Aussie Bay Campsite
Queen Charlotte Sound
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Aussie Bay Campsite
A tranquil setting beside the sea, with a range of activities nearby including walking and mountain biking on the Queen Charlotte Track.
Easily accessible along Queen Charlotte Drive, the Aussie Bay Camping Ground offers a quieter option with less facilities compared with nearby Momorangi Bay camping ground.
Notices
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Marlborough Sounds roads – flood damage and road restrictions
Most Marlborough Sounds roads have been impacted by major flood damage from storms in August 2022 and are under repair.
This may impact on your journey time or decision to travel at all especially after periods of heavy rain.
Check the latest status of the road using the Marlborough District Council’s CDEM Map.
First published on 12 June 2024. Last reviewed on 27 August 2024.
DOC Campsite Pricing
Aussie Bay Campsite is categorised as a DOC Standard Campsite. The following pricing indicates usual pricing. Prices vary for some campsites and may include seasonal pricing. Visit the DOC website for exact pricing.
DOC Standard Campsite
Standard campsites have a more limited range of facilities and services than Serviced campsites. These campsites have toilets, a water supply that could be treated or untreated tap water, or from a stream or lake, and vehicle or boat access. Bring your own soap for washing hands. Untreated water should be boiled before use to ensure it's safe. Wood BBQs and fireplaces, cold showers, picnic tables, a cooking shelter and rubbish bins may be provided; this will vary from site to site.
| Feature | Value | Value |
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| Unpowered Site | Adult | $10.00 to $15.00 per night |
| Unpowered Site | Child | $5.00 to $7.50 per night |
| Unpowered Site | Infant | $0.00 per night |
Adults are 18+ years, children are 5-17 years, infants are 0-4 years.
Details
| Feature | Value | Info |
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Organisation |
DOC MarlboroughCentral government organisation |
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Location |
South Island ▷ Marlborough ▷ Picton / Marlborough Sounds |
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Directions To Coordinates |
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Coordinates |
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Basic Camping
Reviews
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3.5/5
The spot is beautiful and quiet.
Toilets are very very sinky (the worst of our trip)
Good for one night
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3.5/5
Stunning spot, don’t pay tons to stay in Picton just drive a little further to here.
Portaloo is fine, the views make up for it tenfold
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4.5/5
Amazing campsite with view to queen charlotte sound.
Drop toilet there. You need to pay 10 dollars p.p in cash at the campsite. No phone signal at the campsite (one nz).
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4.0/5
Nice quiet spot next to the ocean.
The water from the tap had a brownish colour- didn’t use it. There is only one dry toilet. In the middle of the night we were woken up by a strange sound coming from the front of our camper. According to the morning inspection, we had a visitor in our car- probably a possum! Didn’t cause sny big damage - only ate a headphone’s cable.😥
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2.5/5
The location is really nice but it can be difficult to find.
However, the toilet (a drop one) was very stinky. We did many DOC camping and seen many toilets but this one was the worst. There are also many holes and the door was kept open because of the smell. Unfortunately because of this, there were a lot of mosquitoes inside. Not really nice when you using them,
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4.0/5
Beautiful spot.
Great location for a ferry crossing the following day. Not loads of space and the loo smelt very bad but for $10 it was worth it!
Definitely stay again
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4.5/5
Wonderfull spot, water supply and 2 toilets, nothing more.
A beautifull view over the sounds, we loved it!
We had to pay $10 each.
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4.5/5
We stayed here in our 6 berth campervan, entrance was steep but manageable.
Could be a bit tight to turn around if the site was full. Apart from that we loved it . Collected some mussels and made fritters along with the awesome view it was great. We only left because it started raining. Do not spin your wheels when leaving, there is absolutely no need.
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4.5/5
This is a beautiful wee Campsite that is dog friendly and best if you're on a self-contained campervan.
There's water but the toilet is only a long drop.
Views from the campsite is absolutely beautiful and water is calm and awesome to swim in.
