Camping

The Waikato district has some amazing towns and beaches and we highly recommend you visit some of these great spots.

If you’re planning to camp, it’s important to be aware of the Waikato District Council Freedom Camping Bylaw 2016.

Things you need to know:

The bylaw allows freedom camping in a self-contained vehicle anywhere in our district except areas that are listed as prohibited or restricted.  There is a maximum of three nights in any one month.

Unless you are self-contained, campers are required to stay in holiday parks or Department of Conservation (DOC) camping area or other designated camping areas.

Under the bylaw, you can receive a $200 fine if you do not comply with the rules.

What areas are prohibited or restricted?

Where do I find camping grounds in your district?

Find out more about camping grounds

Information about the Freedom Camping Act 2011 and our Freedom Camping Bylaw 2016

The New Zealand Government passed the Freedom Camping Act in 2011, which stated that freedom camping was permitted on all public land except where it is restricted or prohibited by a Council bylaw.

Previously, controls for freedom camping in the Waikato District were contained in three separate bylaws. When these bylaws came up for review in April 2016, we identified that it was appropriate to manage freedom camping through the creation of a new bylaw under the Freedom Camping Act 2011.

Waikato District Council carried out pre-consultation with its communities to find out if there were any issues associated with freedom camping in our district. This included talking to our Community Boards and organisations throughout the district including Residents and Ratepayers Associations, Chamber of Commerce, local Marae and the New Zealand Motor Caravan Association. This helped Council decide what controls should be included in the draft bylaw. The public were then invited to make submissions on the proposed bylaw. We received 90 submissions and there were 24 submitters that wished to present at a hearing on 6 July. 

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