Last updated November 2026
Western Bay of Plenty District Council allows freedom camping at five places around Waihī Beach, the beach town at the northern end of the Western Bay, about 35 to 38 km from Tauranga in a straight line. All five are for certified self-contained vehicles only, and you can stay up to three nights in any four weeks at each one.
Two of them close for part of the year: Pohutukawa Park at the north end shuts from the end of Labour weekend until Easter, and Brighton Reserve shuts over the peak of summer.
The other three, at Island View and beside the community centre, are open all year. The council’s dump station for the area is in Island View Reserve, and the council’s Penny shower and laundry block is a short drive south at Bowentown.
Practical Information
- Sites
- Island View Reserve, Island View Esplanade Reserve (Tuna Avenue), Waihi Beach Community Centre, Brighton Reserve, Pohutukawa Park
- Location
- Waihī Beach and Island View, Western Bay of Plenty District
- Distance from the city
- About 35 to 38 km from Tauranga (straight line)
- Vehicles
- Certified self-contained vehicles only, with a fixed toilet; no tents
- Maximum stay
- 3 nights in any 4-week period at one site, counted from the first night
- Seasonal closures
- Pohutukawa Park: end of Labour weekend to Easter Monday. Brighton Reserve: third weekend of December to 10 February
- Dump station
- Island View Reserve, Seaforth Road
- Showers and laundry
- Penny block at the Bowentown car park, Seaforth Road ($5 Penny digital key)
- Cost
- Free
- Managed by
- Western Bay of Plenty District Council
About Waihī Beach Freedom Camping
The five sites run along the length of Waihī Beach. Pohutukawa Park is at the northern end on The Esplanade, Brighton Reserve is on Brighton Road, the community centre site is on Tohora View, and the two Island View sites are towards the southern end, on Seaforth Road and at Tuna Avenue off Broadway Road.
Each is a designated area within a council reserve or car park, so you park in the marked spaces rather than anywhere on the reserve.
The council’s own reserve records list the picnic gear near each site. Pohutukawa Park has the most, with about 16 picnic tables, bins and a water tap close by.
Brighton Reserve has picnic tables, two electric barbecues, a tap and bins, and it is parallel parking only. Island View Reserve and the Tuna Avenue reserve have water taps and bins, and the community centre site has a tap and bins.
These are freedom camping spots, not campgrounds, and the council lists no powered sites or booking system for them. Because only certified self-contained vehicles are allowed, your vehicle needs its own fixed toilet and has to hold its own grey and black water until you reach a dump station.
The sites suit people who want to stay close to the beach for a night or two on a trip through the Western Bay. Vehicles without certification and tents can’t stay overnight at any of them.
Rules for Self-Contained Vehicles
Western Bay of Plenty District Council requires a current self-contained certificate under the Self-contained Motor Vehicles Legislation Act 2023. Under that law the old blue sticker stopped being valid after 7 June 2026, so vehicles now need the green warrant, and portable toilets no longer count. Display the warrant at the site and show proof of self-containment if a council officer asks.
You must stay within the designated area and the marked parking lines, keep the site clean and take all rubbish away with you, including solid and liquid waste. Fires are only allowed where the council provides for them.
The council sets a $400 infringement fee for offences such as camping outside the designated area, camping in a vehicle that isn’t certified, staying longer than three nights, or leaving rubbish. Some sites are monitored, some with CCTV.
Seasonal Closures
Two of the five sites close when the beach is busiest. Pohutukawa Park on The Esplanade has no freedom camping from the end of Labour weekend until Easter Monday, so it only takes campers through autumn and winter.
Brighton Reserve on Brighton Road closes from the third weekend of December until 10 February. The two Island View sites and the community centre site have no seasonal closure in the council’s rules, but check the council’s map before you go in case a site has been closed temporarily.
Dump Station, Showers and Dogs
The council’s dump station for Waihī Beach is in Island View Reserve on Seaforth Road. For a shower, the council’s Penny block in the Bowentown car park on Seaforth Road has hot showers, cooking hotplates, a dishwashing sink and a laundry. Its toilets are free, and the paid services work with a Penny digital key, which costs $5 from any Western Bay of Plenty District Council area office.
Dogs are allowed at some freedom camping sites but not others. Waihī Beach and Island View each have their own dog walking area map, so check the council’s dog walking areas page before you bring a dog.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I freedom camp at Waihī Beach?
The council designates five sites: Island View Reserve, Island View Esplanade Reserve at Tuna Avenue, the Waihi Beach Community Centre, Brighton Reserve and Pohutukawa Park. Camp only in the marked area at each.
Do I need a self-contained vehicle?
Yes. All five sites are for certified self-contained vehicles only, with a fixed toilet and a current green warrant. Tents and vehicles without certification are not allowed.
How long can I stay?
Up to three nights in any four-week period at one site, counted from your first night.
Can I camp at Pohutukawa Park in summer?
No. Freedom camping there is closed from the end of Labour weekend until Easter Monday.
When is Brighton Reserve closed?
From the third weekend of December until 10 February. Outside that time it is parallel parking only.
Where is the nearest dump station?
In Island View Reserve on Seaforth Road, run by the council.
Are there showers?
Not at the freedom camping sites. The council’s Penny block in the Bowentown car park has hot showers and a laundry, paid with a $5 Penny digital key from a council area office.
Does it cost anything?
Freedom camping at these sites is free. Fines of $400 apply for breaking the rules.
Spotted something incorrect on this page? Let us know.
Related links 3
- Western Bay of Plenty District Council: Freedom camping and Penny: the current rules, seasonal closures, site notices and the Penny facilities.
- Western Bay of Plenty freedom camping map: every permitted site in the district, with dump stations, toilets, tables and bins.
- Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers Board: Self-contained vehicles: how the green warrant and certification work.