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3.0/5
This is a lovely spot on the beach, not very big but it filled quickly for the night.
Nice walking track to Momorangi Bay. The long drop was disgusting the worst we encountered on our STH Is travels sadly.
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3.5/5
Definitely worth a stop.
Nice campsite.
We saw dolphins in the water from the stoney beach.
- Warning - the toilet was the worst, so many flies and smelt horrendous.
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3.5/5
The spot is beautiful and quiet.
Toilets are very very sinky (the worst of our trip)
Good for one night
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3.5/5
Stunning spot, don’t pay tons to stay in Picton just drive a little further to here.
Portaloo is fine, the views make up for it tenfold
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4.5/5
Amazing campsite with view to queen charlotte sound.
Drop toilet there. You need to pay 10 dollars p.p in cash at the campsite. No phone signal at the campsite (one nz).
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4.0/5
Nice quiet spot next to the ocean.
The water from the tap had a brownish colour- didn’t use it. There is only one dry toilet. In the middle of the night we were woken up by a strange sound coming from the front of our camper. According to the morning inspection, we had a visitor in our car- probably a possum! Didn’t cause sny big damage - only ate a headphone’s cable.😥
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2.5/5
The location is really nice but it can be difficult to find.
However, the toilet (a drop one) was very stinky. We did many DOC camping and seen many toilets but this one was the worst. There are also many holes and the door was kept open because of the smell. Unfortunately because of this, there were a lot of mosquitoes inside. Not really nice when you using them,
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4.0/5
Beautiful spot.
Great location for a ferry crossing the following day. Not loads of space and the loo smelt very bad but for $10 it was worth it!
Definitely stay again
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4.5/5
Wonderfull spot, water supply and 2 toilets, nothing more.
A beautifull view over the sounds, we loved it!
We had to pay $10 each.
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4.5/5
We stayed here in our 6 berth campervan, entrance was steep but manageable.
Could be a bit tight to turn around if the site was full. Apart from that we loved it . Collected some mussels and made fritters along with the awesome view it was great. We only left because it started raining. Do not spin your wheels when leaving, there is absolutely no need.
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4.5/5
This is a beautiful wee Campsite that is dog friendly and best if you're on a self-contained campervan.
There's water but the toilet is only a long drop.
Views from the campsite is absolutely beautiful and water is calm and awesome to swim in.
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3.0/5
This is a lovely spot on the beach, not very big but it filled quickly for the night.
Nice walking track to Momorangi Bay. The long drop was disgusting the worst we encountered on our STH Is travels sadly.
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3.5/5
Definitely worth a stop.
Nice campsite.
We saw dolphins in the water from the stoney beach.
- Warning - the toilet was the worst, so many flies and smelt horrendous.
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4.5/5
Amazing little spot especially for sunset.
A few sandflies but nothing major. Hold your nose when you use the long drop lol
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4.0/5
Great basic camp site.
About 6 vehicles were there. Not really any space for pitching tent. Maybe one or two small ones. But views were amazing. Had seals playing in the water. Long drop toilet. Tap to get water. For $8 it was perfect
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4.5/5
Guessing this place can get a bit crowded in the summer but we stayed in May, pulled up at 3 and had an AMAZING view of the sound.
One of the best views we have had at a DOC campsite.
Take a walk along the track connected to the site.
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4.0/5
Nice camping, by the beach and with a beautiful view.
It is quiet during the night.
There is now shower, and the toilet was very, very smelly
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5.0/5
DOC campsite.
Lovely spot right on the water. We got there around 4pm and there were only a couple of other campers there. Got a fabulous waterfront spot. By 7pm the site was packed. $8 per adult, take correct change as you self register and drop $$ into a locked box.
Has one toilet, looked like a longdrop but we didn't try it as we were self contained.
