Freedom camping

Nelson City Council is pleased you have chosen to spend part of your camping holiday with us here in the top of the South Island.  Nelson is a fantastic city with much to see and enjoy, especially with three magnificent National Parks on its doorstep. To make sure the region stays beautiful and accessible for all to enjoy Nelson City Council has some rules relating to overnight camping that you need to  be aware of.

Freedom camping is the use of public land for free overnight camping and has become a popular way of seeing the country with both international tourists and New Zealand residents.

Categories of freedom campers and where they can camp

Freedom campers fall into two categories: non self – contained campers and fully self – contained campers.

Non self – contained campers include

  • Visitors who rent or buy modified cars and vans that allow sleeping/camping but don’t have built in facilities.
  • Visitors who camp in a tent alongside their vehicle or otherwise “rough it.”

Fully self – contained campers include:

  • Residents who holiday or live and travel in mobile homes. Mobile homes usually come with built in shower/toilet facilities.
  • Visitors who rent purpose built, fully self - contained campervans for their holiday experience. These campervans come with built in shower/toilet facilities.

If you are travelling in a vehicle that does not have its own built in toilet facilities contained within the vehicle, you are not permitted to overnight your vehicle anywhere within the Nelson City area. However there are three very affordable motor camps available around Nelson.

Motorcamps in Nelson City

Camp

Features

Tahuna Beach Holiday Park

Self catering and self contained accommodation, through to budget accommodation

Sites for campers, caravaners, backpackers, whether camping in motor homes, caravans, tents or budget cabins

Brook Valley Holiday Park

Good sheltered sites for tents, powered sites and various grades of cabins.

Ablution blocks located nearby for campers convenience.

Maitai Valley Motor Camp

Nestled among 10 acres of native bush and trees. Peaceful surroundings with river, swimming hole and golf course close by.

Clean, tidy facilities and grounds for your enjoyment and use. Camp sites, cabins and caravan hire.

Find out more about Nelson's motorcamps including their fees.

 

Map of locations for camping in Nelson.

 

Dump stations in Nelson Tasman

  • Nelson Public Dump Station, Mobil Tahunanui, 28 Tahunanui Drive
  • Nelson Public Dump Station, BP Truck Stop in Hay Street, Port Nelson
  • Tahuna Beach Holiday Park, 70 Beach Road, Nelson
  • Maitai Valley Motor Camp, Maitai Valley, Nelson
  • Brook Valley Motor Camp, Brook Valley, Nelson
  • Nelson Cabins & Caravan Park, 230 Vanguard Street
  • Richmond Public Dump Station, In Jubilee Park, Gladstone Road
  • Richmond Motel and Top 10 Holiday Park*, 29 Gladstone Road, Richmond, Nelson
  • Club Waimea*, 345 Lower Queens Street, Richmond

* Residents only: Users must be staying at the holiday park to use the dump station

Parking on the side of the road or in a park

Council has put rules in place to ensure that our City remains an attractive place for all to visit.

Parking for the night on the sides of roads or other parks and reserves in the Nelson City area is not permitted whether you are in a fully self - contained campervan or just a camping vehicle.

Section 11.0 of the Parking and Vehicle Control Bylaw states:

No person, or persons, shall use any tent, caravan or other vehicle for the purposes of accommodation when that tent, caravan or other vehicle is erected or parked on any road, public place, public reserve, or any other land under the control of the Council, other than in a camping ground licensed under the Camping Ground Regulations 1985.

Violation of the Bylaw is enforced; so please play it straight and follow the rules. Responsible behaviour will assist in enhancing the experience of all visitors to Nelson and contribute to our region’s reputation as a great visitor destination.

Follow the code

The 2008 National Freedom Camping Guiding Principles for campers:

  1. Respect the New Zealand environment – leave the site clear of all rubbish, waste and damage.
    1. Understand that dumping of waste and litter is an offence and will result in instant fines or prosecution.
  2. Act responsibly, and respect the access and enjoyment rights of other public space users.
  3. Have immediate access to, or on-board, toilet, wastewater collection and rubbish disposal facilities.
  4. Use designated public spaces, camping areas (e.g. Department of Conservation sites) or commercial premises as available.
    1. Seek the local i-SITE, DOC Visitor Centre, camping grounds, other camping guides or the local council web site, for information about the location of camping sites in the area. 
    2. Appreciate that some environmentally or culturally sensitive, and built-up, areas will not permit any form of camping.
  5. Understand that freedom camping is a temporary activity, generally considered to be two days unless otherwise informed.

More information

You can find more information about camping throughout New Zealand at the www.camping.org.nz website.

Also, here's more information on camping grounds and policies at Tasman District Council as well as their Camping Policy for Self-Contained Motorhomes.

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