAMPING THE KIWI WAY 11 A lovely long weekend away at Lake Ōhau Pam Clarke I’ve just had a lovely long weekend away at Lake Ōhau in my little Wanda. Stayed one night at Round Bush campsite and 2 at Lake Middleton, both are DOC sites, Round Bush is free and Lake Middleton just $10 at this time of year and free from Easter to October. It was quite windy the entire weekend so my plans of getting out on my paddleboard didn’t happen, but I did have a (very quick and cold!) swim in Lake Ōhau which was refreshing! I walked some of the Parsons Creek track, which goes up through beech trees then joins the Te Araroa Trail with amazing views over the lake. It was a really hot day so I only continued on for about 45 minutes then turned back, but will go back in cooler weather to do more. I also walked half of the Lake Ōhau Track which follows around the lake for 10km coming out on Glen Lion Road. This is part of the A2O and I really wished I’d brought my bike! Again, next time! At the campsite I got chatting to a guy about local walks and he said it’s possible to get up to the Tarnbrae Lookout track from a path behind the village. I had a quick wander to look but didn’t find it. With all the new building going on it’s hard to tell what’s a public path and what’s a new driveway to somebody’s section. As there were high winds Sunday afternoon I decided to stay another night, and drove straight to work early Monday morning, which was of course a bright sunny and calm day! Driving past the lake it was like glass, and much as I enjoy my job I did wish I had the day off to stay and paddleboard. Photos ©2024 Pam Clarke Two DOC camps. Not currently affected by law changes. Escape to Papatowai Heather Auckram After the chaos of Christmas our frazzled nerves needed restoring. We threw a few supplies into the campervan and headed for the healing calm of Papatowai. To avoid the volumes of holiday traffic on SH1, we took the slower-paced Southern Scenic Route from Fortrose and were glad we did. There was pure scenic magic round every bend; farms, quaint cottages, sea, wetlands, bush, sealed and unsealed roads and hardly any people. As we approached Papatowai the road wound through bush covered hills and came out at the must-stop Florence Hill lookout. The view is picture perfect; golden sands of Tautuku Bay, white surf, the expanse of a blue Pacific Ocean. The DOC camp is a bush framed camp tucked behind the local store. Dogs allowed. You need to book online and there are no designated sites. The next day started with blue skies and went from hot to hotter. As there were expectant mother sea lions on the sand, waiting to give birth, we took shelter from the sun with a stroll through the trees on The Old Coach track alongside the estuary. It’s the original route the horse-drawn coaches took after coming off the beach. The Lost Gypsy Gallery and the local store both make great food, with the store having fuel and supplies too. I could get no wifi signal on the Spark network. I simply had no choice but to just enjoy the disconnection from the world beyond the hills and just breathe. Absolute bliss. Thank you Papatowai from a fully restored human. Photos ©2024 Heather Auckram DOC. Not acurrently affected by law changes. What an eclectic bunch of lovely people camping all sorts of ways at Morison’s Bush. Wairarapa, Waitangi Weekend. ©2024 Bette Cosgrove Private land. Not affected by law changes.

12 CAMPING THE KIWI WAY AUTUMN 2024 Miriam Richardson This is ordinary language and guidance only. Check the legislation yourself for the precise wording and detail†. Offences to avoid when freedom camping (These offences are in Freedom Camping Act 2011, Offences Part 3, Sections 20, 20A, 20B, 20C, 20F, 20G and the infringement fees/fines are $400 up to $10,000.) • Camping where it is not allowed. • Not having a valid warrant. • Not displaying a valid warrant. • Having more people than the vehicle is certified for. • Display or present an altered or fraudulent warrant or selfcontainment certificate to an enforcement officer. • Make preparation to freedom camp (“park a motor vehicle” or “erect a tent” “to use it for freedom camping”), where it is not allowed, or with too many people. • Refuse to leave an area when told to by an enforcement officer (see next column). • Refuse to give, or give false or misleading information to an enforcement officer (see next column). • Bad behaviour towards an enforcement officer: prevent, impede, threaten, intimidate, use abusive or threatening language, or behave in a threatening manner (penalty up to $5k). • Interfere with /damage the environment while camping. • Deposit waste, not in a ‘proper receptacle’. • Discharge “noxious, dangerous, offensive” substances that cause “a significant concern to” residents, people living nearby, or other users of the area (penalty up to $10k). Who has to pay Freedom Camping Act 2011, Section 26 Any or all of the following: • The person committing the offence. • The registered owner of the vehicle. • The person legally entitled to be in charge of, or the person using, the vehicle. Knowing or not knowing you have been ‘infringed’ Freedom Camping Act 2011, Section 27 You may never know you have been issued an infringement, and you might never receive it. These notices can be handed to you, attached to the vehicle, emailed, posted to the last known address of the person, or posted to the registered vehicle owner’s address. Any email delivery problems, out of date postal addresses, having no access to a postal address, not being the person who committed the offence (eg the vehicle owner rather than the camper), makes no difference: you are deemed to have been served. When the officer presses the email ‘send’ button, the email is considered properly delivered to you. When the normal postal delivery time has passed (anyone’s guess how long that is nowadays!), anything posted is considered delivered to you. What information must enforcement officers give? Freedom Camping Act 2011, Section 34 They must show evidence of appointment, if you ask. It must show their responsibilities and powers and the offences they have been appointed to monitor. The must tell you, if you ask, what offence they believe you have committed (or are committing), if they ask for personal details. What information are you required to give? Freedom Camping Act 2011, Section 35 Personal information You must give your full name, date of birth, full address, email address, telephone number, and occupation, IF an enforcement officer believes, on reasonable grounds, that you have committed or are committing an offence. If you are asked for personal information you are entitled to ask what the offence is that the officer believes you have committed (or are committing) and the response must be reasonable. You must also give personal details for, and the whereabouts of, any other person, connected in any way with the alleged offence (penalty up to $3k). Self-containment certificate You must produce the self-containment certificate, if asked, but they can only ask IF the enforcement officer believes, on reasonable grounds, you have committed or are committing an offence by camping or preparing to camp where not permitted. They have no right to inspect the vehicle. We have reports that enforcement officers in Kaikoura are being encouraged to do this, regardless of its illegality. See p18.) You can be required to leave Freedom Camping Act 2011, Section 36 Enforcement officers may require you to leave an area, but they must believe, on reasonable grounds, you are committing (or have committed) an offence. Impounding things Freedom Camping Act 2011, Section 37 & 38 Enforcement officers may seize and impound a motor vehicle or any kind of unit associated with a vehicle that can be used for camping (eg., caravan, poptop, teardrop, rooftop tent) (or a boat), if it is being used (or has been used) to commit an offence and it is “reasonable in the circumstances”. What counts as “reasonable”? The Act give some requirements: if “it is necessary” to protect health, safety, the environment, or to maintain access to an area. But, even if none of those things are true, if it “is, in the circumstances, the most appropriate action to prevent the ongoing commission of the offence.” Before impounding, the officer must: • tell the person to stop committing the offence, • advise them that impounding is on the cards, • give them “a reasonable opportunity to stop committing the offence”. To get your vehicle back you have to: • Convince them you aren’t going to commit the offence again. • Pay for all the cost of the seizing, impounding, storing. • You also have to pay any penalties/fines related to the offence that initiated the impounding. If your vehicle is damaged in the process of impounding, the cost is yours unless they were unreasonably careless. If you haven’t got your vehicle back within 6 months, they can dispose of it. † Check the law yourself: ckw.nz/FC-law Enforcement of freedom camping rules

AUTUMN 2024 CAMPING THE KIWI WAY 13 Home for the next few weeks. Ruataniwha Conservation Park A swallows nest in the shelter, cute aren’t they? Fresh dusting of snow on the Ben Ohau Range this morning (11 Feb). All gone by lunchtime. ©2024 Tony Kissel DOC camp. Not currently affected by law changes. Two nights (again) at our local reserve… Waitohi Bush Reserve … great place to just unwind and listen to the bellbirds. Has 2 tracks that are a bit steep in places but some nice walks along the shingle roads if you’re not into the bush walks!! Our ‘go to’ place when we need to charge our batteries (only 8 mins from home , lol). ©2024 Gill N Colin Miskelly, South Canterbury Free camping here with a nonfixed toilet will be impossible after the law changes. Family camping… part of my DNA for 60 years. Bette Cosgrove ©2024 Bette Cosgrove We had a great stay at Tokomaru Bay. Our camp was right on the beach looking directly out to where the sun would rise. So many cool old buildings and structures. Reminders of its busy past. It was great exploring all the old ruins and I was lucky to be allowed to photograph an old abandoned house just behind our camp. Of course the East Cape sunrises didn’t disappoint either. Greg Lokes ©2024 Greg Lokes. At Tokomaru Bay, Gisborne District Council freedom site. Free permit required summer only. Free camping with a non-fixed toilet. Impossible after law changes.

14 CAMPING THE KIWI WAY AUTUMN 2024 I am not freedom camping cards Miriam Richardson We are now in a surreal world of peculiar freedom camping rules. Every camping vehicle is now at risk of substantial fines, wherever it is parked, as the new offence of “preparing to freedom camp” is defined as “parking”. Well, literally, “park a motor vehicle to use it for freedom camping” (20 (2) (b)). Since the intention of the parking is not a visible thing, any parking of a camping-capable vehicle at a cafe, on the street, in a residential area, in a shopping area, at a reserve or a beach opens the driver (or owner) of the vehicle to the risk of a fine of up to $3,000. There are 4 kinds of parking/overnighting/sleeping that the law says are NOT freedom camping. ● “temporary and short-term parking” ● “recreational activities commonly known as day-trip excursions” ● “resting or sleeping at the roadside in a motor vehicle to avoid driver fatigue” ● “unable to live in appropriate residential accommodation”. There is no observable way to determine if the person is shopping, ‘day tripping’, temporary parking or short-term parking, undertaking a recreational activity, suffering from driver fatigue or a migraine, or homeless. “Temporary and short-term parking” looks identical to preparing to freedom camp. “Recreational activities commonly known as day-trip excursions” look identical to preparing to freedom camp (awning/sun umbrella, chairs, table, BBQ, togs and towels out to dry etc). Resting because of driver fatigue looks like resting or sleeping for any other reason. The homeless live in their vehicles the same way as travellers do but aren’t restricted to designated areas, nor required to be certified self-contained. The Responsible Campers Association has been selling window cards alerting anyone interested as to their freedom camping status. These display cards make a clear assertion to enforcement officers, as to the intention of the parking. I can see no down side in being clear about my intentions, so I think I will prepare some cards to put on my dashboard when I am parked but not freedom camping. Homelessness is a whole other issue. When it comes to freedom camping the definition of homelessness has been changed, presumably in an effort to exclude people who live on the road and do not have a residential address. If a person ‘is able’ to stay at a boarding house, campground, motel, hotel, hostel, etc, they are, by definition, not ‘homeless’ when it comes to freedom camping. What counts as ‘able’ or ‘appropriate accommodation’ is not defined. Most living on the road would be excluded by this definition, though in places where the listed forms of accommodation are unavailable, they would, indeed, be homeless in terms of ‘freedom camping’. I might add another card advising that I will contest any infringement notices; I haven’t quite decided about that yet. With such draconian laws falling on our heads, contesting notices in court may become necessary. References: Freedom Camping Act 2011 ckw.nz/FC-law Homelessness: Freedom Camping Act 2011, 5, 2A (a)(b)(c) Temporary parking: Freedom Camping Act 2011, 5, 2(a) Day trip excursions: Freedom Camping Act 2011, 5, 2(b) Driver fatigue: Freedom Camping Act 2011, 5, 2(c) These display cards make a clear statement to enforcement officers, as to your intention while parking I can see no downside in being clear about my intentions I AM NOT FREEDOM CAMPING I am not freedom camping, nor am I preparing or intending to freedom camp. I am on a day excursion, as allowed by the Freedom Camping Act 2011, 5, 2(b). Imagine if other NZers had to justify their parking or risk a $400 fine every time they went to the shops or the beach. SALES, CLEANING, AND REPAIRS all brands and types of blinds in Blenheim, Marlborough. Call Marty & Diana Ireland: 03 578 9162

AUTUMN 2024 CAMPING THE KIWI WAY 15 Christmas at Lake Aniwhenua, with 6 others, all old friends from around the North Island. Lovely spot, local to us. It was very hot. Carolyn London. Bay of Plenty. ©2024 Carolyn London Any camping is allowed. Not affected by law changes. Truly a Summer to remember Currently on night 23 of this 86-night trip. In Murchison next week I celebrate my 250th night since getting my teardrop. (I’m heading for a 500-night goal in the next couple of years). After 23 days I have done 380+ km mountain biking, and driven 3000+ km. Truly a Summer to remember, this one. Many more rides in sight, including Queen Charlotte track in March, and many more places to go & people to meet and friends to catch up with. My wife joined me for a mini holiday yesterday— a16hr and 450km driving day. We found this incredible destination, 50 minutes north of Karamea: Moria Gate Arch and Mirror Tarn. Andrew Morton ©2024 Andrew Morton Heading to The Burt. Well after a week of covid and still not a lot of energy I decided bugger it and I’m heading to The Burt [Burt Munro Challenge, Invercargill]. The Coast way. Slowly. Photos ©202 4 Tony Knights. Free camping with a non-fixed toilet will be impossible after the law change. A small, perfectly formed bikepacking trip Haven’t done a huge amount of biking this summer, but sometimes all it takes is a small, perfectly formed bikepacking trip to rekindle the love. So it was, two weeks ago I set off with Miro, Bronnie, Claire, James and Kerei to do the top half of the Rainbow + Sedgemere Track + bottom half of the Molesworth. Photos ©2024 Simon Kennett Back country camping. Not affected by law changes. Beautiful Sunday at Morison’s Bush. Enjoy, and haere rā everyone. Shame we can’t stay longer. ©2024 Bette Cosgrove

