The campsite at Port Jackson on the northern tip of the Coromandel Peninsula is open for summer. Photo / Keith Levy
The campsite at Port Jackson on the northern tip of the Coromandel Peninsula is open for summer. Photo / Keith Levy
Bookings have now opened for several Department of Conservation northern Coromandel campsites, with visitors being urged to get in early.
The campsites at Fletcher Bay, Port Jackson, Stony Bay, Fantail Bay and Waikawau Bay offer seaside camping on a “pack in, pack out” basis.
They provide an off-the-beaten-track, seaside camping experience, and were popular with people who enjoyed activities like fishing, tramping, swimming, snorkelling and boating.
Although several of the campsites sustained damage after Cyclone Gabrielle and were closed for several months while being repaired, they would be available from staggered opening dates in October.
Post-cyclone work included inspecting vaults below toilets, fixing water take infrastructure, rebuilding internal roads within the campsites, repairing bridges and culverts and removing strewn vegetation and some trees.
DoC’s Coromandel operations manager Nick Kelly said his team had made some changes to the campsites’ management this year to support the area’s recovery from Gabrielle.
“Although we’re really pleased to be able to offer these camping experiences for this summer, we have opted to reduce visitor capacity at several locations,” Nick says.
The capacity reductions for this summer meant Port Jackson would only host 185 people - previously 250.
At Fletcher Bay, the limit has been reduced from 300 to 200-person, while this year only 60 people would be allowed at Fantail Bay at any one time - previously 80.
“Reducing capacity at these campsites allows DoC to work with Thames-Coromandel District Council to lower traffic volumes on the gravel roads accessing these locations,” Kelly said.
“There are still some challenges with these roads and it’s a safe and sensible option to limit the vehicles using them to get to our campsites.”
Stony Bay is a popular campsite in the Coromandel. Photo / Paul Schrader
The changes at Port Jackson and Fletcher Bay were an adjustment to the service standard – from what DoC termed a “standard camp” to a “backcountry standard”. The differences are explained on DoC’s website, and related to the facilities and assets DoC provided for visitors to use.
At Fantail Bay, the service would be reduced – meaning DoC’s staff would visit less often than in previous summers.
Kelly said it was vital visitors planning to stay at the northern Coromandel campsites go fully prepared and understood their isolation.
“Coromandel’s road network – including some of those routes in the most northern part of the peninsula leading to the DoC campsites - remains compromised in places.
“Our advice to any visitors planning to go camping at our more remote northern Coromandel spots is to ensure they use a reliable and well-maintained 4WD vehicle and drive carefully.
“If you’re heading up there, we recommend you ensure you cover the motoring essentials like having a good spare wheel – and knowing how to change it – and a set of tools, ropes and towing gear.
“The beauty of these places is their isolation but that means if you get into trouble, emergency services will take some time to get to you.”
DoC urges people to pay close attention to weather forecasts and road network alerts if planning to stay in northern Coromandel.
The council was also urging people to be sensible and conservative with water use in the district through summer, and both agencies asked people to be cautious and aware of fire risks and bans.
Visitors planning to enjoy any of the northern Coromandel campsites should go prepared, with all the supplies they needed, including water, food, toilet paper, cooking equipment, emergency provisions and potentially spare fuel for vehicles.
PRICES AND OPENING DATES
Waikawau Bay
Bookings: Open now for dates through to June 30, 2024.
