Source: Department of Conservation, data as of 11 August 2026. Licensed under CC BY 4.0. Data credits
Marlborough at a glance
| DOC campsites | 44 |
|---|---|
| Most sites | Whites Bay Campsite (67) |
| Most campsites in | Pelorus Sound/Te Hoiere and Kenepuru Sound area 15, Queen Charlotte Sound/Tōtaranui area 11, French Pass and D'Urville Island Scenic Reserves 6 |
| Marked closed in the data | 6 |
| Free campsites | 10 |
| Campsites with a fee | 33 |
| Adult nightly rates listed | $10 to $27 |
| Bookable online through DOC | 20 |
| Campsite categories | Standard campsite 19, Backcountry campsite 14, Basic campsite 10, Serviced campsite 1 |
| Campervan access | 15 |
| Reached only on foot or by boat | 25 |
| Dogs allowed in some form | 12 |
| Flush toilets | 7 |
| Treated tap water | 2 |
| Showers (hot or cold) | 6 |
| Powered sites | 20 |
| Unpowered sites | 671 |
| Landscape | Coastal 37, Forest 3, Rivers and lakes 3 |
| DOC huts in the region | 60 |
Camping with DOC in Marlborough
Marlborough has 44 DOC campsites, and the landscape count says it plainly: 37 are coastal. The Pelorus Sound/Te Hoiere and Kenepuru Sound area holds 15, the Queen Charlotte Sound/Tōtaranui area 11, and the French Pass and D'Urville Island Scenic Reserves 6. With 25 campsites reached only on foot or by boat and only 15 with campervan access, sort out how you will get there before you choose a campsite.
The boat-access sites are cheap. Ratimera Bay, Wharehunga Bay, Jacobs Bay, Ferndale and Blumine Island/Oruawairua campsites are reached by boat at $10 a night for adults, with non-flush toilets and untreated tap water. Black Rock, Nydia and Schoolhouse Bay are $10 too and can be reached on foot or by mountain bike. South Arm Campsite in the French Pass and D'Urville Island Scenic Reserves is free and boat only.
If you are driving, look at the Blenheim area and Marfells Beach. Whites Bay Campsite is the largest, with 67 sites, at $15, with flush toilets and cold showers. Rarangi and Marfells Beach are also $15 with flush toilets and cold showers. Pelorus Bridge Campground is the only serviced campsite, at $25 to $27, with powered sites, hot showers and treated tap water, which is the top of the region's $10 to $27 range.
Inland, Molesworth Recreation Reserve offers Acheron Accommodation House and Molesworth Cob Cottage at $10 and Lake Tennyson for free. Mount Richmond Forest Park has Onamalutu ($10, with powered sites), Butchers Flat ($10) and Mill Flat, which is free but 4WD only.
Across the region, 10 campsites are free and 33 charge a fee, and 20 can be booked online through DOC. Dogs are allowed in some form at 12. Treated tap water is listed at only 2 campsites, so plan to treat water elsewhere. The data marks 6 campsites closed, so check the one you want before you go. There are also 60 DOC huts.
Campsites
25 of 44 campsites. The full list is on the map in the app.