16 CAMPING THE KIWI WAY AUTUMN 2024 Do your bit: Task of the week Let one person in authority know you want to protect your right to freedom camp on public land. Bette Cosgrove If you care about your rights to continue free camping, use all your democratic rights to contact, lobby, write to, or message the people who have to make this law actually work. Choose one. Write to your local media or meet a reporter and tell your story about summer freedom camping, the issues because of the new law, as well as the good times. Know your local council freedom camping bylaws — are they being changed and are they fair? Did they actually assess all restricted areas and fully consult about it? How did they actually spend any government grants for this work? Ask councils for camp sites. If there’s water, toilet and a rubbish bin for day use, why not let the space be used at night? Lobby for those not self-contained, or self-contained to the old standard, and for space for tent camping. Talk to your local MP — tell them how your rights are being eroded and how your family recreation is being lost. Write to Ministers of the Crown: Sport & Recreation, Hon Chris Bishop; Regulation, Hon David Seymour; Tourism, Hon Matt Doocey; Hunting and Fishing, Hon Todd McClay. The full list and contact details are here: ckw.nz/ministerial-list Explain how the new laws seem to be a “sledgehammer approach for a tack” issue and do nothing resolve the bad behaviour of anyone on public land who leaves their rubbish or waste behind. Tell them how it negatively affects YOU or your whānau who just want to enjoy your camping recreation and your country. Have your say with groups you belong to, who are fighting to resolve the unworkable new law. All Points Camping Club NZ, NZ Lifestyle Camping, NZMCA or other freedom camping or camping groups. Contact the groups tasked with implementing the new law: • MBIE Responsible Camping Team, who created the regulations. website • PGDB Plumbers Gasfitters Drainlayers Board self containment team who are struggling to deliver the new system. website Here is the actual legislation — search for ‘Freedom Camping Act 2011’ on www.legislation.govt.nz No more freedom camping for these responsible campers. No room for a fixed loo…

AUTUMN 2024 CAMPING THE KIWI WAY 17 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. 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”. Continues, p19 Ten tips for hitting the road full time

18 CAMPING THE KIWI WAY AUTUMN 2024 Kaikōura: the freedom camping Wild West Miriam Richardson Why stick to the law if you can get away with whatever takes your fancy? In Kaikōura, the council states on their website that “Fines can be issued for” “not allowing an enforcement officer’s inspection”†. The Freedom Camping Act 2011 does not have an offence called “not allowing an enforcement officer’s inspection”‡ and the council cannot make up a new offence and then impose a fine for it. The Freedom Camping Act 2011 requires that a warrant card is displayed which is the prima facie evidence that the vehicle is compliant. An enforcement officer has no legal power to search or inspect a vehicle for any reason. Even the police can only inspect a vehicle if they have reasonable grounds to believe it contains evidence of a crime punishable by a prison term of 14 years. The New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990, section 21 states very clearly “ Everyone has the right to be secure against unreasonable search…* But, hey, this is the freedom camping Wild West. I wonder what appears on the documentation of the enforcement officers in Kaikōura? Every enforcement officer must show, when asked, evidence of their appointment, which must show “the responsibilities and powers that the person has under the Act” and “the infringement and other offences in relation to which the person is appointed” (Section 34‡). Has the Kaikōura District Council added to this documentation their new offence, the one not included in the Act, “not allowing an enforcement officer’s inspection”? Why are they doing this? The Kaikōura District Council has created a bylaw§ with a variation on the definition of self-containment, such that inspecting the warrant and the self-containment certificate does not satisfy them†. Only by conducting an illegal search can the Kaikoura District Council enforcement officers ascertain if their bylaw variation on the concept of self-containment is satisfied. In NZ law, evidence gathered during an unconsented search cannot (or only rarely) be used. But in Kaikōura they believe they can use both what they find in an illegal search and a refusal to consent to an illegal search as evidence to fine people $400. Do the freedom campers consent to the search? It seems both the Council and the enforcement officer are asserting a legal power to search any freedom camper in their district. When the Council says ‘I will fine you if you don’t allow it,’ it is better described as ‘coercion’, rather than ‘consent.’ This likely makes all resulting fines illegal. Is the cost of a fine less than talking to a lawyer? Probably. The Council is targeting smaller vehicles and poorer citizens, those less able to access legal support, so they probably feel pretty comfortable that they will not be challenged in Court. Who polices the enforcers? If you keep your aim on just poor people: nobody. It’s the Wild West on the beautiful east coast of the South Island. † Kaikōura District Council, Responsible Camping Accessed 5/3/24 § Kaikōura Responsible Freedom Camping Bylaw 2019, amended Dec 2023 the PDF * Bill of Rights Act 1990 ‡ Freedom Camping Act 2011 Charly the campervan New Zealand’s first wheelchair accessible campervan, CHARLY, will soon be available for hire. Launched in January by Milner Mobility it has been designed and built by ACM Motorhomes with the assistance of wheelies, on an IVECO cab and chassis. Charly means “free man” or “valiant” — giving wheelies the freedom to travel. The No.1 condition was that the wheelie got to travel up front! It has an accessible bathroom, can be driven with hand controls, and has an hydraulic lift. 60% of each rental is donated to its sponsors CatWalk and the NZ Spinal Trust. More: Milner Mobility A cure for the stubborn peg Heather Edmeades I thought people might find this useful — I always struggle to pull pegs out (yes I use another peg, use the guy — I’m just lacking in strength) then I learnt how to splice, and was looking for something to make once I had done all the guys that needed replacing. It is an old steel peg that I bent into a ring using a hammer and vice. Super useful as it is easy to grip with both hands and use your legs to heave out even the most stubborn peg. © 2024 Heather Edmeades

AUTUMN 2024 CAMPING THE KIWI WAY 19 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 SMALL TOWN: Taihape: the perfect stopover place taihape.co.nz • Water fill: Kuku St behind the Town Hall • Dump station: Linnet St • Dog park: Robin St • Laundromat • BP and Mobil • Taihape Community Garden • Taihape Musicians Club, every Friday night, 7pm Freedom camping in Rangikei The Rangitikei District Council, since the 2023 law change, says, for council land: “people can effectively freedom camp wherever they like.” They ask that you “be aware of your surroundings, other people, litter, and comply with other bylaws and laws.” ckw.nz/rangitikei-free-camp Peter Scott Okay , listen up, this is new. When travelling the North Island, Taihape has become the perfect stopover place. The local council has gone to extreme trouble and cost to provide the best stopover place in the country. Turn at MacDonalds and go 500m to the show grounds. Memorial Park, driveway on the corner of Weka and Kōkako Sts. Plenty of room to park up and a new facility to enjoy. Large camper parking is on the gravel area before turning left into the sports parking car park. (Oh, and, Saturday morning sports…) Free facilities include an outside food prep area, toilets, and showers. All councils should be thinking like this… Ten Tips …continues from p17

20 CAMPING THE KIWI WAY AUTUMN 2024 Hey NZ Govt? You are messing with my mental health Gary Stoneley I go camping for my mental health. Bev and I have done this for over 25 years. It is our choice to go camping with a caravan, but I could use my Elgrand van if I wanted. I’m not happy with the NZ Government interfering with my choice of leisure time by restricting how I go camping. I consider myself a responsible camper and pretty much everyone I know is. Whether they have a tent, trailer camper, small van, housebus or caravan I have rarely seen fellow campers not respecting the environment. I remember in the 1990’s staying at a campsite somewhere, or maybe on a caravan club rally and being taught how to remove a patch of turf (to be replaced later) and let the kitchen waste water soak into the ground below the surface, or to have a bucket with a couple of holes in the bottom so all the solids were kept and water drained away. A loose cap on a waste container did much the same. That’s not something you see so much any more. It wasn’t uncommon for the caravan waste water to be used to water trees, away from activity areas. Any residual food matter was soon gobbled up by hungry little animals. Campers now, are far more aware of the negative effect of chemicals and the health risk of not disposing of waste water properly. But it’s not unusual in a rural setting to be told, just dump it on the ground or around trees. Didn’t dishwater deal to aphids on plants? The expectations placed on campers are now much higher than they were 20 to 30 years ago. The first New Zealand Selfcontainment Standard was published in 1990 and was a joint effort by multiple organisations and government departments working together. Initially only covering motorhomes and caravans — people were living in these it seemed — the Standard set some minimum expectations for both the occupant’s health and reducing environmental harm. A real plus about this was that weekend camping events could be held at venues like schools or reserves without facilities and organisers could say their campers were self-contained and took all their waste with them. It was an extension of the Caravan Club and wider camping adage of ‘Pack in, pack out’. Skipping forward a quarter of a century and self-containment has become a government regulatory tool for NZ’s vehicle campers. Yes, it is targeted and policed at those who chose to camp in a vehicle, with considerable infringement fees. And it is affecting my mental health and the mental health of thousands of NZ campers and our supporting industry. Why is the NZ government restricting and penalising NZ campers, who choose to use a vehicle to camp rather than a tent? Our family caravan has a permanently fixed, sealed, toilet, but the NZ government wants us to fit an external vent to it. It’s pointless and will just fumigate the camper next door. My trusty Elgrand I can’t enjoy for camping anymore, unless I permanently fix a toilet into it. Well that screws up putting sheets of gib in it now. It’s stressful just thinking about all this. Should I even bother getting a new ‘green’ warrant card for freedom camping? If I don’t submit, where can I camp at no cost? Hey, NZ Government, Stop screwing with my leisure time activity! It’s affecting my mental health! I just want to go camping. It’s healthy, its fun, and it keeps me sane. “Camping in all its different forms puts us on the doorstep of the great outdoors and provides a clear pathway to a healthier and happier lifestyle – one in which people appreciate nature more and are active outdoors. Given the many negative events that have been happening in recent times at home and abroad, anything that helps people to feel better about themselves and each other is vitally important.” Sabina Voysey, The Camping and Caravanning Club’s Director General Read the report: ckw.nz/outjoyment Download : ckw.nz/outjoyment-pdf DOC articles on outjoyment: ckw.nz/nature-therapy ckw.nz/most-popular

AUTUMN 2024 CAMPING THE KIWI WAY 21 allpointscampingclub.org For $35 (1st year) get a range of discounts, including internet, travel, insurance, sporting and home products. Lifestyle Camping highly recommends joining NZ’s national camping club, All Points Camping Club of NZ 7 days a week, NZ Lifestyle Camping works to support NZ campers and the commercial vehicle industry that require certified self-containment — to meet central and local government requirements. At a recent industry-wide meeting, there was a consensus that the new PGDB-administered self-containment regulations are not fit for purpose. There are substantial unnecessary costs on campers and the industry. The Government is being lobbied to urgently fix the issues. We recommend holding off on getting a new green warrant at this time unless it is essential for you to do so. The new regulations may be yet be amended or the legislation repealed. From 7 June this year we cannot give new (or renew) blue warrant cards that can be used for freedom camping. Check out where existing blue warrant cards work on PAGE 6. If you have a fixed toilet, consider renewing your blue warrant before 7 June, so you can continue to freedom camp as long as possible. PROS and CONS: SEE p8. The 4-year blue warrant card will continue to be recognised by most private and commercial host properties, at events, including club events and any land not managed by Councils or LINZ. If camping in an area designated for ‘all campers’ or ‘non self-contained vehicles’ by councils, the green warrant is no more effective than a current blue warrant. There are now thousands of private host properties throughout NZ, plus DOC campsites and council-managed reserves that welcome all campers: your blue warrant will likely suffice. NZ Lifestyle Camping Ltd is continuing to certify vehicles under the current NZ Standard. There are a few plumbers issuing green certs under the flawed regulations . SEE p2 If and when we know that the substantial issues with the new regulations are resolved NZ Lifestyle Camping will move to becoming a certifier under the new scheme. In the meantime the pressure is on the Government to fix this. 7 days a week

22 CAMPING THE KIWI WAY AUTUMN 2024 It's about finding and recommending the best camping locations for all types of campers. Over 120 host properties and growing

