Coromandel campground upgrades to deliver improved visitor experiences

Upgrades to New Zealand’s popular camping grounds at Waikawau Bay, Stony Bay and Fletcher Bay near the northern tip of the Coromandel Peninsula are aimed at delivering the best possible experiences for visitors enjoying conservation areas.

Dan Heinrich, Department of Conservation’s (DOC)’s Hauraki-Waikato-Taranaki Regional Director advises “the Coromandel Peninsula is one of our region’s most visited locations, and the northern parts of the peninsula are popular with campers willing to venture beyond the usual holiday and camping locations.

“We’ve got an important obligation to provide assets to meet the demands of visitors and protect the environment in these beautiful places.”

Work on 10 new toilet and shower blocks at the Waikawau Bay campground has already been completed, with the improvements including a water reticulation system fed by a natural spring near the site.

Heinrich says the feedback so far from visitors has been very positive noting “visitors our staff have spoken to absolutely love the improvements we’ve made at that site. They’ve been really impressed, and our project team has done a great job.”

Further north, at Stony Bay, work is underway to install two new toilet and shower blocks at the campground, with water sourced from a local stream. At nearby Fletcher Bay campground – also a key location for people using the Coromandel Coastal Walkway – work is also about to commence on two toilet and shower blocks.

Water conservation is an important aspect of providing toilet and shower facilities at the camping grounds, so all sites have automatic shut-off systems to minimise water consumption. The systems give 30-second bursts of water from taps and showers, limiting water use.

Waikato Regional Council provided valuable advice on resource consent matters on technical matters to the projects.

Heinrich added “DOC’s 2025 stretch goals include enriching 90% of New Zealanders’ lives through connection to nature and heritage, and 90% of visitors to conservation areas rate their experience as exceptional – investments like these contribute to our organisation achieving those goals.”