If you’re looking for freedom camping in Taranaki, north of Wanganui on the West Coast of New Zealand, then you can’t overlook Waverley Beach. About an hour from Wanganui is the small town of Waverley and on the coast is Waverley beach. If you’re looking for the ideal location for freedom camping then this is it!
After grabbing a coffee at the Main Street Cafe or the Four Square if the cafe is closed, turn left and head out to Waverley beach.
There are a number of options for staying at Waverley Beach. There is a paid campground and there are some beautiful locations with ocean views for freedom camping in Taranaki.
Waverley Beach Campground
Waverley campground is a popular location for those who wish to stay in a paid location. The facility has 28 unmarked powered sites. There’s a hot shower, toilet, basic kitchen facilities, a playground and free use of a BBQ for campers.
As of 2024 the fees for Waverley Campground are:
Powered Site – $21.00 per powered point/powered site/per night
Non-Powered Site – $17.00 per site/per night
Freedom Camping in Taranaki at Waverley Beach
If you don’t need to use the paid campground and intend freedom camping, then you can choose from some amazing cliff top locations with beautiful ocean views.
Cell phone coverage on Spark is adequate. Enough signal to make phone calls, text message, and use the internet. Internet is adequate for streaming video content.
Signs indicate that three vehicles per night are allowed and you can stay for three nights in a calendar month. There are signs indicating where dogs are allowed, with dogs permitted on Long Beach but not on Cave Beach.
A short walk from the freedom camp parking there is a toilet block. It’s serviced daily, flushing toilets and cold showers are available.
Waverley Beach is a beautiful black sand beach. A short walk – 50 to 200 metres from your freedom camping site at the end of the gravel road is beach access. There are amazing cliff and rock formations as well as deep caves where the crashing waves are slowly eroding the cliffs. It can be windy freedom camping at the cliff top location, but it’s certainly worth staying here on a beautiful sunny day. You’ll be treated to amazing West Coast sunsets.
There is a dump station in Waverley – Chester Street as you drive into Waverley from Wanganui.
For more information about freedom camping at Waverley Beach or freedom camping in the Taranaki region check out the South Taranaki District Council website.
Read our blog about Tongaporotu – the 3 Sisters and elephant rock, if you’re looking for more locations for freedom camping in Taranaki.
Twenty minutes drive from Tokoroa you’ll find some of the best freedom camping at Lake Whakamaru Reserve.
Freedom camping at Lake Whakamaru Reserve is governed by the South Waikato District Council – they’ve provided a number of wonderful freedom camping areas in the district including this one. Whakamaru, not far from Mangakino sits alongside the Waikato river. Lake Whakamaru Reserve is accessed off state highway 30.
Freedom camping at Lake Whakamaru Reserve is ideal if you want somewhere lakeside, peaceful, and beautiful, but with a few of life’s luxuries on site – cell phone coverage, internet coverage, and hot showers!
Freedom Camping at Lake Whakamaru Reserve
Lake Whakamaru Reserve is one of a number of camp sites in the area that now have free hot showers on site. Water tanks supply the showers which are heated by gas. That being said, the camp rules allow for a 2 minute shower only. However, when you’re the only campers there, you could probably stretch that limit a little?!
Each end of the campsite has a shower and toilet block, they’re longdrop toilets, but the facilities are clean, fresh, and well maintained – with toilet paper and handwash gel. Unfortunately one shower block was closed when I visited due to vandalism. However, the showers at the end I stayed at were great!
There are barbecue facilities on site and a number of picnic tables scattered throughout the grounds.
The area is huge, there’s plenty of room for campers. There were about 5 other campers staying while I was there. Enough to have a bit of security, but also not be crammed in and living next door to each other! This was in August and I’d imagine the area gets a lot busier over the summer season.
Cell phone reception was good, as well as adequate internet coverage on Spark / Skinny – good enough to get some work done.
Dogs are allowed – must be on a lead at all times.
You can stay for 2 consecutive nights at a time. Longer stays require a camping permit which is available from the South Waikato District Council.
For a look around, watch our short video here on You Tube.