AUTUMN 2024 CAMPING THE KIWI WAY 23 Kiwi camping with a difference Shaun & Jenn It all started with a chance conversation with friends about a special birthday coming up (I won’t mention which one!) & the fact that I wanted to take my wife & kids on a trip to the South Island over Easter 2023 as our boys had never been. Being on a budget, we decided that camping was our best option but our current set-up/pack-down time was way too long & we always took way too much gear to fit in our car, plus we wanted to take the bikes & kayak as well. With our friends already having a tear drop camper (and an extremely fast setup/pack-down time), we decided to have a go at making our own camper trailer, as we already had the 7x4 Pinto Kingsider trailer. I’d always wanted to make a lockable cover of sorts for it so my mind started working overtime with all the possibilities. After spending many hours watching YouTube videos to help with ideas on how to build one and things to incorporate, I formulated a plan. I would build a collapsible box for the top of the trailer that could be stored flat when not in use so that the trailer could still be multi-purpose. I decided to make the frame out of 25mm galvanised steel & would clad the outside in ACM panels (aka Signboard), held on with VHB tape (for those that don’t know — it’s basically double-sided tape which was scary to think that it would do the job but I was assured that it would). I wanted to ensure that the hinges on the doors would be fully waterproof so chose Centaflex hinges & they work great. The roof would then drop down on top of the frame to secure everything in place (along with a couple of bolts & homemade roof-racks) & then we attached the rooftop tent on top of that with quick release hinges. We ended up purchasing the roof top tent first as we could still use it while building the camper trailer. After looking at all the options, we decided to go with a Kiwi Camping Rooftop Tent & Annex as it had the best layout for our family, easy access & the service from them was great. Plus, the height profile of it when packed away suited our needs too, as height of the entire unit was something we needed to take into account as we wanted to be able to store it in our garage. The drawers were next to be made & after much input from my family (mostly from my wife!) on how they needed to operate (she wanted all the bells & whistles, lol!) I drew up a sketch on how it should look & am proud to say that it came out looking pretty much like it. Not being a woodworker, I stumbled along & got it done with the basic tools I had (& plenty of cursing), but it worked & I got the drawers finished. The first drawer was 1 long drawer for waterproof storage boxes which would hold food & other things, the second drawer had a chopping board pull out tray that converted to a kitchen sink/washing area, 3 burner gas cooker that sat on the top, plate & cutlery drawer & a back section for other miscellaneous items (eg cooking spray, gas bottle, cleaning supplies etc). I also made the back section of floor removable so that we could access anything that we stored under the floor at the front of the trailer which allowed room for the gazebo & other larger items. After not having much luck with a company getting back to me on welding the frame (I waited at least 2 months or more), family & friends came to the rescue & got it all done for me just before Christmas 2022. The sides, ends & roof were all attached together using riv nuts for easy dismantling later & foam tape for weatherproofing. Finding some of the hardware for the doors/hinges/easy release tent mounts proved to be very challenging & took up a lot of time & gas but as the weeks went by the collection of items grew until we had everything we needed. Next it was time to do the most nerve-racking thing of all & attach the VHB tape to the frame & then secure the ACM panels which was extremely stressful as one false move & it can’t be undone! Luckily it went without a hitch (& a huge sigh of relief) & the frame was finally together. I then fitted quick release brackets for the roof-top tent on the homemade roof-racks & fixed it to the roof. I also mounted a solar panel near the back of the trailer that could be multi-directional to capture as much sunlight as possible. I wanted to make sure that there was side access to the camper trailer so I also installed a side door that could be accessed from inside the annex of the roof-top tent along with a small window on the opposite side for outside views & airflow. I installed a couple of extra air vents for additional air circulation too. Continues, p22

24 CAMPING THE KIWI WAY AUTUMN 2024 Kiwi camping… continues from p21 I am glad I did install the side door as it’s proved very beneficial during wetter weather as you can load everything from inside the tent/annex straight into the camper without it getting wet. Last but not least, I went searching for gas struts for the rear door but after having a lot of factors to consider, I decided to get a professional to install them (& I’m glad I did) as they work extremely well. We added a couple of finishing touches (eg. LED Lights for inside the trailer & above the cooking area, Mosquito nets/flyscreens on the doors, window curtains, wall pockets for phones/books/torches/tissues etc) & then decided to make a quick run down to Miranda campground (Firth of Thames) for a weekend to test it out before going away on our big trip. It worked great & with a few extra things added when we got home: we were ready for our big trip! So, 3 weeks, 5000km We left from Auckland, drove down to Wellington via New Plymouth, got the ferry over to the South Island & then travelled around visiting lots of different (& amazing) places before making the return trip home. We clocked up at least 5,000kms! Some of our favourite places to visit were Hanmer Springs, Kaikoura, Christchurch, Dunedin, The Catlins, penguin & seal colonies, Te Anau, Manapouri, Doubtful Sound, Queenstown, The Wanaka Toy Museum, the Clay Cliffs at Omarama, Lake Tekapo & we couldn’t resist a stay at Lake Taupo Holiday Resort on the way home (they have the best hot pools & a swim-up bar). Our little camping trailer survived the trip & actually went really well — so much so that we’ve used it a lot ever since! The only thing we would have done differently would be to spend longer in each place as there’s soo much beautiful countryside to see & activities to explore. Even though we’re very close to being fully self sufficient — we don’t have a self-containment certificate — but instead of staying in packed campgrounds we prefer the serenity of a basic campsite. Photos ©2024 Shaun & Jenn

AUTUMN 2024 CAMPING THE KIWI WAY 25 Hidden gem Fiona Thomson Recently when we were traveling south from Whangārei on State Highway 1, we spotted a sign for Waipu Caves. It was a spur of the moment decision to investigate further, as we turned onto a gravel side road. The road took us on a short journey through a variety of scenery including wetlands, farmland and native bush. On arrival, we were meet by the friendly staff who were just sending a group of school students off with their guides to explore the caves. We enjoyed our hour or so guided walk through the Milky Way Glow Worm cave, where our guide taught us about cave conservation, its geology and ecology. The concrete path, and stainless steel handrails, made for a nice experience as we got up close to the underworld cave formations of stalactites and stalagmites. This is a wet cave system, with water flowing deep below us. This provided just the right habitat to see New Zealand’s worldfamous glow worms. There are a number of other activities available at the 320-acre park, including; caving, mountain biking, bush walks through naturally sculpted limestone formations, orienteering, abseiling, rock climbing and archery by arrangement. There are also campground sites set aside for tenting and parking motorhomes, at this newly opened attraction. See p9: In Two Minds It was a tent

26 CAMPING THE KIWI WAY AUTUMN 2024 My caravan that floats Graham Leslie Our family owns a 24ft (7.3 metre) trailer sailer. It is a bit like a floating caravan and we have had many camping holidays on the water. With a boat it is easy to move on to a new site or anchorage. In fact, some mornings I have pulled up the anchor and started sailing before the others have got out of their beds. We are Wellingtonbased but have towed the boat north to the Bay of Islands, the Hauraki Gulf and Great Barrier Island. We have also explored Queen Charlotte Sound in the Marlborough Sounds. There are still plenty of places we are yet to explore. A trailer sailer is an affordable compromise offering us the opportunity to cruise coastal and sheltered waters (and lakes) all around the country without the need to sail it there. The boat allows us to camp (on the water) in many beautiful bays and coves not accessible by road. It offers chances of go to those special places. Most trailer sailers can be managed easily by two adults. We started sailing with our family of four when the kids were about 6 or 7 years old. As the kids grew up they took over more of the sailing. We both did a Boat Masters and a VHF radio course. Yacht clubs can offer lots of advice and support. Racing your boat at a local boat club is a great way to improve boat handling skills. We are self-contained in that we carry a porta potti and our own fresh water. Washing ourselves is mostly done by jumping over the side and swimming (solar showers are also used). We have gas cooking and electric charging from a solar panel and our outboard motor. We use the outboard as little as possible because the boat travels better under sail and sails require no petrol. It is also very pleasant sailing along at about 5 knots exploring bays and coastlines. Freedom camping on the water is much less regulated than on land — you can anchor almost anywhere. I love that we can anchor in exclusive bays with millionaires’ holiday mansions and us in the middle of the bay in our scruffy little boat. The biggest concern when anchoring for the night is finding somewhere your anchor won’t drag and it’s not too bouncy with swells or waves. Land-based campers often complain about the wind rocking their caravan at night. On a boat you are also concerned that your anchor is holding and you don’t drift across the bay or onto rocks during the night. As a consequence you sometimes sleep quite lightly. Nice, sheltered bays with good anchoring can occasionally become crowded with boats. In the Marlborough Sounds “moorings” are used extensively instead of anchors. A mooring is a permanent anchor on the sea floor (maybe a 2- tonne concrete block) with chain and a rope up to floating buoy that can be picked up and secured to your boat. On a fixed mooring you are secure for the night. Marinas offer the boating equivalent of a campground. Its somewhere secure you can tie up and step ashore. Marinas often provide access to mains power, water, rubbish disposal, toilets, and coin-operated showers and laundry. Prices in marinas are based on the size of the boat and for our relatively small boat it is generally cheaper than what we would pay in a campground. Normally we leave our car at the marina for easy access when we come into port. During bad weather, marinas make a great place to have the boat tied up and do land-based activities. This works particularly well in Auckland. You can generally continue to live aboard your boat while your boat is in a marina. Continues, p27

AUTUMN 2024 CAMPING THE KIWI WAY 27 Accommodation on a trailer sailer is probably more like a tear drop caravan than a regular caravan. To meet the practical sailing needs of the craft, the cabin head room typically ranges from a bit over 5 foot (1.6 metres) and then reduces down to even less as the deck and hull curve. Our model of trailer sailer is regarded as relatively roomy in the cabin; others have less room. Tidiness is an interesting concept on a boat; space is short, so gear needs to be stowed wherever there is room and be secure. Boats rock on the waves and when a yacht is sailing it can lean over as much as 45 degrees. Unsecured gear ends up on the floor, including the pantry contents, if the cupboard doors are not shut properly. Like camping, a lot of your time is spent outside on the deck and in the cockpit, and a boom tent can be added for shade when anchored. Towing yachts is similar to towing a caravan except they tend to be slightly heavier for their size (due to the need for ballast) and are quite streamlined so don’t catch so much wind. When towing I notice my boat most on the hills. Trailer sailers had their heyday during the 1970s and 1980s. They were mostly made of fibreglass and even though they are now often 40 years old they are still quite serviceable. Prices vary a lot, a bit like caravans, but can be bought for a similar price as an older caravan. The costs of owning a trailer sailor are in repairs — accidents do happen on the water and parts do wear out as you use the boat. The fibreglass hull and decks however are very repairable with minimum skill. New trailers can also be bought for old boats if the original trailer has rusted away. On reflection, holidaying on a trailer sailer may not always be as restful as regular camping but it provides an opportunity to go cruising and see a range of destinations not available by road. Sailing to get there is also part of the experience. The opportunity to raise the anchor and explore round the next headland is always a tempting proposition. My caravan… continues from p26

