Responsible camping

The Department of Conservation (DOC) and Campermate have some great maps that show: 

• DOC campgrounds
• Council-owned campgrounds
• Registered, privately-owned campgrounds
• Places where you can freedom camp. The rules may differ depending on the location - click on an icon to check the rules.

 Check out the DOC map or the Campermate map. 

Unless stated on site, please don't camp in these areas: 

• cemetery, 
• reserve, sportsground, or park, 
• residential areas with speed limits of 70km/hr or less, 
• by a riverside of an embankment, 
• where there are 'no camping' signs displayed.

You can camp for a maximum of 2 nights at any location within a consecutive 4 week period, and you must move at least 1km from your previous camping area. Again, any breach of these guidelines may result in you receiving an infringement fine.

Please refer to icons on the campermate app or our bylaw for specific rules around locations of where self-contained and non-self-contained vehicles can camp.

Check out our camping and dumpsites map.

Human wastewater poses a health risk and causes damage to our environment. Wastewater must be disposed of at a dump station. Incorrect disposal of wastewater may result in an instant fine or prosecution.

Check out our map with dump sites.

Please dispose

• of any sewage, toilet waste, or grey water in a Tasman District Council approved dump station. 
• your rubbish in an approved refuse bin or drop it off in an appropriate bag at any Tasman District Council Resource Recovery Centre. Find out more about our Resource Recovery Centres in Tasman District.

Human effluent and rubbish poses a health risk and causes damage to our environment. Effluent must be disposed of at a campervan waste dumping station. Incorrect disposal of effluent or rubbish may result in an instant fine or prosecution.

Rubbish should be bagged and dropped off at any Resource Recovery Centre. Recycling can be dropped off for free.

Find Resource Recovery Centres.

Free dump stations

Tasman District Council wastewater disposal points/dump stations (no fee) are available at:

Golden Bay

• i-Site Visitors Centre, Tākaka
• Entrance to Collingwood Camping Ground, William Street Collingwood Golden Bay - 03 524 8149

Motueka

• Western end of Marchwood Park Road, near the airport, off Queen Victoria Street. This new dump station replaces the one at Hickmott Car Park in Motueka.

Richmond

• Fittal Street (near entrance to resource recovery centre), 14 Fittal Street, Richmond

St Arnaud

Kerr Bay Camping Ground (DOC), Nelson Lakes National Park

Murchison

At the entrance to the Riverview Campground

Other wastewater disposal options

Wastewater disposal points available to customers staying at each camping ground are available at:

Some people choose to camp in a self-contained vehicle. These vehicles are allowed to stay in more public places than non-self-contained vehicles.

A Self-Contained Vehicle is a Motor Caravan or a Caravan which can be used as a place of abode. On top of allowing you to use the toilet for a minimum of three days without having to empty your waste, it must also contain facilities for: 

• Cooking
• Eating
• Sleeping, and 
• Washing

You must have a current self-containment warrant displayed on your front left-hand side of the windscreen. A self-containment sticker on the lower right-hand side rear of the vehicles is optional, but using them helps our and DOC enforcement officers. 

For more detail, check the New Zealand Motor Caravan Association's website

We want everyone to enjoy our freedom camping site. Please make sure 

• when staying overnight on Council-controlled public land, you stay only for a maximum of two nights per month, at any single location so others can enjoy the site too!
• to leave overnight camp sites in a clean and tidy state.
• you comply with any request to move on by an Officer of the Council.

Nobody likes walking into a mess, and we love our 100% pure New Zealand environment, so please ensure that you

• check that the rubbish you make is dropped into an approved refuse bin or at any Tasman District Council Resource Recovery Centre.
• check that you dispose of any toilet and greywater in a Council-approved dump point.
• use the toilet facilites that are provided.
• don't wash yourself, dishes, or your clothes in our sea, lakes, or rivers.
• use what has been provided to you in your self-contained vehicle so as not to overload public facilities.
• do not discharge any noxious, dangerous, or offensive substances.

Please be aware that any breach of the above, or rules of the site, may result in a fine or infringement fee between $200 and $10,000.

Our enforcement officers are in place to ensure the environment is respected, and that you and your fellow campers are safe, in accordance with the Freedom Camping Bylaw. Their powers include: 

• acquiring your personal details and those of any person connected to a suspected offence.
• confiscating and seizing property on DOC or Council land. 
• issuing infringement notices to those breaching the bylaw or have committed any infringement offences.

For more information on freedom camping, read our Freedom Camping Brochure (pdf 1.8 MB), or our bylaw.

If you have any questions or issues around camping, please contact us.