Whakatāne District Council's Freedom Camping Bylaw 2024 gives certified self-contained vehicles four designated sites in Whakatāne and Ōhope, for three consecutive nights in any four weeks. A single site, Aniwhenua Reserve near Murupara, accepts vehicles that are not self-contained for up to seven nights in four weeks. The bylaw came into force on 17 October 2024 and is due for review on 17 October 2029. It covers council land only.
The Freedom Camping Bylaw 2024
The bylaw was made and commenced on 17 October 2024 as a standalone bylaw, with its next review due on 17 October 2029. Clause 4.1 says freedom camping using a tent or other temporary structure or a self-contained vehicle is permitted in a council area unless a clause makes it restricted or prohibited. That general permission is limited in practice by the Reserves Act, whose section 44 the bylaw notes generally prohibits camping in reserves, and the council's page says freedom camping is prohibited in all reserves.
The council's page also says vehicles must display a current self-containment certificate, and the bylaw takes its definition of self-contained from the Freedom Camping Act. Under the national rules a blue warrant stopped counting on 7 June 2026, so display a green one. The council says all prohibited and restricted areas are signposted.
- Council land only
- Reserves are generally prohibited
- Display a green warrant
The four restricted sites for certified vehicles
Schedule 3 lists four restricted areas, all for certified self-contained vehicles only, in a designated area, for a maximum of three consecutive nights in any four-week period: McAlister Street car park in Whakatāne, West End Road car park and reserve in Ōhope, Maraetotara Reserve on Pohutukawa Avenue in Ōhope, and the eastern end of Harbour Road with Port Ōhope Reserve. All four list public toilets, and Maraetotara Reserve also has a playground and barbecues.
The West End Road car park is closed to freedom camping from the beginning of the third week of December to 31 March, which is the summer holiday peak. The bylaw does not publish per-site vehicle counts, so the designated area marked on the council's map and signs is the limit that matters. Because tents and uncertified vehicles are not allowed at these four, a tent camper needs a campground.
| Site | Town | Designated area | Nights | Facilities stated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| McAlister Street car park | Whakatāne | Identified car parks in the northern end | 3 in any 4 weeks | Toilets |
| West End Road car park and reserve | Ōhope | Car park behind the toilets at the western end; closed from the third week of December to 31 March | 3 in any 4 weeks | Toilets |
| Maraetotara Reserve, 243 Pohutukawa Avenue | Ōhope | Identified car parks north-west of the roundabout by the beach | 3 in any 4 weeks | Playground, barbecue, toilets |
| Eastern end of Harbour Road and Port Ōhope Reserve, 541 Harbour Road | Ōhope | South-west end of the reserve by the harbour edge | 3 in any 4 weeks | Toilets |
| Aniwhenua Reserve (Schedule 1) | Galatea, near Murupara | Not stated | 7 in any 4 weeks, any vehicle | Not stated |
- Three nights in four weeks
- West End Road closes for summer
- Tents are not allowed at the four sites
Tents, and vehicles that are not self-contained
Under clause 4.2, a motor vehicle that is not self-contained is allowed only in the areas in Schedule 1, which lists one site: Aniwhenua Reserve at Galatea, near the Murupara township, with a maximum stay of seven nights in any four-week period. Tents are covered by the general permission in clause 4.1, but with reserves generally prohibited and the four restricted sites limited to certified vehicles, the council's page and bylaw leave a tent camper very few places on council land.
Ask the council before pitching a tent anywhere. Its number is 07 306 0500 and its email is info@whakatane.govt.nz, and the Whakatāne Visitor Centre is on 07 306 2030. A written permission to camp somewhere prohibited or restricted can be sought at least 20 days ahead from the chief executive, and the council states that people experiencing homelessness are not subject to freedom camping infringements and penalties.
- One site for vehicles without certification
- Ask before pitching a tent
- Permission needs 20 days
Prohibited areas
Schedule 2 lists 14 prohibited areas. In Whakatāne they include Muriwai Drive for its full length, Kohi Point Scenic Reserve and Rex Morpeth Park. In Ōhope they include Mahy Reserve, Wharekura East Reserve, Ocean Road and the reserves along it, Goodwins Landing, Uretara East and West, Otao South Reserve and the Ohiwa Harbour wharf car park.
Further east, the Western Coastal Recreation Reserve from Ōtamarakau to Golf Links Road, about 30 kilometres, is prohibited, apart from the number 2 car park, and so is the Awatarariki Debris Flow Area at Matatā. Braemar Springs at Ōtakiri is on the list too. The council's page also lists Edgecumbe Domain as prohibited, which is not in the bylaw's schedule, so check the page.
- 14 prohibited areas in Schedule 2
- Muriwai Drive is prohibited in full
- Matatā debris flow area is prohibited
Fines
The bylaw says the fee for an infringement offence is the amount in the national regulations, or $400 if none is prescribed, and the council's page says it can issue instant fines of $400 to $800 to anyone breaching the bylaw. In the national schedule most breaches are $400, and $800 is for damaging the area or leaving waste in or on it. The council says you may also be liable for prosecution.
There is no listed fee, booking or permit for the designated sites. A fee applies only to written-permission applications, as set in the council's fees and charges.
- $400 for most breaches
- $800 for damage or waste
- No fee to stay at the sites
Holiday parks and DOC land nearby
The council's page names no holiday parks, so the district's holiday parks and motor camps are the practical option for tents and uncertified vehicles; the holiday parks guide covers how to book them. Beyond the district, the Tauranga page covers the next council's rules, and the DOC campsites guide covers DOC's sites.
KiwiCamping's DOC data (11 August 2026) lists 8 DOC campsites in the Bay of Plenty, 5 bookable online through DOC, with adult nightly rates listed from $10 to $18 and Matatā Campsite the largest. DOC land is outside the council's bylaw.
- Holiday parks suit tents
- 8 DOC campsites in the Bay of Plenty
- DOC land follows DOC rules
Using KiwiCamping around Whakatāne
KiwiCamping shows the Bay of Plenty's DOC campsites and huts with their fees and facilities, and holiday parks and tours you can book in the app. The council's four sites, Aniwhenua Reserve and its prohibited areas are not in it, so use the council's maps and the signs. Offline, the app keeps place details, saved places and guides; map tiles, routing, weather and photos do not load without signal.
On an East Cape or Bay of Plenty trip, save a holiday park for each night that depends on a council site, add dates, and the trip shows each leg's distance and each place's forecast. Free to download, with in-app purchases.
- Use the council maps for sites
- Save a holiday park as the fallback
- Core place details work offline
Places along the way
Check before you go
Rules and conditions change. Recheck the official source and the page for your exact park or campground before departure.
Common questions
Which spots at Ōhope allow freedom camping?+
Certified self-contained vehicles can use three designated areas: West End Road car park, Maraetotara Reserve on Pohutukawa Avenue, and the eastern end of Harbour Road with Port Ōhope Reserve. The limit is three consecutive nights in any four weeks, and West End Road is closed from the third week of December to 31 March.
Can a van that is not self-contained camp near Whakatāne?+
The bylaw's Schedule 1 lists one site for it, Aniwhenua Reserve at Galatea near Murupara, for up to seven nights in any four-week period.
Is Muriwai Drive open to freedom camping?+
No. Schedule 2 prohibits freedom camping on the full length of Muriwai Drive in Whakatāne, along with the reserves on it.