28 CAMPING THE KIWI WAY AUTUMN 2024

AUTUMN 2024 CAMPING THE KIWI WAY 29 Fridges do not generate ‘cold’. They pump heat from where it is not wanted to somewhere it does not matter. Big fridges use more energy than small ones, but not in proportion to their size. Doubling fridge volume will increase energy draw about one and a half times, not twice. Where feasible, use one large fridge — not two smaller ones. Some cold air is lost when a fridge’s front door is opened. Topopening fridges lose marginally less. The heat seals of dooropening fridges must be perfect, if they are not, energy usage soars. If they are over three years old, replace them. Energy consumption Any fridge’s energy draw relates directly to ambient temperature. All use about 5% more for every 1° C above 25° C. Set temperatures are the same. Fridges need to be +4° C, freezers -18° C (or settle for -14° to save energy). Cool food before placing it in the fridge. Keep bought frozen goods cold in a heat-insulating bag, and put in the fridge as soon as possible. Defrost anything frozen in the fridge section. Let warm beer first cool overnight. If you keep the fridge full less cold air falls out when opened, so leave gaps for air to move, but fill empty spaces with bottled water. Most fridges control temperature by cycling on and off. Energy draw relates to the ratio of on times to off times. A fridge that draws more energy but is on less often, or for shorter times, may use less energy per day. Many makers now produce fridges that run constantly: they vary the speed to maintain temperature. For any type of fridge only daily energy draw has any meaning. Make caravan fridges work as claimed – from solar It is totally feasible to make electrical caravan fridges work as claimed primarily from solar. A typical 40–110 litre chest and door opening electric fridge draws 0.7–1.0 amp-hours/day per litre of its volume. Larger ones draw slightly less per litre. This requires 150 to 200 watts of solar, and 100 to 150 amp hours battery capacity per 100 litres of fridge volume in temperate areas (up to 30º C). Above 30º C, solar capacity needs increase by 5% for each 1º C. Alternator charging assists if driving a few hours each day. (Refer to dc-dc-charging, ckw.nz/dc-dc-charging). Three-way fridges work well on gas, from the alternator whilst driving, and 110/230 volts when available, but their energy draw (12–30 amps at 12 volts) is far too high for solar. See below re ‘Climate Class’. Unrealistic expectations Fridges must be competently installed. Few are. Improve them by following that shown next page. (Owners comparing fridges unknowingly discuss competent or otherwise installation). No caravan fridge will cool a carton of room temperature beer in an hour or two! Buy beer cold and put it straight in the fridge. Fishers (particularly) grossly underestimate energy needed to freeze their catch. Power draws continuously, doubling or tripling consumption, yet the catch will not freeze quickly. Doing so requires a generator-powered chest freezer. Correctly installed and sensibly used RV fridges will work as specified, but don’t get carried away by vendor’s claims. Believe the claims in technical data, not those in brochures. Gas and three-way fridges must suit the climate in which they are used. If not they are not likely to work as you may expect. Three-way fridges and climate class Three-way fridges maintain cooling over tightly defined ambient temperatures. These are four (CEN standard) Climate Classes. The ‘SN’, and ‘N (Sub Normal, and Normal) units work up to 32° C; ‘ST’, (Sub Tropical) up to 36° C. ‘T’-rated (Tropical) up to 43° C. (T- and ST- rated fridges do not work that well below 14°–18° C.) Only ‘Climate Class T’ cool satisfactorily in north and north-west Australia (or tropical areas generally). Three-way fridges are available in Australia from Chescold, Dometic and Indel. They have an unfair reputation for poor cooling due either to buying one of the wrong Climate Class and/or poor installation. Three-way fridges meet their claims but must be installed as shown next page to do so. Make caravan fridges work as claimed – in tropical areas When making a fridge work as claimed, it is common (but wrong) to assume there’s more solar input in tropical areas. There is not. Solar input in the tropics in mid-summer is 20% to 30% less than many expect. High humidity causes haze and some solar energy is lost because of this. It is also hot all day and often all night, so fridges draw up to 50% more energy, meanwhile, solar modules lose energy through heat loss. To cope in tropical conditions, your solar system must bring batteries to float voltage in temperate areas by noon on most days All this is thoroughly covered in my books Solar that Really Works, Solar Success and Caravan & Motorhome Electrics rvbooks.com.au. Installation Few RV fridges are correctly installed, including many done ‘professionally’. Making caravan fridges work as claimed is usually possible: sometimes even better than claimed — and often at little or no cost. It is usually easy to do but in extreme cases, it may be necessary to totally re-install. Here is a far from extreme example: it is of a $550,000 motorhome with a 450-litre fridge totally enclosed and unventilated, plus a 300-litre freezer. Both are in unventilated lockers with black fronts exposed to the sun. Neither cools below about 5 degrees C. Both connect to the battery via cable barely able to run LEDs. The RV maker refuses to accept responsibility — he blames the fridge maker! Fixing required a major rebuild of the kitchen area at a cost of over $10,000! Heat must escape Whilst seemingly obvious, a fridge must not be in direct sunlight: One character, who has his outside in Broome’s full tropical sun, complains: “my b..y mongrel Electrolux won’t keep my %#@^& beer cold.” He’d listen to nobody (including me) explaining why — despite going through a 9kg (20lb) LP gas cylinder a week as a result. Make caravan fridges work as claimed Collyn Rivers To make caravan fridges work as claimed, and draw less energy, is cheap, simple and easy. Many can be transformed. This article shows how. (p15) Continues, p30

30 CAMPING THE KIWI WAY AUTUMN 2024 The heat from a fridge must be able to exit the caravan — and not re-enter. To do this they need a cool air entry at its base level, and a hot air exit (ideally at roof level). Most need baffles to direct cold air so that it can only flow through or over the cooling fins. Baffles can be made from aluminium, plywood or even cardboard. They must be within a centimetre or two of the cooling fins. Channel rising warm air so none is trapped. The cool air vent can be at the side or through the floor (but not above or behind an engine’s exhaust outlet). Cool air must enter below the lowest cooling fin and exit well above the highest fin. The lower inlet is a problem offroad as dust is sucked in. Here, compromise is needed. One way is to have the vent closed off while on dirt roads (but cooling will suffer as a result). Rising warm air is ideally vented to and through the roof: if not feasible, have a side vent well above the highest cooling fin. Fridge level is important. Some three-way fridges tolerate 6° tilt, others only 3°, but electric fridges are less sensitive. The vital requirements Upper Left: — the baffles are too short. They need to be just below the cooling fins. Rising hot air is trapped in the dead air spaces. If not fixable (bottom centre and right), an extractor fan driven by a 5-watt solar module enhances airflow. Upper right: — the upper air vent is far too low — hot air is trapped in the fins above it, to prevent that, baffles are needed. Below: How to install fridges correctly. Baffles truly help, yet rarely used. Rising hot air is channelled to the outside. Drawing is copyright: rvbooks.com.au A small extractor fan often assists. Some have an integrated solar panel — this works well as cooling is most needed when sunny. Fans used in large desktop computers are cheap. They run directly from a 5–10 watt solar module or the RV’s 12-volt system. Ideally use fans to extract warm air rather than pumping in cool air — but the difference is minor. Electrical problems with 12-volt fridges Most 12 volt fridges have grossly inadequate cabling — many only 25% of that required. Check by seeing if the fridge cools better on 230v (where relevant). Cable issues are worsened by faulty fuse holders: and particularly cigarette lighter plugs and associated too-small wiring. Scrap such plugs and wire the fridge to the battery by the shortest route. To check if the cable is too small, with the fridge running, measure the voltage directly across the battery, then directly across the fridge. To ensure it keeps running, do this with the fridge door open. • Gipsy Club, NZMCA & Kiwi Holiday Park member discounts • Huge range of RV appliances, parts & accessories • Purchase in store, by phone or online www.gipsy.co.nz • Free shipping on website orders over $299 5 Oxford Street, State Highway 1, LEVIN 5510 Email: [email protected] | www.gipsy.co.nz • Fully equipped on-site Service Centre • Manufacturing of Gipsy Caravans & Motorhomes • Installations, modifications & upgrades • Repairs & maintenance • Custom rebuilds • Panel & paint work • TV, Satellite dish & solar panel installation • Gas, Electrical & Self Containment Certification • Assessments & repairs for all insurance companies Caravan fridges… continues from p29 Continues, p31

AUTUMN 2024 CAMPING THE KIWI WAY 31 Many caravan fridges have close to 1.0-volt drop. Accept no more than 0.15–0.2-volt drop. Using adequate cable makes an extraordinary difference to making caravan fridges work as claimed. For an electric fridge to battery distance of fewer than four metres, use 4mm² cable (AWG/B&S 11). Over four metres use 6mm² cable (AWG/B&S 9). If over four metres, move the battery closer. Do NOT use the auto cable sold by auto parts and hardware stores without first reading about it below — or in more detail in Caravan & Motorhome Electrics. ckw.nz/c-m-electrics Do also see my article on DC-DC Charging — this shows how to ensure the caravan battery and fridge receive their full required voltage from the vehicle alternator. This can totally transform a caravan or camper trailer fridge. ckw.nz/dc-dc-charging Auto cable problems Appliance makers specify cable by its cross-section in mm². Auto cable makers (in effect) specify it by the size hole you can just push it through. They rate it by its overall diameter including insulation! Auto cable sold as 4mm is typically 1.8mm², but may be only 1.25mm². Many caravan electric fridge makers specify 4mm². But countless fridges are connected by totally inadequate 1.8mm² auto cable (less than half the minimum specified). No fridges wired that way work remotely as they should and usually can. Direct comparison with other wire gauges is impossible with auto cable as conductor as size varies from maker to maker. One exception is that 6mm auto cable (typically 4.59mm² — or 10 AWG) can be substituted for 4.0mm² cable. Cable current rating trap Cable ‘ratings’ (e.g. ‘50-amp’ etc) indicate only the current that cable carries before it melts! They tell nothing about voltage drop (as that is also a function of cable length). It’s useless asking most vendors about this because few know it’s even an issue — let alone why. For caravans, locate the battery as close as possible to the fridge. If alternator-charged, install a dc-dc alternator charger close to that fridge’s battery. Never use cable lighter than advised above. If you do the fridge cannot work correctly An exact way of establishing the best cable size is shown in my books, Solar that Really Works, Solar Success and Caravan & Motorhome Electrics. rvbooks.com.au. Problems with three-way fridges Routine maintenance is required. Check the flame colour: it should be blue. If yellow (or the fridge works well on 12 volts but not on gas), the baffle inside the flue is likely coated with soot. Soot etc also drops down and affects the burner. Wearing safety glasses and old clothing, use a powerful air compressor to clean that baffle. Do likewise around the burner. Be aware this is a filthy job. You may prefer a fridge repairer to do it — and have them check the LP gas pressure at the same time. Whilst uncommon, an LP gas fridge may suddenly stop working. This is usually caused by a ‘vapour lock’ due to the caravan being excessively out of level. You can usually fix this by turning the fridge off, and make sure the caravan is level (within 3 degrees) — then turn the fridge back on after a few hours. A cause of cooling issues with gas fridges in imported RVs (or imported gas fridges) is if they are made for LP gas in a different country. If so, the jets can be the wrong size. If so, seek expert advice. Use three-way fridges as their makers intend. Run them on 12 volts only whilst driving or an hour or so from the battery because they draw too much energy to run from solar. For caravans, use heavy cabling — ideally 10 to 13.5mm² — from the alternator to the caravan battery. Consider installing a dc-dc alternator charger close to that caravan battery. Use at least 6mm² cables from that battery to the fridge. Make caravan fridges work as claimed — in cars and 4WDs Making caravan fridges work as claimed in cars and 4WDs is more of a problem. Keep them out of direct sunlight, and leave air space around the grill’s vent areas. It is fine to pack stuff close to or touching them — except for the types shown below (these must have a 50mm air gap each side as the heat dissipates from their sides). You can improve all types of fridges (some dramatically) by running a 6mm² (8 AWG) cable directly from the battery to that fridge (a maximum of four metres away). Use 6 AWG if the distance exceeds four metres. A few boat and RV fridges, such as this Australian designed and made Autofridge, (right)dissipate heat from their side-walls. These fridges must have an air gap of 50mm each side. Pic: Autofridge Australia. Fridge issues generally Do not over-pack RV fridges as space is needed to allow cool air to circulate. Door seals leak after a few years. To check, insert a strong strip of this paper (e.g. a banknote) between the door and the seal (at various places around the door) and see if it grips. If not, cool air escapes, so replace the seals every three to five years. Fridges with external cooling fins benefit by adding extra heat insulation. Some fridges, however, such as the Intel and Autofridge (pic above), dissipate heat from their side-walls. If possible have a cool air feed to the base of their sides. They must have an air gap (of 50mm or so) at either side and their top. Make caravan fridges work as claimed – summary It is totally possible to make almost all RV fridges work as claimed (or even better) via the work described above. Except for the very cheapest fridges, dismiss claims of inherent deficiencies. If a fridge is appropriate for its proposed use, problems are almost always due to faulty installation. For domestic fridges, and fridges in cabins, virtually all of the above is relevant. Further reading A great deal more on how to make fridges work as claimed is in my book Caravan & Motorhome Electrics. It even shows how to build your own fridge that leaves commercial units for dead in cooling and economy. It also includes a lot of information about running them from solar. ckw.nz/c-m-electrics Reproduced with permission. rvbooks.com.au. Caravan fridges… continues from p30

32 CAMPING THE KIWI WAY AUTUMN 2024 CAMPING THE KIWI WAY AUTUMN 2024 Making use of that tin of chickpeas Margaret Earle Tinned chickpeas are a useful thing to keep in your caravan cupboard. As well as being tasty they are a good source of protein. Here’s a couple of recipes you could use them in. Chickpea and cucumber salad Serves 4 as a side salad This salad is very simple to make. My three-year-old granddaughter really likes it. Last time I was camping with her I didn’t have any fresh mint, but the salad was still tasty and refreshing. Ingredients 1 tin chickpeas half a cucumber, approximately ¼ cup plain yoghurt Salt Garlic (either fresh or from a jar) Fresh mint (chopped finely) Ground cumin seeds The quantities above are approximate. Add more or less depending on your preferences and the look of the salad. You can add other things too like diced capsicum. Method Drain chickpeas. Chop cucumber into thin slices or chunks about half a centimetre square. Mix yoghurt, garlic, salt, mint and cumin seeds and pour over chickpeas and cucumber. Eat straight away or store in a cool place until you eat it. Spiced chickpea and pumpkin tagine Serves 4 Ingredients 2 Tbsp oil 1–2 chopped onions 3 cloves of chopped garlic (or 2 tsp garlic from a jar) 600g of pumpkin cut into small cubes 2 tsp ground cumin 1 tsp paprika 1 tsp turmeric 1 cinnamon stick ½ tsp chilli powder 1–2 chopped capsicums 400g tin of chopped tomatoes 2x 400g tins of chickpeas (drained) Zest and juice from ½ lemon 1 tsp honey Salt and pepper Method Fry onions and garlic in the oil for about 5 minutes. Add cubes of pumpkin. Stir in ground cumin, paprika, turmeric, cinnamon stick and chilli powder and cook for 1–2 minutes. Add chopped capsicum and tinned tomatoes. Bring to the boil then add chickpeas. Simmer gently for 15 minutes until all the flavours are blended. Before serving, add lemon zest and juice, honey, salt and pepper. Serve with rice. Dehydration instructions This recipe can be prepared in advance and dehydrated for a tramp or trip away. To do this: simmer the chickpea and pumpkin mixture gently until all fluid has evaporated. Finally add the lemon zest, juice, honey, salt and pepper and heat through. Spoon on the trays of the dehydrator. More detail on dehydrating meals can be found in Dehydrated dinners Issue 6, Spring 2023, Camping the Kiwi Way. Keeping meat longer: vacuum pack One way to keep meat and other food longer is to vacuum pack them. The food still needs to be kept cool but it will last much longer (six to eight days). Sometimes you will see vacuum packed meats for sale in food stores and some supermarkets are happy to vacuum pack meat when you buy it. You can buy relatively inexpensive vacuum packing machines. They require electricity to run so you can’t use them in the wilderness but are useful when you prepare meals for tramping or when it will be difficult to buy fresh foods. You can also create your own readyto-eat meals by vacuum packing home-made dehydrated meals. Pizza in the Omnia Megan Hieatt I just tried making pizza in the Omnia Oven. It looks and smells good, just have to wait for it to cool down and stop bubbling! I pricked and precooked the base for 5 min and cooked the pizza for 15 mins. The base was a simple 1 cup flour 1 tsp BP and salt, and mixed with water and rolled out to fit into the Omnia ring. The oven was preheated to 200ºC when I cooked the base and dropped to about 125ºC when I put the pizza in, with my gas ring on full bore. The Omnia is a great solution if you don’t have an oven, it works on the gas ring. So far I’ve made roasts, scones, and scalloped potatoes, and now pizza! The Omnia is a great Swedish invention, like the Trangia camping stoves. I had to sacrifice having a proper oven and glass-topped hob due to the weight compared to the Spinflo I now have, so the Omnia means I can still have that functionality.