Lake Whakamaru Reserve is a stop on the Waikato River Trails, once surrounded by many tall trees, the area is now cleared of trees. The northern end has a boat ramp. Apparently the swimming is good too in the summer time. The reserve is quiet, and felt like a safe location to stay.
Freedom Camping at Lake Whakamaru is highly recommended by us. Another great spot to stay is Lake Aniwhenua. Check out our article about freedom camping at Lake Aniwhenua here.
Arapuni Landing, approximately 20 minutes drive from Putaruru, or 40 minutes from Cambridge is one of the districts beautiful freedom camping spots. Nestled on the shores of the Waikato River, the hydro lake is a popular spot for anglers and water lovers. Both brown trout and rainbow trout can be caught, with Fish and Game releasing several thousand fish into the lake annually.
As far as freedom camping spots go, Arapuni Landing makes for a safe, enjoyable stay. Of note is the fact it’s not isolated. There are a number of houses scattered within a few hundred metres of the freedom camping spots.
Arapuni Landing is free to stay at. In the summer months the area gets busy so if you plan to freedom camp then it pays to be early. If you’re staying during the off- season, the winter months it’ll be quiet with very few other campers. Get the diesel heater going and enjoy the stay. Don’t have a diesel heater? Check out my thoughts on why a Chinese Diesel Heater is a must have item.
There’s a boat ramp with access to the lake and it’s popular with watercraft.
There’s a maximum of 15 vehicles allowed freedom camping at any one time. The camp is only for certified self contained vehicles, and you’re allowed 2 consecutive nights stay maximum. But don’t let that put you off. Once you’ve stayed two nights, Bulmer’s Landing is a short drive up the road – another of the areas awesome freedom camping spots.
There’s a flushing toilet available. See the above photo. It’s the small buildings at the left of the photo, on the road into the camp at the left.
Arapuni Landing is also dog friendly.
Arapuni Landing has good coverage for WIFI and Cell Phone reception on Spark and Skinny. You’ll be able to get some work done on the lakefront or stream your favourite YouTube channel.
Arapuni Landing is part of the Waipa District Council. Check out their website for more information on freedom camping spots in the area.
Freedom Camping Spots: Jones’ Landing
Jones’ Landing is opposite Bulmer’s Landing – on the other side of the river. I’ve not been there and checked it out yet. However, from what I could see on the other side of the river, from Bulmer’s Landing it looks like a nice place to check out. It’s on my list of “to dos'” According to Camper Mate, it’s closed to vehicles between 8.30pm and 6am and there’s no cell phone coverage there. Jones’ Landing is named after Gordon Jones’ father who had a boat shed there.
Certified Self Contained vehicles are able to stay two nights for free and then a camping permit is needed for a longer stay. These can be purchased from the South Waikato District Council offices or the district’s Information Centres.
Arapuni Hydro Dam
Freedom Camping Spots: Bulmer’s Landing
Bulmer’s Landing is a nice freedom camping spot, opposite Jones’ Landing. Bulmer’s Landing is a short drive from Arapuni Landing. There’s a maximum of 10 Certified Self Contained vehicles allowed per night, for another 2 consecutive nights.
Although I didn’t check out the toilet block, it’s a much more substantial sized building than the toilets at Arapuni Landing.
For the water sport lovers – there’s a boat ramp at Bulmer’s Landing. Again, in the summer it pays to get in early if you want lake front views from your motorhome.
Arapuni Hydro Dam
Arapuni Hydro Dam
The small village of Arapuni is about a ten minute drive from Arapuni Landing. Arapuni power station and dam were built between 1924 and 1929. The dam is 64 metres high from its foundations to the roadway and raised the water 42.7 m above its old level.
If you’re in the Arapuni area, be sure to check out the Arapuni Suspension Bridge. It’s a popular tourist attraction. Again, another one of those items on my ‘to do’ list for next time I’m though. I was in a bit of a rush this trip on my way to Lake Aniwhenua. Lake Aniwhenua being one of my favourite places to stay, probably due to the free hot showers when van camping…. check out our thoughts on Lake Aniwhenua here.
Nestled about an hours drive to the south east of Rotorua, in the Bay of Plenty is Lake Aniwhenua. Although classed as ‘free’ there is a donation box, but well worth a donation to stay at arguably one of the best freedom camping spots in the area.
