Welcome to New Zealand's most comprehensive database of freely available camping information. This is the only travel map of its kind in NZ.
Certified self-contained vehicles only
Maximum 3 vehicles
The area designated for camping is indicated by blue line making in the car park
Council enforces the vehicle limit under the Bylaw and a $200 infringement fine can be issued for any breaches
Please note turning will be difficult for large vehicles in this carpark
Feature | Value | Info |
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Organisation |
Nelson City CouncilCouncil organisation |
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Location |
South Island ▷ Nelson Region ▷ Nelson |
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Categories |
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Directions To Coordinates |
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Coordinates |
Feature | Value | Info |
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Overnight Camping Site Cost |
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Overnight Camping Site CostWhat is the approximate per-person cost to camp or park your vehicle overnight? Free Camping It costs nothing to stay overnight. In general this means that you should not expect any facilities. |
Overnight Stay Rules |
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Overnight Stay RulesWhat are the accommodation rules for overnight stays at this campsite? Self-contained motorhomes only Overnight stays are only permitted if your vehicle is certified as being 'self-contained'. The vehicle must display the "Responsible Camper" sticker. |
Payment Requirement |
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Payment RequirementIs there a cost for this experience or is it free? Free access/participation The experience costs no money to access or take part in. |
Maximum Stay Duration |
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Maximum Stay DurationHow many consecutive days can you stay overnight at this establishment? 2 nights You may stay up to two nights in a row. |
Maximum Sites Available |
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Maximum Sites AvailableHow many camping or parking sites are available for staying overnight in? Up to 5 sites There are only between one and five camping/parking sites available. |
Booking Required |
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Booking RequiredIs it necessary to book a campsite in advance in order to stay overnight? First Come, First Served Sites are allocated in a first come, first served basis. Get in early for the best spot. |
Vehicle Access |
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Vehicle AccessCan vehicles drive in? Vehicle accessible This location is accessible in a vehicle. |
✓ Quiet and peaceful at night
✓ Close to amenities and cafes
✓ Beautiful gardens and park
✓ Clean toilets nearby
✓ Safe feeling environment
𐄂 Limited parking spaces
𐄂 Risk of vandalism
CAUTION !!!
Nice and quiet at night, flat, and low light.
Great spot nice quiet and a little creek.
Nice quiet location.
15/05/2021 Wonderful spot!!!
Rating | Count | Percentage | |
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10/10 | 6 |
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27% |
9/10 | 7 |
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32% |
8/10 | 5 |
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23% |
7/10 | 0 |
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0% |
6/10 | 0 |
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0% |
5/10 | 2 |
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9% |
4/10 | 0 |
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0% |
3/10 | 0 |
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0% |
2/10 | 0 |
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0% |
1/10 | 2 |
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9% |
4.5/5
Nice and quiet, only 3 SC spots !!
Toilets are located in the park - "far away" from the city center however, close to some shops !
Reviewed 8 days ago and experienced in September 2024
4.0/5
Nice quiet location.
Shop close by and does have toilets nearby in the gardens.
Really good location.
Reviewed 2 months ago
5.0/5
Nice and quiet at night, flat, and low light.
Bathrooms close and the gardens are beautiful to walk though. Here in July and there were enough spots even when showing up a bit later. Not sure if anyone really comes around to check on people though. Walking distance to countdown and some cafes. Will be back again
Reviewed 4 months ago
5.0/5
Clean, quiet and has bathrooms and fresh water.
Stayed here 3 times over 2 months and was very quiet but close enough to Nelson. Only three spots but one night over 10 other campers were here spread out well. No one ever came to check for SC
Reviewed 11 months ago
4.0/5
Busy place also in winter time-3 SC spots were full every night we stayed there.
Right next to the Isel Park- beautiful short walk. There are other parking lots as well, especially during the evenings kind of weird people were parking there but by the late night they were gone. Last night we stayed there someone speayed the toilets, but nohody seen around. Among Nelson spots- the best!
Reviewed over 1 year ago
2.5/5
We came here quite late so the 3 marked spots were already full, we thought we could stand next to them for one night.
Got an 200$ fine 🙈.
Otherwise a really good spot 😂
Reviewed almost 2 years ago
4.5/5
This was a wonderful resting place in between travels.
Beautiful gardens. Just a pity the toilets closest to the parking area are not serviced but you can walk to the clean serviced ones 400m away. There are only 3 allocated parks but too tight for 3 larger motor homes
Reviewed about 2 years ago
0.5/5
CAUTION !!!
Someone deliberately kicked our car in the evening and dented the mudguard. The police were informed.
Reviewed about 2 years ago
4.5/5
Beautiful park with 3 freedom camping spaces which were all full by 5pm.