AUTUMN 2024 CAMPING THE KIWI WAY 33 Image: Kārearea / NZ Falcon chick with down feathers, DOC DOC update Clean your gear DOC call to help prevent the spread of invasive algae to lakes and rivers. People heading into Nelson Lakes National Park this summer are being asked to clean their gear at new cleaning stations to prevent invasive algae being spread to the park’s pristine alpine lakes and rivers. ckw.nz/invasive | Image: Clear water in Nelson Lakes. ©2024 Miriam Richardson Works underway to reopen Morere Hot Pools Reopening Morere Hot Pools (Hawke’s Bay) has begun on major remedial and infrastructure works at the pools. They hope to open in April or May 2024. ckw.nz/morere Image: Coastal forest on the Nikau Loop Track , Andrej Ricnik | Creative Commons More than 10,000 wild goats removed in anational competition DOC, the New Zealand Deerstalkers Association and Hunting & Fishing NZ are thrilled by strong support for the National Wild Goat Hunting Competition. ckw.nz/goats | Image: George Ledgard, DOC Nature as therapy is the focus of a new guide A new free guide to help improve well-being by connecting with nature for therapy is available in Tairāwhiti, Gisborne. Ways to Wellness Tairāwhiti: He Te Ara Taiao ki te Ora Tairawhiti was originally developed using the ‘Healthy Nature Healthy People’ programme, which ran until 2021, encouraging us to connect with nature to improve their health and wellbeing. ckw.nz/nature-therapy | Image: Karamea, © 2024 Andrew Morton DOC report shows short adventures trending for travellers Short walks and leisurely activities like sightseeing, photography, and bird and wildlife watching were the most popular outdoor activities for kiwi and international visitors, according to DOC’s annual visitor insights report. “It is really encouraging to see people are still finding creative ways to enjoy nature, by switching to different areas and exploring different activities such as short walks and cultural heritage sites.” ckw.nz/most-popular Image: Drift Bay, Queenstown, DOC Ōparara Basin waharoa unveiled A waharoa (gateway) marking the entry to a viewpoint of the Ōparara Basin north of Karamea was unveiled in November ‘23 signalling the completion of a major upgrade to visitor facilities. Ōparara, in Kahurangi National Park, is known for its spectacular limestone formations, including incredible arches and the Honeycomb Caves. A summer to remember p15. The new viewpoint provides a spectacular view of the basin and includes interpretation for visitors such as a stone diorama explaining the geological formation of the area. ckw.nz/unveiled | Image: The waharoa © 2024 Andrew Morton A sea lion/pakake mum swam 60 kilometres inland Unusually, a sea lion/pakake mum swam 60 km inland to find her preferred spot to give birth. People are reminded to keep their distance from all marine mammals. ckw.nz/sea-lion Image: Giverny Forbes / DOC Checking a week-old Albatross chick, Tairoa Heads Rangers doing their daily check of the week-old nestling at the Royal Cam nesting site. The chick is at a good and healthy weight! 1/2/24. ckw.nz/albatross-cam Image: DOC video 100 years old and still works like it should… Coleman model 1 stove. © 2024 Mel Taylor, Camping / Hiking : Pots, Stoves and Other Implements of Outdoor Cooking Facebook

34 CAMPING THE KIWI WAY AUTUMN 2024 Living an endless summer Glyn Wooller Delightful to chat with Alan and Joyce on a glorious summer’s day at Little Waipa reserve. Joyce was setting out the table and chairs in a sunny spot overlooking the Waikato River after a chillyish night with temperature inside the caravan at a brisk 11º. Alan and Joyce call Alberta Canada home. Alan, originally from west Auckland, left as a young man. Since meeting 13 years ago in Canada they have lived an endless summer travelling across hemispheres avoiding the colder climates. Prior to retirement Joyce worked in construction financing and Alan as a surveyor largely in the oil industry. Alan’s work through Canadian winters is one of the contributing factors to their love of the endless summer lifestyle. This particular trip to New Zealand extends from early November to early April. Joyce recalls her first trip to New Zealand in a Honda Oddessy which included a trip to the Central Otago Rail Trail. Visits now are in the comfort of the Winnebago caravan. Most recently Alan and Joyce have been to other camping reserves along the Waikato River Trail in Whakamaru and Mangakino. Time on the trail is largely via walking although there is a bike on the rack which Alan will take out from time to time. This is not their first visit to Little Waipa reserve, Alan and Joyce have stayed many times. What they enjoy about the Riverside Trail between the reserve and Arapuni Village is the peaceful environment, picnic tables, the Huihuitaha boardwalk, wildlife and refreshments at the Rhubarb Café. Alan and Joyce until recently lived in a busy urban environment. Now living in a small village with a population of less than 200 people they thrive on the lack of noise pollution. The peaceful reserves along the River and the Waikato River Trails resonate with the tranquility Alan and Joyce love so much. Next destination for this lovely couple prior to heading back to Canada is the Coromandel. To Alan and Joyce, all the best with your travels. The perils of a coiled power supply cord Arthur How It has come to my attention that some caravanners are connecting a 230 volt power supply, via a lead, that is “coiled on a reel”, which is not completely “uncoiled” from the cable drum. This is not good practice, as the cable, when supplying power to a caravan or any appliance, is carrying voltage & current, which will create a “magnetic field” around the cable conductors. When a cord or cable, is coiled on a drum, the magnetic field is stronger and more intensely concentrated, which in turn, can cause a “transformer effect” and load up the cables which then run at a higher temperature, stressing the insulation of the 230 volt supply cable to the motorhome/caravan (or appliance). Completely unwind the cable from the cable drum when you plug it in to power to avoid this overloading, cable stress and it running at a higher temperature. Arthur How is a Registered Electrical Inspector and does EWOF inspections in Foxton, Manawatu. FIND YOUR LOCAL EWOF inspector p43. Magnetic Field Around a Wire Whenever current travels through a conductor, a magnetic field is generated. A magnetic field is created anytime current runs through a conductor. A fact famously stumbled upon by Hans Christian Ørsted around 1820. MORE: ckw.nz/magnetic-field – FIND YOUR LOCAL EWOF INSPECTOR

AUTUMN 2024 CAMPING THE KIWI WAY 35 There are many ways to have a summer camping holiday, and everyone has their own reasons for choosing where they camp, how they camp and who they camp with. Some like the resort style camping holiday where everything is laid on for both adults and kids, while others choose to go bush, where they have peace and quiet and can get right down to the basics of camping. And some folk choose to go where they can shed their clothes along with the stresses and worries of every day life. Do you remember those halcyon days as a child when you could run around the house or back yard without clothes and no one thought anything of it. When Mum would strip your togs off at the tide’s edge to rinse the sand off and you’d do the mad dash to the car laughing all the way. As a teenager, that first midnight skinny dip at the beach, just because you could. Ahhh if only we could relive those carefree moments, when it didn’t matter that you were as naked as the day you were born. Well, there are several places around New Zealand where you can camp au naturel, in the buff, clothes-free. Where you can sit out in your camp chair with a good book and feel the breeze on your skin, all of your skin. Where you can lie in the sun for that all over tan and no one is going to bat an eyelid. Where you can go for a swim in the pool or a dip in the hot tub free of the clinging of togs then lie out for a gentle breeze and the sun’s rays to dry you off. Interested? Sounds like it’s too good to be true, but it isn’t. If you want the ‘shed it all’ holiday you’ve got a few choices in New Zealand. There are two commercial naturist campgrounds along with several naturist clubs that are well set up for camping holidays or if you’re lucky enough to find that really isolated spot with no else around to see what you are or are not wearing. There are also several beaches, some close to campgrounds and holiday parks that are frequented by naturists regularly. In fact you can be naked on any beach in New Zealand if you choose to. There is no specific law in New Zealand that prevents anyone from being naked on a beach or anywhere for that matter. Provided you are not engaging in offensive or disorderly conduct, obscene or indecent exposure anyone can go for a skinny dip or get that all over suntan. So why would you want a naked camping holiday? Why not? For starters there are the health benefits of sun exposure and vitamin D. Keeping in mind you still have to be sensible and use sunscreen or cover up when it gets too hot. Creating a positive body image is not easy in today’s world. Self-esteem is greatly enhanced in the naturist lifestyle and our own self-esteem increases when we accept ourselves for who we really are. However, it isn’t until a person gives it a try, that they can experience that concept for themselves. Latest research shows that vitamin D may play an important role in mental health. The recent Mental Health foundation annual awareness week was themed ‘Nature is Key’. We all know that getting out in the fresh air and sun just makes us feel better and all the more so if you are clothes-free. Having a camping holiday without the need for clothes brings a whole new meaning to the word holiday. For starters there is only half the amount to pack. Just imagine getting home and there is only a load of towels to go through the wash and not a mountain of dirty clothes. Get caught in the rain, there are no clothes to try and get dry in the tent or caravan. The kids won’t be rummaging through bags and drawers looking for their clothes every morning, they will be up and gone. And swimming without togs, once you’ve tried it you will never want to wear togs again. The number of different interests and hobbies that one can participate in these days is as wide and varied as the people who go camping, so why not include these within your camping holiday. If you are a seasoned naturist or just think you might like to dip your toe into the world of naturism there are multiple opportunities to include it while you’re camping. For more information check out www.gonatural.co.nz Camp au naturel

36 CAMPING THE KIWI WAY AUTUMN 2024 Margaret Earle In January, 70 adults and 25 young people took part in an All Points camp at the Whanganui Intermediate School. They were camped in a mix of caravans, tents, motor homes and small vans and many camped as family groups or groups of friends. There was a great sense of community during the weekend. The Intermediate School is in walking distance of the many events held during the Whanganui Vintage Weekend. The vintage weekend is an annual event held over Wellington Anniversary Weekend. The first vintage weekend was held in 2012 and the following year the Whanganui Vintage Weekend Trust was formed to grow the event for the benefit of the Whanganui community. Over the course of the weekend a great variety of events are held. Many of these events are free or very low cost. My granddaughters particularly liked the traction engine rides and dancing to the music at the various stages around the central business district. We also visited the steamboat and tram museums on Taupo Quay. On Saturday the main street was packed with a display of vintage and classic cars and other vehicles of those eras. Lots of the activity takes place by the Whanganui River including a riverside market on the Saturday and a Riverside Shindig with live music and food stalls on Sunday. Some locals and visitors get dressed up in vintage outfits and we saw a few steampunkers strutting around as well. On Saturday night the town reverberated to the bands playing on the stages in the main street. We drove out to the Whanganui Aeroclub on Sunday morning to see the planes on display. My three-year-old granddaughter had lots of fun climbing into the cockpit of a top-dressing plane and a couple of others that were open to view. There were also planes taking off and landing on the nearby runway, including a vampire jet and a DC3. After the visit to the Aeroclub we dropped in at the SteamRail Whanganui workshop for a jigger ride. This is the fourth time All Points has used the Intermediate School to camp during at the Whanganui Vintage weekend. By using the school grounds we can keep the camping fees low. The money we raise is donated to the school. The Whanganui Intermediate school grounds are a big grassy site on two levels with a playground and a swimming pool. This year the weather was tropical — hot, sunny, humid, and even a torrential downpour on Saturday afternoon. The school pool was a great place to cool off. On the Sunday evening we had a communal dinner when many of us came together with our food, drinks, tables and chairs. Low-cost camping and community fundraiser. Holding camps to coincide with local community events is a great way to provide low-cost accommodation for out-of-town people who want to visit these events. Schools, scout halls and other community or group facilities are a practical option for these types of weekend. They have the sorts of facilities that campers require and it’s a great fundraiser for them. Come and camp with us next year for the Whanganui Vintage weekend and look out for other All Points camps organised to support local community events. Whanganui vintage camping Waihopai camp and the Marlborough Wine and Food Festival Marty Ireland Marlborough’s iconic wine and food event was held at the Renwick Sports Domain in Blenheim in February, which living up to its reputation for sunny, fine weather. Previously held at the Brancott Vineyard, attendees felt the change of management and venue detracted, and the new payment system, that seemed to attract extra fees, took the joy out of the experience for many. Our All Points Camping NZ park and camp was at the Waihopai Community Centre and Reserve, 16km away, past the renowned Spy Base facility, now minus the two controversial cover domes. For $20 per van per night we had a large area to choose from, with the use of the small hall with lounge, kitchen, toilets and river-fed fresh water supply. Friday saw the need for a mercy dash by the local plumbers (Morgan Plumbing) to effect running repairs on the toilets which was done with efficiency and much appreciated. We were a small group from Blenheim and Christchurch, and day visitors joined us to swim in the private swimming hole, enjoy pre-dinner drinks and nibbles and wide ranging discussions, as one does, along with some good laughs as we tried and tasted home-made spirits. The weather was hot and sunny with a temperature drop-off in the morning and some strong wind one evening dropping some guy ropes on the awnings. One stunning feature was the stars visible over head at night time. A great weekend in a great place. All Points Camping Club of NZ JOIN US allpointscampingnz.org For only $35 (1st year)