The Best Freedom Camping Spot Because….
I’ve stayed a couple of times, and the free hot showers are a contributing factor to making this one of the best freedom camping locations. That, combined with the beautiful location, scenery, and such a nice large grassed area with plenty of parking.
As well as the hot showers there’s also flushing toilets. The showers are heated by the sun – solar powered, so as long as there’s been sun they seem to be adequate for a good wash. If you’re doing the van life thing, without a shower on board, the hot showers are welcome.
Cover from the elements and the toilet and shower block
Cell phone coverage is adequate on Spark and Skinny. A couple of bars in most parts of the campground – enough to get some work done on WIFI or watch YouTube once you’re done kayaking or sailing on the lake.
Part of the Rangitaiki River, Lake Aniwhenua is relatively shallow, but provides some great fishing opportunities. On a good day you should be able to catch both brown and rainbow trout.
There’s plenty of parking for vehicles of all sizes, no matter if you’re a small van, bus, motorhome or tent. You can park right alongside the lakefront, or if the ground is soggy there’s parking up the top if you don’t want to risk getting stuck. Camping is allowed in both Certified Self Contained (CSC) vehicles and non-CSC vehicles including tents.
You’re allowed to stay for a maximum of 7 nights in any 4 week period. You can read more about freedom camping in the Whakatane district here. Get along and enjoy one of the best freedom camping locations in the Bay of Plenty!
Lake Aniwhenua is awesome in the summer time, but beautiful in the change of seasons as the trees colour up. It’s idyllic in the winter, but you might want to have some good heating. Check out our article about installing a Chinese Diesel heater – whether they’re really worth it or not…
If you’re off to your next destination you might like to consider Arapuni Landing, Jones’ Landing, or Bulmer’s Landing. Another couple of great freedom camping locations, about a 2 hour drive to the west, and located about a half hour south of Cambridge.
I’ve often sat outside my van or motorhome, soaking up the sun, wondering how many solar panels do you need on the roof. The panels I have seem to work great, but I wonder if there is an optimal amount of solar panels to put on your RV, motorhome or van. I decided to do a bit of digging on the internet to answer the question of how many solar panels do you need on your roof.
Benefits of Solar Panels
Having solar panels on your motorhome, van or RV is a game changer. Instead of relying on the vehicles alternator to charge your house battery, you get free energy from the sun. There’s no need to be driving, using expensive petrol or diesel for your batteries to charge. You can park up by the lake, river, beach or the middle of nowhere, and as long as you have daylight your batteries will charge.
Generally speaking, solar power is easier and safer to install than AC mains supply. You can get your solar system professionally installed or you can do it yourself. An AC mains supply where you hook up to camp ground power should be done by a professional and must be signed off by a professional before it is legal.
There’s no moving parts or mechanics to maintain with solar panels. Compared to a generator or wind turbine solar panels are efficient, virtually maintenance free, and silent. So, how many solar panels do you need?
How Many Solar Panels Do You Need? Two Schools of Thought
There are at least two schools of thought on the question of how many solar panels do you need to have. Some people will give you a definitive answer, and others will say it depends.
There are formulas you can use to work out how much power each appliance you intend to use consumes, and from there you work out how many hours a day you’ll use them, which gives you an estimate of your daily power usage and therefore how much output you need from your solar panels. You can even find nifty calculators online that you can input the numbers and it will provide an answer.
The other school of thought is that you can never have enough solar panels, or at least – the more the better and get what you can afford.
I’d pick a mix of these two, I’m probably in the middle although leaning towards the, “you can never have too much solar”.
You can input numbers and come up with a figure on paper, but do you really know every appliance you intend to use and for how long each day? What if you only want to charge a laptop computer initially, but later on find you need to run two laptops plugged into good sized monitors all day? Possibly a bit far fetched but not unheard of.
Solar is very dependent on the weather and season. What if you get two or three weeks of bad weather that limits your daily charging? When working out your numbers by the first method all this needs to be factored in. In winter there are less daylight hours and the sun is lower which equates to less charging.