| Name | Type | Access and facilities | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whites Bay CampsiteBlenheim area | Standard campsite | Campervan, Car, Caravan, Flush toilets, Cold showers, Non-flush toilets, Untreated tap water | Adult $15 per night |
| Acheron Accommodation House CampsiteMolesworth Recreation Reserve | Standard campsite | Campervan, Car, Mountain bike, Non-flush toilets, Untreated tap water | Adult $10 per night |
| Onamalutu CampsiteMount Richmond Forest Park | Standard campsite | Campervan, Car, Caravan, Powered sites, Flush toilets, Untreated tap water | Adult $10 per night |
| Pelorus Bridge CampgroundPelorus Bridge Scenic Reserve | Serviced campsite | Campervan, Car, Caravan, Powered sites, Hot showers, Treated tap water, Cooking shelter | Adult $25 to $27 per night |
| Whatamango Bay CampsiteQueen Charlotte Sound/Tōtaranui area | Standard campsite | Campervan, Car, Caravan, Flush toilets, Untreated tap water | Adult $15 per night |
| Marfells Beach CampsiteMarfells Beach area | Standard campsite | Campervan, Car, Caravan, Flush toilets, Cold showers, Boat ramp, Wheelchair access | Adult $15 per night |
| Rarangi CampsiteBlenheim area | Standard campsite | Campervan, Car, Caravan, Flush toilets, Cold showers, Wheelchair access, Untreated tap water | Adult $15 per night |
| Harvey Bay CampsitePelorus Sound/Te Hoiere and Kenepuru Sound area | Standard campsite | Campervan, Car, Caravan, Non-flush toilets, Untreated tap water | Adult $10 per night |
| Butchers Flat CampsiteMount Richmond Forest Park | Standard campsite | Campervan, Car, Non-flush toilets, Untreated tap water | Adult $10 per night |
| Mill Flat CampsiteMount Richmond Forest Park | Basic campsite | 4WD, Non-flush toilets, Stream water | Free |
| Molesworth Cob Cottage CampsiteMolesworth Recreation Reserve | Standard campsite | Campervan, Car, Mountain bike, Non-flush toilets, Untreated tap water | Adult $10 per night |
| French Pass CampsiteFrench Pass and D'Urville Island Scenic Reserves | Standard campsite | Boat, Campervan, Car, Caravan, Flush toilets, Boat ramp, Jetty, Wheelchair access | Adult $18 to $20 per night |
| Ratimera Bay CampsiteQueen Charlotte Sound/Tōtaranui area | Standard campsite | Boat, Non-flush toilets, Untreated tap water | Adult $10 per night |
| Moawhitu CampsiteFrench Pass and D'Urville Island Scenic Reserves | Basic campsite | Boat, 4WD, Non-flush toilets, Untreated tap water | Free |
| Lake Tennyson CampsiteMolesworth Recreation Reserve | Basic campsite | Car, 4WD, Mountain bike, Wheelchair access, Non-flush toilets, Stream water | Free |
| Robin Hood Bay CampsiteBlenheim area | Basic campsite | Car, Non-flush toilets, Stream water | Free |
| Wharehunga Bay CampsiteQueen Charlotte Sound/Tōtaranui area | Backcountry campsite | Boat, Non-flush toilets, Untreated tap water | Adult $10 per night |
| Jacobs Bay CampsitePelorus Sound/Te Hoiere and Kenepuru Sound area | Backcountry campsite | Boat, Non-flush toilets, Untreated tap water | Adult $10 per night |
| Nydia CampsitePelorus Sound/Te Hoiere and Kenepuru Sound area | Backcountry campsite | On foot, Mountain bike, Boat, Non-flush toilets, Untreated tap water | Adult $10 per night |
| Aussie Bay CampsiteQueen Charlotte Sound/Tōtaranui area | Standard campsite | Campervan, Car, Non-flush toilets, Untreated tap water | Adult $15 per night |
| Black Rock CampsiteQueen Charlotte Sound/Tōtaranui area | Backcountry campsite | On foot, Mountain bike, Non-flush toilets, Untreated tap water | Adult $10 per night |
| Blumine Island/Oruawairua CampsiteBlumine Island Scenic Reserve | Backcountry campsite | Boat, Non-flush toilets, Untreated tap water | Adult $10 per night |
| Schoolhouse Bay CampsiteQueen Charlotte Sound/Tōtaranui area | Backcountry campsite | On foot, Boat, Mountain bike, Non-flush toilets, Untreated tap water | Adult $10 per night |
| South Arm CampsiteFrench Pass and D'Urville Island Scenic Reserves | Basic campsite | Boat, Non-flush toilets, Stream water | Free |
| Ferndale CampsitePelorus Sound/Te Hoiere and Kenepuru Sound area | Backcountry campsite | Boat, Non-flush toilets, Untreated tap water | Adult $10 per night |
Check before you go
Fees, closures and access change. The DOC page for each place, current DOC alerts and signs on site take priority over this summary.
The full map is in KiwiCamping
All 44 campsites on one map
KiwiCamping shows every DOC campsite in Marlborough on the map with fees, facilities and DOC alerts, and puts the ones you pick into a trip with distances and dates. Bookable holiday parks, stays and tours are free in the app. DOC campsites, huts, dump stations and the guides open with the Pass.