AUTUMN 2024 CAMPING THE KIWI WAY 37 Three octogenarian campers Between them they have over 240 years of camping experience. Adrienne, Jean & Carolyn. Jean Roger, 88yrs old. I grew up in UK, in South End on Sea. Being born across the road from the beach, I lived alongside thousands of holidaymakers. They arrived in NZ in 1957 and couldn’t afford holidays so they went camping. 62 years ago, and with our infant son Peter, we first went camping as a family. We shoved all the stuff in the work Vanguard station wagon and loaded paint sheet, broom handles, nails as pegs, ball of string, with a grey blanket safety-pinned on as a screen. Slept in the back of the vehicle. They had to disengage the horn because 3 yr old Peter slept across the front seat, and would put his foot on the horn in the night. Adrienne Leslie, age 86 My earliest camping memory was at age 4, October 6, 1943, with Ngati Porou on the marae at Ruatoria in the historic presentation of the VC medal to 2nd Lt Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa Ngarimu, posthumously, at a massive hui of 7,000 people presided over by Sir Apirana Ngata. We slept on the whare floor with all the local kids. There were 1200 children at the event. Her Father, Thomas Houston, Govt Inspector of Health who spoke fluent te reo, pointed out his Excellency, the GovernorGeneral, Sir Cyrill Newall and the Prime Minister, Rt Hon Peter Fraser in the back of big black cars. I remember amazing kapa haka and waiata performed by hundreds of beautiful dancers. I remember I was told it was one of the most important events I would ever attend in my life … and it was in fact reported at the time as one of the largest and most fully documented Māori gatherings ever held. This ceremony doubled as a tribute to the magnificent part played by the Māori Battalion in all the operations of the Second New Zealand Division, as well as acting as a form of public mourning for the fact that no bodies had been returned to New Zealand.† For Adrienne it was unforgettable The war was on so no tents, and couldn’t get anything. Carolyn Moore, aged 82 Began camping at age 5 or 6. We went with Mum and Dad in a borrowed tent, and camped on the Buller at Gowan Bridge, because Mum ’n Dad loved dryfly trout fishing. Our tents were mouldy and leaked like a sieve and we had to pack up and leave. Absolutely miserable; and have had many miserable camps over the years. We slept in the car half the time. We never went into campgrounds, finding river bank sites, on football fields, a pickers hut near Motueka, so always wild camping. All over NZ. We always had a spade to dig holes. One for the long drop, and one for the rubbish. Lake Mavora was a three week stint in the rain, most memorable. Camped alongside the river, outside the old homestead which is gone now. As an adult they took their infant son camping. Drove the Jowett Javelin, which I still own. We loaded up with a Farmers green and brown canvas tent, cot, high chair, and travelled up to the far north at Taipa. The tent was handed down from our parentsin-law who had used it at little Oneroa on their land in Waiheke. We eventually graduated to a caravan. Their legacy has been passed down through the generations, to great-grand children in the family, who now camp at All Points Camping Club. † www.28maoribattalion.org.nz/photo/ngarimus-vc-hui-ruatoria-1943 Three singers at Campfest ’24 Tina Turley, Karen Clarke & Carylann Martin Have had the BEST time at the All Points Camp Fest. Got to sing with these amazing girls — Karen Clarke & Tina Turley. AWESOME. Roll on next year. Carylann Martin. Bulls, Rangatikei. Photo © 2024 Michael Self

STOP and STAY 38 CAMPING THE KIWI WAY AUTUMN 2024 Old MacDonalds Holiday Park Marahau, Tasman costs A farm and park by the Marahau River, beside the Abel Tasman National Park. Family friendly. APC discount. oldmacs.co.nz WHO: tents, campervans, cabins. FACILITIES: toilets, showers, kitchen, laundry, power, secure parking, wifi, water taxi access, accessible. (No dump station). ACTIVITIES: walking, tramping, cycling, swimming, fishing, local tours. Orange Sheep Campervan Park costs Franz Josef, West Coast orangesheep.co.nz In the centre of town. In the rainforest and views to snow-capped mountains. The perfect base to explore the region. Pay for what you need. Some local discounts. Dogs allowed. WHO: tent (on gravel), campervans, caravans. FACILITIES: toilet, shower, kitchen, laundry, water, dump station, wifi. ACTIVITIES: day walks, cycling, tours, hot tubs, wildlife centre, DOC centre, restaurants. Kaikoura Peketa Holiday Park costs Kaikoura kaikourapeketabeach.co.nz Mountain views and the beach at your doorstep. Wake to a magnificent sunrise and a day of adventure or relaxation. Campers can have their dog on a leads. WHO: tents, campervans, caravans. FACILITIES: toilet, showers, laundry, kitchen, wifi, cabins, family friendly, accessible. ACTIVITIES: Swimming, walks, bike trails, surfcasting, mini-golf, flying fox, bmx, kayaking, whale watching, fishing charter. House of Hop Brewery and Restaurant Near Geraldine houseofhop.co.nz free Motorhome parking area (hard stand) in a quiet rural setting. On-site restaurant and craft brewery. Dogs allowed. WHO: self-contained vehicles. FACILITIES: restaurant, brewery. ACTIVITIES: dining, drinking, walking, cycling. CentralPac Orchard costs Cromwell, Feb to Nov centralpac.co.nz Close to walking and cycle trails. Central to ski fields. Weekly rates. Only workers can stay during the cherry season. Family friendly. Dogs ok. WHO: tents, campervans, vans. FACILITIES: toilets, showers, water, dump station, laundry, cabins, accessible. ACTIVITIES: cycling, fishing, walking, skiing. Tui Base Camp costs Tuatapere, Southland tuibasecamp.co.nz Southern Scenic Route. A base camp, close to mountains, ocean, river, lakes and the NZ great walk, Hump Ridge Track. Home of the World Famous Tuatapere Sausages. Family friendly, weekly rates, dog friendly. WHO: tents, vans, campervans, backpackers. FACILITIES: toilet, showers, laundry, kitchen, power, spa, sauna, dump station, wifi, café, bar. ACTIVITIES: mini golf, playground, bush walks, tramping, guided trips, jet boating. Valley Vista Eco Retreat costs Kaiwaka, Northland valleyvista.co.nz An eco-friendly holiday park. Bush walks. Choose your camping spot or use one provided. Close to the popular beaches and cafes of Mangawhai and the iconic Bald Rock. WHO: tents, campervans, cabins. FACILITIES: power, kitchen, toilets, showers, laundry, device charging, wifi. ACTIVITIES: bush walks, explore the area. Waitui Reserve free Whakamarama, Bay of Plenty On the Te Puna estuary, 15 mins from Tauranga. A beautiful community harbour reserve perfect for family. Dogs on leads. Max 3 nights. WHO: certified self-contained vehicles. FACILITIES: toilet, cold shower, jetty, boat ramp. ACTIVITIES: swimming, fishing, boating, water sports. Rosie & Brian’s low cost Reporoa, near Taupo [email protected] A farm/market garden setting. Close to Butchers hot pool (free). Market produce available for purchase. Dogs on leads. WHO: Self contained tents, vans, campervans. FACILITIES: produce stall. BYO toilet. ACTIVITIES: cycling, walking. Matawai Camp and Store costs BOP to Gisbourne road, SH2 Halfway between Gisborne and Opotiki. Beautiful area with walks nearby. On the route of Nga Haerenga: Great Rides: Motu Trails. Vaccinated dogs on leads are welcome. Family friendly. matawai-camp.business.site WHO: cyclists, tents, campervans, families. FACILITIES: toilets, showers, kitchen, power, café, free wifi, cabins, accessible. ACTIVITIES: cycling, walks. Timona Park free Feilding, Manawatu An urban park with sports fields, beside the Oroua River. An easy walk to town. Max 5 nights. Gates locked at dusk. Sports on Saturday. Dogs on leads. WHO: self-contained vehicles. FACILITIES: water, toilets, dump station, large vehicles. ACTIVITIES: Walking, cycling, fishing. Ferry Reserve free Woodville, Tararua ckw.nz/ferry-reserve At the eastern end of the Manawatu Gorge, wake up to bird song and the sound of the river. Fish the river. Walk the Manawatu Gorge. Max 3 nights. Dogs allowed. WHO: self-contained vehicles. FACILITIES: toilets; large vehicles, playground, family friendly. ACTIVITIES: walking, cycling, fishing, swimming, other river sports. Stop and stay with your DOG NI SI stopandstaynz.org

STOP and STAY AUTUMN 2024 CAMPING THE KIWI WAY 39 Land of the Lotus Angela Bryan Just a 15min drive from the Whangarei you’ll find Land of the Lotus – Water Gardens and Banana Park. A labour of love for Hugh and Pauline, these gardens are just amazing, a must stopover for all garden lovers. With several options to park up including a sheep fold that you can camp in. What is a sheep fold? you ask, you’ll have to visit to find out. There is also a cabin complete with al fresco kitchen and outside toilet and shower. Take a wander through the many trails that meander through 60 acres of forest and gardens and stop off at the lily pond for some quiet contemplation while the kids occupy themselves at the playground. The bonus is you can buy banana plants, pineapple plants, lotus plants and a multitude of others that this couple lovingly grow. Discounts offered if you fancy spending some time helping in the gardens. 304 Mangakahia Rd, Maungatapere landofthelotus.nz 027 4391572 [email protected] Miriam Richardson On the top of a ridge looking down on Cromwell one side, and towards Carricktown (at right) the other. It’s a windy spot with dramatic views, dramatic weather and the history of the valley is dramatic as well. Read the handout at the registration shed. No tents, children or dogs. Must be self-contained. Bill and Jenny set up their POP (Park Over Property) to have all the things they want when they are travelling, so it includes, water, a photo-worthy dump station for cassettes (left), a washing machine and 2 clothes lines (use your good pegs; it sure is windy), rubbish and recycling as well as a bucket for chook scraps. For grey water, they appreciate it being delivered to their trees, up here in the dry. Also, plugs for e-bike charging, and e-bikes for hire. They have a produce stall at the gate with fruit, eggs, jam, honey and fruit leather, depending on the season (greengages! blackboy peaches! yum!). ACTIVITIES: walking and cycling, near the Lake Dunstan Trail, and Carrick tracks; wineries, historical sites, galleries. Bill & Jenny 34 Quartzville Rd, Bannockburn 0274 331 761 | 0274 317 101 | [email protected] scottabgood.info $10 a night. NZMCA discount. Scottland Motorhome Park, Bannockburn stopandstaynz.org