I have 1100 watts of solar panels on my motorhome which is approximately two thirds of the roof space covered. As one person put it, no one ever regretted having too much solar but many have regretted having large battery capacity and not enough solar. In reality, numbers on paper can be very different to motorhoming in real life.
My van has one 270 watt panel. Given I don’t use as much electricity in the van my 270watt panel is adequate. Click here to read about my solar and electrical set up in my motorhome and van.
The Different Types of Solar Panels
There are three main types of solar panels that you’ll hear about. Monocrystalline, polycrystalline and thin-film solar panels.
Monocrystalline panels are the oldest type of panel and also the most developed technologically. They’re made from a single (mono) crystal silicon solar cells. They’re considered to be a premium panel with a high efficiency and output. They’re recognizable by their black, uniform appearance.
Polycrystalline panels are less efficient although often more affordable. The polycrystalline cells are also made from silicon but in contrast to the monocrystalline panels, these are made from many (poly) fragments of silicon crystal melted together. These panels appear bluish in colour and speckled as the light reflects of the many crystal fragments.
Thin-film solar panels are thin and flexible. They’re made from layers of semiconducting materials such as silicon, copper indium gallium selenide and cadium telluride. These panels tend to have a lower efficiency compared to crystalline panels.
Best Type of Solar Panel
You’ll likely be choosing between monocrystalline and polycrystalline panels. The best type will depend on your circumstances. How much roof space do you have and what can you afford? Polycrystalline panels are somewhat cheaper but less efficient, you might need more of them, whereas if your roof space is limited you might choose to pay a bit more for monocrystalline panels which will be more efficient but less of them needed. How many solar panels do you need for your installation? It’ll likely be dependent on the type of panel you install.
Fixed Solar Panels or Portable?
During my travels I’ve seen motorhomers with portable solar panels. This can be an option to supplement your panels on the roof or an option if for some reason you don’t want to mount panels to your roof. Keep in mind however, that a portable panel is probably not going to provide enough energy output for a normal to moderate user of power. It may be fine if you just want to charge a phone, laptop, run your lights at night and a few other small items, but you’d need to watch your usage.
A portable panel would be ideal to supplement your existing panels on the roof. Panels flat on your roof don’t put out as much power as a panel aimed directly at the sun. In winter, being able to point your panel at the sun can make a huge difference to the panels output. Therefore in winter time a portable panel would be ideal to supplement what you have on the roof.
In the summer time you may want to park your vehicle in the shade during the hottest parts of the day. Having a portable panel with a long lead means you can still get charging for your batteries if you can place the panel in the sun while your vehicle is in the shade.
How Many Solar Panels Do You Need for Cloudy Days?
Your solar panel will work on most cloudy days. A very cloudy day with really thick dark clouds may mean that it won’t work at all though. But on most cloudy days you’ll be able to get solar output although it will be a lot less than on a sunny day. This is the reason you want to have as many solar panels as you can. So how many solar panels do you need to get you through cloudy weather? On a cloudy day one solar panel might put out 1amp. If you have two you now get 2 amps. Four panels equals 4 amps. There are other factors at play, but in short this is the principle idea behind having plenty of solar. On those cloudy days you’ll have enough to get by.
Solar Panel Maintenance
To get the most from your solar panels you should ensure they’re clean. Even a small amount of debris, dead leaves or dirt on your panel can reduce it’s output dramatically. A mild detergent in water is safe to use on your panels. During cleaning you can also inspect any connections that you can see to ensure they’re secure and free from damage.
What Components Do You Need for a Solar Power Set Up?
Your solar panels are connected by cable to a solar charge controller. This in turn is connected to your battery. Your battery gives you power, either as 12 volt, 24 volt or even 48 volt depending on your system. Most motorhome, van or RV set ups will be 12 volt. You may also have an inverter which can provide you with mains power.
The charge controller is an important part of your solar power system. There are two types of controller. PWM and MPPT. For more about solar charge controllers read our thoughts here.
Your battery is connected to the charge controller. There are many types of battery available including lead acid, GEL, AGM, Carbon, and Lithium. Check out our guide about batteries for your motorhome, van or RV here.
