Source: Department of Conservation, data as of 11 August 2026. Licensed under CC BY 4.0. Data credits
New Plymouth at a glance
| Current DOC notices | 22 |
|---|---|
| Camping prohibited | 13 |
| Camping restricted | 9 |
| Historic notices (no longer current) | 1 |
| Self-contained vehicles only | 9 |
| No more than 4 nights in a calendar month | 9 |
| Only between 5 pm and 9 am | 2 |
| Restrictions apply 1 November to 30 April | 2 |
| Area where camping is prohibited | 30.7 ha |
| Area where camping is restricted | 15.5 ha |
| Largest notice area | Pukerangiora Pa Carpark (14.8 ha) |
| Area covered by current notices | 46.2 ha |
| Distinct conservation land parcels (NaPALIS) | 6 |
| DOC notice numbers | 165 to 289 |
| Notice dates | 1 December 2012 to 1 December 2017 |
| Current notices by year issued | 2012: 20, 2017: 2 |
| DOC operations region | Hauraki-Waikato-Taranaki |
DOC notices, not council bylaws
These notices cover public conservation land managed by the Department of Conservation. They are not council bylaws. On land a district or city council manages, that council's own freedom camping rules apply, and signs at the site always take priority.
What the notices mean in New Plymouth
The New Plymouth district has 22 current DOC freedom camping notices: 13 prohibit camping and 9 restrict it. All 9 restricted areas share the core conditions of self-contained vehicles only and no more than 4 nights in a calendar month, so a certified self-contained vehicle is the minimum for staying overnight at any of them.
At Everett Park Carparks and Mangaoraka Carpark the notices go further. Camping there is allowed only between 5 pm and 9 am, and the notices record that the restrictions apply 1 November to 30 April. The other restricted areas are Dawson Falls Carparks, North Egmont Carparks, Potaema Carpark, Puniho Carpark, Stratford Mountain House Carparks, Stratford Plateau Carparks and Upper Lucys Gully Carpark.
Look closely at the names, because several sites have a prohibited notice area and a restricted one under almost the same name. Dawson Falls view carpark is prohibited while Dawson Falls Carparks is restricted, and the same split applies to Potaema Amenity Area and Potaema Carpark, to Upper Lucys Gully Amenity Area and Upper Lucys Gully Carpark, and to Stratford Mtn House Amenity Area and Stratford Mountain House Carparks. Lower North Egmont Amenity Area is prohibited, North Egmont Carparks restricted.
Prohibited areas total 30.7 ha and restricted areas 15.5 ha, 46.2 ha in all across 6 distinct conservation land parcels. The largest notice area is Pukerangiora Pa Carpark at 14.8 ha, followed by Gordon Block at 7.4 ha, and both are prohibited. Nearly every notice dates from 1 December 2012 (20 of them); Gordon Block and Dawson Falls view carpark were added on 1 December 2017. Notice numbers run from 165 to 289, and 1 earlier notice is now historic.
None of this is a council bylaw. DOC's notices cover only public conservation land. On land the council controls, the New Plymouth District Council freedom camping rules apply, and Ohura Peak Amenity Area lies in Ruapehu District, where the Ruapehu District Council freedom camping rules cover council land. Several listed areas fall in neighbouring districts, so check whose land you are on before you stop for the night.
Notice areas
| Name | Notice | Conditions |
|---|---|---|
| Dawson Falls view carparkNotice 287 | Prohibited | No freedom camping · 0.3 ha |
| Gordon BlockNotice 289 | Prohibited | No freedom camping · 7.4 ha |
| Kaiauai Rock CarparkNotice 173 | Prohibited | No freedom camping · 0.8 ha |
| Lower Lucys Gully CarparkNotice 177 | Prohibited | No freedom camping · 0.7 ha |
| Lower North Egmont Amenity AreaNotice 222 | Prohibited | No freedom camping · 0.2 ha |
| Meeting of the Waters Picnic AreaNotice 184 | Prohibited | No freedom camping · 0.8 ha |
| Ohura Peak Amenity AreaNotice 190 | Prohibited | No freedom camping · 2.6 ha |
| Potaema Amenity AreaNotice 257 | Prohibited | No freedom camping · 0.2 ha |
| Pukerangiora Pa CarparkNotice 196 | Prohibited | No freedom camping · 14.8 ha |
| Rahiri Cottage Amenity AreaNotice 198 | Prohibited | No freedom camping · 1.1 ha |
| Ratapihipihi Scenic ReserveNotice 200 | Prohibited | No freedom camping · 0.9 ha |
| Stratford Mtn House Amenity AreaNotice 206 | Prohibited | No freedom camping · 0.3 ha |
| Upper Lucys Gully Amenity AreaNotice 258 | Prohibited | No freedom camping · 0.6 ha |
| Dawson Falls CarparksNotice 176 | Restricted | Self-contained vehicles only; No more than 4 nights in a calendar month · 3 ha |
| Everett Park CarparksNotice 165 | Restricted | Self-contained vehicles only; No more than 4 nights in a calendar month; Only between 5 pm and 9 am; Restrictions apply 1 November to 30 April · 2.5 ha |
| Mangaoraka CarparkNotice 180 | Restricted | Self-contained vehicles only; No more than 4 nights in a calendar month; Only between 5 pm and 9 am; Restrictions apply 1 November to 30 April · 0.4 ha |
| North Egmont CarparksNotice 178 | Restricted | Self-contained vehicles only; No more than 4 nights in a calendar month · 0.5 ha |
| Potaema CarparkNotice 195 | Restricted | Self-contained vehicles only; No more than 4 nights in a calendar month · 0.1 ha |
| Puniho CarparkNotice 197 | Restricted | Self-contained vehicles only; No more than 4 nights in a calendar month · 1.2 ha |
| Stratford Mountain House CarparksNotice 207 | Restricted | Self-contained vehicles only; No more than 4 nights in a calendar month · 0.1 ha |
| Stratford Plateau CarparksNotice 208 | Restricted | Self-contained vehicles only; No more than 4 nights in a calendar month · 2.6 ha |
| Upper Lucys Gully CarparkNotice 219 | Restricted | Self-contained vehicles only; No more than 4 nights in a calendar month · 5.1 ha |
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.
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