40 CAMPING THE KIWI WAY SUMMER 2023 EVENTS — Camping CAMP AT CATCHPOOL VALLEY (WELLINGTON REGION) Fri 15–17 Mar, Wainuiomata, Lower Hutt Join us for a weekend camp in the Catchpool Valley of the Remutaka Forest Park. ckw.nz/catchpool ckw.nz/catchpool-rsvp MOUNT SOMERS IN SUMMER Fri 22–24 Mar, Mt Somers, Canterbury Come and join the Canterbury Team at the Mt Somers Holiday park (below) in the picturesque Mount Somers region (above). ckw.nz/somers-mar ckw.nz/somers-mar-rsvp CANTERBURY MONTHLY COFFEE MEET AND GREET 2 nd Wednesday of each month, Christchurch 11am, Pavilion Cafe, Hornby Club. Good parking, including your caravan or motorhome. Passing through? Join us for a cuppa and a chat. Share travel stories, frustrations, successes. Some stay on for lunch, others go shopping. Contact: Linda, 027 277 0752 | [email protected] EASTER WEEKEND AT PATEA Fri 29 Mar–2 Apr, Patea, Taranaki Come along to All Points Easter Camp at Patea Beach. Make your own bookings at the campground. Come earlier or stay longer. Join us on a fishing charter (extra cost). pateabeachmotorcamp.co.nz ckw.nz/patea | ckw.nz/patea-rsvp COMFORT ZONE PARKOVER Fri 12–14 Apr, Whakatane, BOP Join your fellow campers at Comfort Zone parkover on the outskirts of Whakatane for a rejuvenating short or long weekend. ckw.nz/comfort-zone ckw.nz/comfort-zone-rsvp EKETAHUNA IS BECKONING Thu, 25–28 Apr, ANZAC Wknd, Wairarapa Don’t pack away your camping gear just yet. Come and join us for an ANZAC weekend camp at the Eketahuna Motor Camp. In a unique and beautiful scenic reserve, with walking tracks and trout fishing, and golf down the road. Book ahead with the campground. eketahunacamp.com ckw.nz/eketahuna ckw.nz/eketahuna-rsvp VIKING ODYSSEY 17–19 May, Mathews Park, Norsewood Come and celebrate Norway Day in Norsewood. Dogs on leads. Hopefully guided star gazing and a night time photography talk. Outdoor fire, if conditions allow. A guided walk, feed the eels, and activities and celebrations on Norway Day. ckw.nz/viking | ckw.nz/viking-rsvp For more camps keep an eye on allpointscampingnz.org/events ckw.nz/nzfunadventuresevents (FB) Getting outdoors Jonathan Collins, NZ Fun Adventures Camping Get outdoors in a fun way, meet new people, try something new. NZ Fun Adventures Camping: camping, locations, gear, group events, ‘how to’ and more. NZ Fun Paddleboarders: join for group paddles, learn about safety, gear info, get inspired and give it a go. Life of Van — NZ: Van adventurers. Adventure Rex Inflatable T-Rex racing sound fun? Join the antics. NZ Adventure Women: women’s-only outdoor group for all types of adventure. NZ Night Walkers: A Wellington group — start one in your area. Cooking With Fire Outdoors Small Boat Camping Oztent owners local NZ: See how and why people love them.

AUTUMN 2024 CAMPING THE KIWI WAY 41 MARCH WOMAD New Zealand 2024 15–17 Mar, Fri, New Plymouth, Taranaki Music and dance performers from around the world and across Aotearoa! womad.co.nz |ckw.nz/womad-camp ckw.nz/womad-eventfinda Havelock Mussel & Seafood Festival Sat 16 Mar Havelock, Marlborough A seafood extravaganza. Camping available, certified self-contained. No dogs. ckw.nz/mussel-eventfinda ckw.nz/mussel-fest ckw.nz/mussel-camp Earth Beat Festival 2024 Wed 20 – 24 Mar, Wellsford, Auckland Stay the weekend with the family. Cutting edge creativity, life-changing experiences and learning, a party. No dogs. Tent and vehicle camping. Accessible camp sites. ckw.nz/earth-beat ckw.nz/earth-beat-eventfinda RIPE 2024: the Wanaka wine and food festival Sat 23 Mar, Glendhu Bay, Wanaka, Otago Central Otago’s finest wine and food. Camping at Glendhu Bay Motor Camp, or Albert Town Park. ckw.nz/ripe | ckw.nz/ripe-eventfinda Port of Tauranga 61st National Jazz Festival 23 Mar–3 Apr, Bay of Plenty A week of jazz and fun. Choose an event near a free camp. Jazz Street Party Katikati, 23 March. Tauranga & Mt Maunganui on the other days . ckw.nz/katikati-jazz | ckw.nz/jazz ckw.nz/jazz-eventfinda Evening Meditation on the Maunga Sat 23 March, Maungatautari, Waikato Evening birdsong and gentle sounds of nature are an ideal setting for meditation. There are a few overnight parks at Sanctuary Mountain. ckw.nz/meditation ckw.nz/sanctuary Warbirds Over Wanaka Mar 2024 29 –31 Mar 2024, Easter, Wanaka, Otago One of the world’s top Warbirds airshows it is a biennial event. More than 50,000 people attend. Sort your accomodation first. warbirdsoverwanaka.com Oxford A&P Show 2024 Sat, 30 Mar, EASTER Saturday, Oxford, North Canterbury Enjoy some country hospitality. There is a lovely freedom camping by the Eyre River, 1km from town. ckw.nz/oxford-show ckw.nz/oxford-eventfinda APRIL Mackenzie Highland Show Mon 1 April, Easter Monday, Fairlie A fun family day out with something for everyone. Freedom camping is some distance away at Lake Opuha, but there is free parking for the day at the show. mackenzieshow.co.nz ckw.nz/mckenzie-eventfinda Aspiring Conversations Thu 4–7 Apr, Wanaka, Central Otago A biennial festival of ideas where key thinkers talk about a diverse and rich array of current, controversial and just downright interesting subjects. Camping at Glendhu Bay Motor Camp, or Albert Town Park. festivalofcolour.co.nz ckw.nz/aspiring-eventfinda Waiau School trail ride 2024 6–7 April, Waiau, North Canterbury For competent riders of off-road motorcycles and ATVs. Breathtaking. Basic overnight camping. theride.co.nz LATER Mardi Gras Ohakune June, Ohakune ckw.nz/ohakune-24 Fire & Ice Hot Air Balloon Glow and Laser Festival June, Mt Hutt village ckw.nz/fire-ice-24 Mystery Creek Field Days June, Hamilton fieldays.co.nz These events offer an opportunity for people to overnight while they attend or you can overnight nearby. Some are restricted to certified self contained vehicles, some restrict or ban pets. Check the event website for details. EVENTS — Festivals and Shows

42 CAMPING THE KIWI WAY AUTUMN 2024 Discounts: All Points Camping Club and NZMCA Book now on 0800844844 E 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. In the grid below, 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? Solution page 46

AUTUMN 2024 CAMPING THE KIWI WAY 43 • 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. – RV & CAMPER BUSINESS SERVICES AUTUMN 2024 CAMPING THE KIWI WAY 43 Northland RV Kerikeri RV service, parts and accessories. Mark & Corine Thorburn, 021 307 666 [email protected] www.northlandrv.co.nz Wendy and Brent White Whangarei Self containment installation and certification. 021 172 9919 [email protected] Ka Pai Campers Maungaturoto Campervans builds and self containment. Aaron Duffy, 021 276 7665 [email protected] Ravneel Singh Auckland / Silverdale 020 4104 4392 [email protected] Vantage RV Auckland / Silverdale RV service, parts and accessories. 09 427 8247 [email protected] www.vantagerv.nz North Auckland Caravans Auckland / Kumeu Caravan sales and servicing. Parts. Self containment installation and certification. 09 412 7840 [email protected] www.northaucklandcaravans.co.nz Norwest Gas Fitting Ltd Auckland / Kumeu Self containment, gas fitting and compliance. 021 780 449 [email protected] www.norwestgas.co.nz Mike Bish Auckland / Stanmore Bay 027 384 3848 Neil O’Gorman Auckland / Torbay Auckland Rep: All Points Camping Club NZ 022 437 8747 www.kiwiselfcertify.com A J Tech Auckland / Torbay Self containment installation and certification. Alec Mckellar, 021 151 9845 www.ajtech.co.nz David White Auckland / Torbay Self containment installation and certification. 022 430 7718 [email protected] NZ Campervans Auckland / North Auckland Teresa Hall, 022 3130 939 [email protected] River Jones Gardner 021 0224 1635 Auckland / Albany RV Repairs Ltd Auckland / Albany RV service, parts and accessories. 09 442 1264 [email protected] www.rvrepairs.kiwi.nz Gary Murphy 021 922 902 Patumahoe, Pukekohe [email protected] Mike Bahmani Auckland Self containment installation and certification. 021 280 6006 [email protected] Vanlifer Auckland / Takapuna Campervan fitouts, parts and certification. Jason & Mike [email protected] www.vancom Assaf Davidovitch Auckland / Henderson 020 4133 9710 [email protected] Sean Craig Auckland / Mt Wellington 021 113 5319 [email protected] Steve Hibben Auckland / Penrose Campervan fitouts, parts and certification. 027 4851 141 [email protected]

44 CAMPING THE KIWI WAY AUTUMN 2024 – NORTH ISLAND RV & CAMPER BUSINESS SERVICES 44 CAMPING THE KIWI WAY AUTUMN 2024 – NORTH ISLAND RV & CAMPER BUSINESS SERVICES Lee Robinson Auckland / Highland Park 021 037 2255 [email protected] Blueline Budget Campervans Auckland / Te Atatu Self containment and campervan builds and refits. Aiden, 021 111 6661 [email protected] Shannon Woller Auckland / East Tamaki 021 135 3262 [email protected] Barry Edwards Papatoetoe Self-containment, builds and refits. 021 523 5451, 021 523 088 [email protected] kvmcampervans.com Zion Motorhomes Auckland / Pokeno Motorhome sales and service, parts and accessories. 09 869 8815 [email protected] www.zionmotorhomes.co.nz Elements World Auckland Campervan conversions & sales. Mechanic workshop. Self-containment installation and certification. 0800 000 985, 09 827 4616 [email protected] www.elements-world.com Manoj Kumar Auckland 021 0296 2033 [email protected] John Belle Coromandel / Thames Self containment installation and certification. 027 452 7193 | 021 126 0760 [email protected] Alice Grant-Johnson Coromandel Penninsula / Tairua Self containment certification. 022 601 787 [email protected] Lynley Belle 021 126 0760 Coromandel [email protected] Ross Bennett Te Kauwhata / Hamilton Self containment installation and certification. 027 680 7449 [email protected] Motorhome and Solar Waikato / Hamilton RV Solar, heating and battery specialists. Self containment. 0800 589 618 [email protected] www.go.motorhomesolar.co.nz Ur Plumber Waikato Ltd 021 076 5491 Hamilton [email protected] Inside Out RV RV service, parts and accessories. Hamilton 0800 246 7433 [email protected] www.insideoutrv.co.nz Ovaland Motorhomes Hamilton RV service, parts and accessories. Self containment. 07 874 1976 [email protected] www.ovaland.co.nz Bernie Mariezcurrena Hamilton Campervan and caravan repairs, self containment. 027 273 5515 [email protected] Auto and Marine Trimming World Riverlea / Hamilton Upholstery specialists. Campervan fitouts, upholstery and installation. 07 858 3242 [email protected] Gene Andrew 022 380 3895 Eureka / Waikato [email protected] Robert Hatchell Waikato / Te Awamutu Self containment and gasfitter. 027 238 4264 John Andrews Te Awamutu Plumber. Self containment testing. 027 759 815 [email protected] Pratts Waikato / Otorohanga Self containment; plumber and gasfitter. 0800 772 887 [email protected] www.pratts.co.nz Dunn Right Plumbing Waikato / Cambridge Self containment; plumber and gasfitter. 027 442 2160 [email protected] Alan McNeil 020 4126 6626 Waikato / Tokoroa [email protected] Sanjay Prasad Waikato / Tokoroa Self containment installation and certification. 021 293 0320 [email protected]

AUTUMN 2024 CAMPING THE KIWI WAY 45 – RV & CAMPER BUSINESS SERVICES NORTH ISLAND RV & CAMPER BUSINESS SERVICES NORTH ISLAND Pittams Plumbing Plumber, gasfitter. Tauranga 07 543 3043 [email protected] Alliance RV RV service, parts and accessories. Tauranga 07 571 0271 [email protected] www.alliancerv.co.nz George Matthews Plumber, gasfitter. Tauranga 027 444 1801 Tony Hewitson 021 104 0459 Tauranga [email protected] K-Pods RV parts and accessories. Tauranga 021 109 118 390 [email protected] www.kpod.co.nz RV Service Centre Mt Maunganui RV service, parts and accessories. 0800 288 860 | 027 827 7514 | 027 958 5852 [email protected] www.countrycaravans.co.nz RV Shop Mt Maunganui RV service, parts and accessories. 07 575 5612 [email protected] www.rvshop.co.nz Creative Campers Mt Maunganui Self containment installation and certification. Ken MacPherson, 021 165 6015 [email protected] Royce’s Mobile RVs RV service, parts and accessories. Te Puke 021 157 4794 [email protected] www.facebook.com/rmrvs Gateway Caravans Whakatane RV service, parts and accessories. 07 307 100 | 027 230 0955 [email protected] www.gatewaycaravans.co.nz Ace Caravans Rotorua RV service, parts and accessories. 07 343 7570 | 027 483 101 [email protected] www.acecaravans.co.nz Ian Read Rotorua / Tikatere Self containment. All Points Camping Rep. 020 4136 6870 [email protected] Thinus Venter Rotorua Self containment and engineering. 09 412 7840 [email protected] Motorhome and Caravan Services Rotorua RV service, parts and accessories. 07 349 6180 | 022 403 2557 [email protected] www.mhacs.co.nz Charles Edwards Rotorua Self containment installation and certification. 07 210 1460 | 027 726 9324 [email protected] Glen Ruebe Rotorua / Okere Self containment installation and certification. 021 139 8860 [email protected] Craig MacDonald Taupo / Rotorua / Whakatane RV mechanical services and self containment. 021 850 897 [email protected] www.dudleymechanical.com Mike McGregor 027 210 0889 Taupo / Reporoa Coach and Caravan Services RV service, parts and accessories. Taupo 027 890 8901 [email protected] www.coachandcaravan.co.nz

