Campervan rally brings 550 motorhomes to Hastings

The New Zealand Motor Caravan Association held its 68th National Rally at the Hastings Racecourse. Photo / Peter Scott

• Hastings hosted the New Zealand Motor Caravan Association’s 68th National Rally with about 550 campervans attending.
• Attendees from around the country enjoyed all the region has to offer.
• Chief executive Bruce Lochore said the rally aimed to support Hawke’s Bay’s recovery from Cyclone Gabrielle.

Trusty steeds filled the Hastings Racecourse over the weekend, but they weren’t horses.

The New Zealand Motor Caravan Association (NZMCA) held its 68th national rally in the city, bringing 550 campervans, mobile homes, and recreational vehicles to Hawke’s Bay from around the country.

Joining in the fun were caravan owners Tim and Desley Flack from Auckland. They have been part of the association for more than 20 years and this was their 12th national rally.

Desley and Tim Flack at the 2025 motor caravan association rally, held at the Hastings Racecourse. Photo / Jack Riddell

“It’s just marvellous,” said Desley.

“All of these vans get together, and everything is laid out and everybody talks to everybody.

“[But] we don’t do van envy - everybody’s got what suits them.”

After the rally, Tim and Desley were taking their caravan around the East Cape.

“This will be our third trip around there,” Desley said.

“We have to keep going back because people keep saying we miss all the best bits.

“But that’s the good thing about caravans, you’ll always have somewhere to stay.”

Campervan ownership comes with its own challenges, according to Tim.

“Keeping your camper going can be tricky. We’ve had an engine blow up, and keeping it filled up with water is a full-time job,” he said.

“I’ve been midway through washing my hair when we’ve run out,” laughed Desley.

She said it can get a bit claustrophobic at times when you are constantly in your partner’s space.

“But our only regret is we didn’t get ours earlier,” said Tim.

“We take the grandkids away for trips, but it would have been great to have when our kids were kids.”

Association chief executive Bruce Lochore said the organisation chose Hawke’s Bay for this year’s rally as a way to support the region in its recovery from Cyclone Gabrielle.

“[Our members] go out into the region with all sorts of tours we had organised,” he said.

“Lots of them enjoyed the cycleways and they just got out there and tried to spend a bit of money in the area.”

Lochore also heaped praise on Hastings Racecourse, which is currently unable to host race meets without a multi-million dollar track upgrade, calling the venue a fantastic place to hold the rally.

“They’ve gone through hell lately with the racecourse closing and all sorts of things they’re having to deal with,” he said.

“But they were wonderful for us, they couldn’t have done more, so a big thanks to them.”

The next NZCMA national rally will be held in Cromwell in March 2026.

Jack Riddell is a multimedia journalist with Hawke’s Bay Today and spent the last 15 years working in radio and media in Auckland, London, Berlin, and Napier. He reports on all stories relevant to residents of the region.