There's a walking track to Momorangi Bay which was around 20 mins each way and a lovely, mostly flat walk. Found wild blackberry bushes and Banana Passion fruit vines along the walk. The Banana Passion was ripe and delish (it's actually considered a noxious weed but tastes yummy). Found these close to Momorangi Bay part of the track.
You can swim in the bay, it looked very still and calm but unfortunately the weather wasn't warm enough when we stayed.
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5.0/5
Primitive site we used it after we got off the ferry late at night.
Great views. Sand flys a bit. Pit toilet but at least there is one. Paid $16 NZD for the night camper van and two adults. Locals beach too for activities.
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4.5/5
Beautiful but small campsite.
Steep entry/exit, but we managed in a 6-berth motorhome. Long-drop toilet. Lovely walks all around. DOC campsite.
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4.5/5
Hey Campers, if your seeing this message you are headed to Aussie Bay.
If you happen to come across two pairs of hiking Boots there. Please get in touch. My number is 0225431941. Your help is greatly appreciated.
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3.5/5
Used this site 2 years ago.
We were surprised how quiet the place was and managed to get a nice pitch looking out into the bay.
Great to launch sea kayaks and paddle up the Sound.
Chemical toilet was being emptied as we arrived. Not tried it as we are fully self contained overall site seemed clean.
$8 per person per night meant we had to talk to other campers to get change.
There is a path joining this to the next bay so easy walking.
Pleasant site at 7pm just hope there is not an influx of vehicles from the late night Picton ferry.
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2.5/5
Drove by this place thinking I might stay overnight on the way to the ferry.
I say drove by because I had barely pulled in before I was confronted by a few campervans hogging the minimal space with their full lounging setups and a few others that looked like they had been there ages. The whole site had trash about it and was very rundown. I imagine other human evidence would be present as well looking at the single long drop. Definitely would pass on this DOC campsite and am skeptical it will remain an available overnight site as it stands now.
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4.0/5
Lovely spot.
Minimal tent spots but fine if your here early enough. The only down side was the tourists who thought it was okay to sit on the beach just below our tent talking and laughing until 1 o'clock in the morning.
TOURISTS... I love sharing our beautiful country but please respect that families use these camp sites as well. Keeping the noise down after dark is polite in these shared spaces!
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3.0/5
Cute little spot to spend the night, the bathroom were a little smelly.
Be aware to come early as this campground is really tiny and fills up super quickly! The campground was really packed when we were there, we had barely enough space to get out of our car but for one night it was alright!
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3.0/5
Decent place to stay for a night.
Beautiful view and luckily we found a nice tent spot which are rare here. Place was pretty crowded and toilet was just horrible. Weird because all the free campsites we have been to had more hygiene.
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4.0/5
Roosters and other animals were there but it was OK!
Nice little campground next to sea, water taps,$8 pp. Please, don't empty your portable toilet into WC, please do it at many dump stations around. WC was getting terribly smelly after somebody did it! Before this act the toilet was incredibly clean and not smelly. Good job DOC. Please respect the sign.
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4.5/5
Beautiful spot.
It was our last night on the South Island. Ranger comes around at night and first thing in the morning. Normally $8 pp but ours was Free with DOCs pass. Drop toilets, otherwise I would give it a 10.
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2.5/5
Not the best DOC campsite we've stayed in.
Location was good because it was down by the water and 5 min drive from the start of the Queen Charlotte Track in Anakiwa. However However the access road is really steep and has severe judder bars. The sites to park your van (or camp) were quite muddy and there was only one long drop toilet for the whole site with no sink or hand sanitizer. Also quite a small campsite.
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2.5/5
We arrived late afternoon and the place was full, there are only really a few spots ideal for pitching a tent but these were all full so we decided to find ourselves a place at the end of the carpark in
the bush. It was right on the waterfront and easy enough to find when put into our GPS. It was a beautiful drive to the campsite. Nice, cheap stay.
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3.5/5
Difficult to access due to size (steep ramp to flat areas, no marked bays so people don't think before parking!) cheap and right on the edge of Queen Charlotte Sound.