46 CAMPING THE KIWI WAY AUTUMN 2024 – NORTH ISLAND RV & CAMPER BUSINESS SERVICES Matawai Camp and Store Matawai / Gisborne Self containment plus registered campground. Stephen and Cindy Ward, 06 862 4830 [email protected] matawai-camp.business.site David Dewar 022 044 6881 Gisborne [email protected] Michael Scandlyn 027 620 9609 Gisborne [email protected] Sue Dewar 021 134 8995 Gisborne [email protected] First Auto Works & RV Hawkes Bay/Napier RV service, parts and accessories. Camping supplies. 027 835 1889 [email protected] www.firstautoworks.co.nz Veronica Vans Hawkes Bay / Napier Self containment installation and certification. Camping supplies. No charge for a look over. Ian McNair, 021 533 670, 0800 868 614 [email protected] www.ibmnz.com Smile Caravans Hawkes Bay / Hastings Caravan sales. All services and self containment certification. 06 870 1249 [email protected] Bryan Boyle 027 454 9023 Dannevirke [email protected] Paul Morgan 021 122 7220 Wairarapa / Masterton [email protected] Team JDR Ltd Wairarapa / Featherston Self containment; plumber and gasfitter. Doug Juggins, 027 429 4433 [email protected] John Woodhead New Plymouth 027 475 6108 [email protected] Greenways New Plymouth Campervan build & self containment. 027 905 4756 [email protected] www.greenways.nz Bob’s Plumbing South Taranaki / Opunake Self containment; plumber and gasfitter. James Scott, 027 410 0470 [email protected] bobsplumbing2022.com K A P O W A I R U A W A I K A H O A B A Y W A I K A W A U B A Y B R O K E N H I L L S S H A G S T R E A M P O R T J A C K S O N H O T O R I T O R I T R E S T L E V I E W C A B L E B A Y R A R A R A B E A C H R A E T E A N O R T H D A N C I N G F L A T B I L L Y G O A T B A S I N T O T A R A F L A T DOC campsites 1: In the north: solution (from p42)

AUTUMN 2024 CAMPING THE KIWI WAY 47 – RV & CAMPER BUSINESS SERVICES NORTH ISLAND Combined Plumbers Ltd Whanganui Self containment; plumber and gasfitter. Simon Scott, 027 481 1353 [email protected] Merlin Astley-Jones Whanganui /Manawatu Electrical work and EWOFs. 021 037 9716 [email protected] Rangitikei Boating and Automotive Services Rangitikei / Bulls RV, mechanical services and self containment. 06 322 1560 [email protected] NZ Lifestyle Camping Manawatu / Feilding Self containment certification and supplies. 027 246 9778 [email protected] www.nzlifestylecamping.com Motorhome Caravan Classic Manawatu / Feilding RV service, parts and accessories. 021 306 053 | 021 107 2475 [email protected] Chris Dungan Electrical and Mechanical Services Manawatu / Feilding Electrical mechanical Inspector. 027 446 7140 [email protected] Essential Plumbing and Gas Services Palmerston North Michael Hartridge, 027 387 0987 [email protected] RV Super Centre Palmerston North Service, repairs and installations. 0800 520 055 rvsupercentre.co.nz Nathan Proebstel Manawatu / Palmerston North Self containment installation and certification. 022 677 4861 [email protected] Wayne Ravelich Palmerston North / Foxton President, All Points Camping Club of NZ 027 475 7420 [email protected] Foxton RV and Marine Foxton RV repairs and engineering workshop. (Formerly Tackle Tactics) Philip Kettle, 027 414 9930 [email protected] www.tackletactics.co.nz Arthur How Foxton Electrical EWOFs inspector and electrical work. 027 363 7006 06 363 7138 Francis Donegan Levin 021 870 024 [email protected] Bruce Cook 021 839 299 Levin [email protected] Gipsy Caravans RV service, parts and accessories. Levin 0800 704 944 [email protected] gipsy.co.nz Graham Boyd Waikanae/Kapiti/Horowhenua 021 1473 682 [email protected] Barry Thomson Kapiti 021 263 9808 [email protected] Freeway RV Porirua Motorhome servicing. David Raitt, 027 238 4010 [email protected] www.freeway.co.nz Bedvanz Wellington Si Craggs 020 4826 826 www.bedvanz.co.nz CB Caravan Imports Upper Hutt RV service, parts and accessories. 027 642 9379 [email protected] www.cbcaravans.co.nz RV Dreams Upper Hutt RV service, parts and accessories. 04 526 2629 [email protected] www.rvdreams.co.nz

48 CAMPING THE KIWI WAY AUTUMN 2024 – SOUTH ISLAND RV & CAMPER BUSINESS SERVICES 48 CAMPING THE KIWI WAY AUTUMN 2024 – SOUTH ISLAND RV & CAMPER BUSINESS SERVICES Moutere Caravans Nelson / Upper Moutere Caravan (only) servicing, repairs and parts. Specialists for European caravan parts, accessories and repairs. SOG system. Online shop. 03 543 2668 [email protected] www.mouterecaravans.co.nz RT Services Certifying plumber and gasfitter. Nelson Roger Taylor, 027 230 2364 [email protected] Jonas Schug 021 0270 4044 Nelson [email protected] RV Specialties Nelson RV service, parts and accessories, appliance servicing. Alex Annable, 022 656 0507 [email protected] www.rvspecialties.co.nz Charlie Aitken Nelson / Richmond 021 292 4654 [email protected] Murray Brown Tasman / Motueka Self containment installation and certification. 027 243 2550 | 027 204 8709 Golden Bay Plumbing Golden Bay Certifying plumber and gasfitter. Barry Graham 027 465 7882 | 03 391 7888 [email protected] www.goldenbayplumbing.nz David Miller 03 528 4033 Tasman [email protected] Total Electrics Ltd Marlborough / Picton Electrical WOF and testing. 03 578 6999 [email protected] Grovetown Caravans Marlborough / Picton Caravan sales, servicing, repairs and parts. 022 1234 514 [email protected] The Blind Man Marlborough / Blenheim Sales, cleaning and repaids to all brands of blinds. Marty & Diana Ireland, 03 578 9162 Motor Kanix Marlborough / Blenheim Brake, mechanical & chassis services. Fitting of tanks. 03 579 9494 | 027 272 6678 [email protected] Ray Walker Marlborough / Blenheim 027 289 0520 [email protected] Michael Jones Plumbing Ltd Marlborough / Blenheim Plumber and gasfitter. Caravans a specialty. 03 578 2034 [email protected] www.mjonesplumbing.co.nz Laser Electrical Marlborough / Blenheim Electrical WOF and testing. 03 578 7607 [email protected] Verity & Andrew McRoberts West Coast / Greymouth 027 497 8224 | 021 127 2041 [email protected] Cruzar Custom Campervans Rangiora / North Canterbury RV design and build, servicing, solar and 12v systems. Andy, 020 4110 5515 Brenda, 027 479 6060 [email protected] www.cruzarcustomcampervans.co.nz Nigel Beardsworth Canterbury / Woodend 021 0261 4341 [email protected] Classic Caravans Christchurch / Belfast RV Upholstery specialist. Self containment. 022 363 8287 [email protected] Matt and Dan’s Campervans Christchurch / Redwood Self containment certification and campervan builds. 027 780 4311 [email protected] www.mattanddanscampervans.co.nz UK Caravans Ltd Christchurch / Harewood RV service, parts and accessories, appliance service. 0800 303 330 [email protected] www.uk-caravans.co.nz John Routledge Christchurch / Papanui Self containment installation and certification. 027 436 1713 [email protected]

AUTUMN 2024 CAMPING THE KIWI WAY 49 – RV & CAMPER BUSINESS SERVICES SOUTH ISLAND AUTUMN 2024 CAMPING THE KIWI WAY 49 – RV & CAMPER BUSINESS SERVICES SOUTH ISLAND PRB Services Canterbury / Christchurch Self containment installation and certification. Peter Boyce, 021 207 8472 [email protected] www.prbservices.co.nz Pulse Compliance Testing Christchurch Self containment installation and certification. Mike Milne, 022 358 7246 [email protected] www.pulsecompliancetesting.co.nz The Camper Man Ltd Christchurch / mobile David McIntyre, 021 268 3633 [email protected] Christchurch Campers Ltd Christchurch Campervan sales and fit outs. 021 0260 8181 [email protected] Gary Frogatt Christchurch [email protected] David Legge Christchurch Self containment installation and certification. 027 671 7681 [email protected] Infinity Caravans & Motorhomes Christchurch / Wigram Caravan sales, parts and service. Daniel Yeoh, 0800 115 120 [email protected] www.infinitycaravans.co.nz B2BRV Christchurch / Hornby RV service, parts and accessories, appliance service. Peter Mitchell, 027 675 7101 [email protected] www.b2brv.co.nz The Design Coach & Body Company Ltd Christchurch /Hornby RV service, parts and accessories, appliance service. 03 442 442 [email protected] www.motorhomeshop.co.nz Tourism and Travel Christchurch / Rolleston Self containment and campervan rental. 021 278 0030 [email protected] Rolleston RV Gas & Plumbing Services Christchurch / Rolleston Certifying plumber and gasfitter. 022 061 2025 [email protected] Rolleston Caravans Christchurch / Rolleston Caravan sales, servicing and repairs. 03 972 5433 | 021 269 2696 [email protected] www.rollestoncaravans.co.nz UCC Motorhomes and Caravans Christchurch / Rolleston RV service, parts and accessories; appliance service. 03 349 7747 | 021 658 116 [email protected] www.uccmotorhomes.co.nz Elements World Christchurch Campervan conversions & sales. Mechanic workshop. Self-containment certification. 0800 000 985 [email protected] John Heasley — Construction and Plumbing Services Canterbury / Methven Self containment installation and certification. 027 457 9878 [email protected] Keith Rutherford 022 4634 898 Rakaia / Canterbury [email protected] A&K Motorhomes Ltd Ashburton Heater, solar and TV needs. 027 280 8899 [email protected] www.akmotorhomes.business.site Lifestyle Motorhomes Ltd Ashburton RV service, parts and accessories, appliance service. 0800 287284 | 03 308 6627 [email protected] www.life-style.co.nz Southern RV — Timaru Caravan Centre Temuka / Timaru RV service, parts and accessories, appliance service. 03 688 0166 [email protected] www.southernrv.co.nz

50 CAMPING THE KIWI WAY AUTUMN 2024 – SOUTH ISLAND RV & CAMPER BUSINESS SERVICES Peter and Roslyn Scott Oamaru / Otago [email protected] Malcolm McKay Palmerston / Otago 03 465 1143 | 022 026 2230 Gordon Murdoch 03 426 0390 Palmerston / Otago [email protected] Robert Todd 021 149 8546 Dunedin [email protected] Tony Cumberbeach 03 476 3793 Dunedin Neil Wilson 027 3344 725 Dunedin [email protected] Murray Pickering 021 233 9655 Dunedin [email protected] Dunedin Motorhomes Ltd Dunedin / Kensington RV service, parts and accessories. 03 456 1442 [email protected] www.dunedinmotorhomes.co.nz Baz Rogan RV parts and accessories. Milton / Otago 020 41 41 0164 [email protected] Zone 2 Wanaka / Otago Campervan build & self containment services. CAD. Dan Innes, 027 426 0440 [email protected] www.zone2.nz Craig Guy Wanaka / Otago Certifying plumber and gasfitter. 027 443 7721 [email protected] www.guyplumbing.co.nz RV Super Centre Queenstown / Otago Campervan sales, service, parts and accessories. 03 450 9511 www.rvsupercentre.co.nz/queenstown Franco Nobell Queenstown Self containment installation and certification. 022 398 8608 [email protected] LongLife Mechanical Queenstown / Otago RV mechanical services and self containment. 027 529 9929 [email protected] www.facebook.com/LLMech Janik Schultner Fernhill / Queenstown 027 235 1377 [email protected] Neville Stirling Winton / Southland 027 433 3918 [email protected] Ian Ridd Winton / Southland 027 236 1077 [email protected] Kieran Van Loon Plumber 027 330 8036 Gore [email protected] Autobarn RV Invercargill Self-containment and caravan servicing. 021 373 951 [email protected] www.autobarn.co.nz Caravanland Invercargill / Southland Caravan sales, service, parts and accessories. 0800 4444 55 [email protected] www.caravanland.co.nz Tony Scannell 027 601 3078 Invercargill / Southland [email protected]