Plenty of dog walking which is sweet to watch from your window :) toilets were a bit dirty and a couple of minutes walk. Felt very safe here
Reviewed about 2 years ago
4.0/5
Gorgeous place to stay, 3 very small parks outlined by a blue line.
We had a Toyota Hiace and managed to fit between a caravan and a much larger van. Arrived at 4:45 and got the last park for the night.
Reviewed over 2 years ago
5.0/5
Nice site by a nice park!
Clean public toilets nearby in the park. But only 3 spots and have to get there early to get one
Reviewed almost 3 years ago
4.0/5
We nailed the timing and arrived on the night of their twilight market which has great food.
Peking was tight, only 3 spaces allocated. Was quiet. Added bonus that it’s a dog park so lots of cute dogs everywhere. 100m walk to public toilets, hit and miss with the cleanliness.
Reviewed about 3 years ago
4.5/5
Nice and quiet, only 3 SC spots !!
Toilets are located in the park - "far away" from the city center however, close to some shops !
Reviewed 8 days ago and experienced in September 2024
4.0/5
Nice quiet location.
Shop close by and does have toilets nearby in the gardens.
Really good location.
Reviewed 2 months ago
5.0/5
Nice and quiet at night, flat, and low light.
Bathrooms close and the gardens are beautiful to walk though. Here in July and there were enough spots even when showing up a bit later. Not sure if anyone really comes around to check on people though. Walking distance to countdown and some cafes. Will be back again
Reviewed 4 months ago
5.0/5
Clean, quiet and has bathrooms and fresh water.
Stayed here 3 times over 2 months and was very quiet but close enough to Nelson. Only three spots but one night over 10 other campers were here spread out well. No one ever came to check for SC
Reviewed 11 months ago
4.0/5
Busy place also in winter time-3 SC spots were full every night we stayed there.
Right next to the Isel Park- beautiful short walk. There are other parking lots as well, especially during the evenings kind of weird people were parking there but by the late night they were gone. Last night we stayed there someone speayed the toilets, but nohody seen around. Among Nelson spots- the best!
Reviewed over 1 year ago
2.5/5
We came here quite late so the 3 marked spots were already full, we thought we could stand next to them for one night.
Got an 200$ fine 🙈.
Otherwise a really good spot 😂
Reviewed almost 2 years ago
4.5/5
This was a wonderful resting place in between travels.
Beautiful gardens. Just a pity the toilets closest to the parking area are not serviced but you can walk to the clean serviced ones 400m away. There are only 3 allocated parks but too tight for 3 larger motor homes
Reviewed about 2 years ago
0.5/5
CAUTION !!!
Someone deliberately kicked our car in the evening and dented the mudguard. The police were informed.
Reviewed about 2 years ago
4.5/5
Beautiful park with 3 freedom camping spaces which were all full by 5pm.
Plenty of dog walking which is sweet to watch from your window :) toilets were a bit dirty and a couple of minutes walk. Felt very safe here
Reviewed about 2 years ago
4.0/5
Gorgeous place to stay, 3 very small parks outlined by a blue line.
We had a Toyota Hiace and managed to fit between a caravan and a much larger van. Arrived at 4:45 and got the last park for the night.
Reviewed over 2 years ago
5.0/5
Nice site by a nice park!
Clean public toilets nearby in the park. But only 3 spots and have to get there early to get one
Reviewed almost 3 years ago
0.5/5
We parked overnight last week and some lowlife popped two tyres.
Costed $510 but Insurance wouldn’t cover for willful damages. Reported to police but all they could do was to check if any cameras around.
It’s nice park with a lot of locals walking and looking.
Would never park in urban area in the future.
Reviewed about 3 years ago
4.0/5
We nailed the timing and arrived on the night of their twilight market which has great food.
Peking was tight, only 3 spaces allocated. Was quiet. Added bonus that it’s a dog park so lots of cute dogs everywhere. 100m walk to public toilets, hit and miss with the cleanliness.
Reviewed about 3 years ago
5.0/5
15/05/2021 Wonderful spot!!!
One of the best I’ve been to! Clean and close toilets only walking distance, beautiful surroundings full of history, the trees were planted in 1850 and they look massive!!
Very quiet and peaceful I was the only one at the spot no other campers came. Loved it definitely recommend it
Reviewed over 3 years ago
4.5/5
Great location in the garden carpark.
Only 3 spots to need to get in early. Close proximity to supermarkets and other shops. Toilets pretty dirty but it's a free spot so can't really complain!
Reviewed almost 4 years ago
5.0/5
Wouldn't really want to try and squeeze into the parks with a good size camper but perfect for transit van size.
Nice quiet and safe area.
Reviewed about 4 years ago
4.5/5
Pretty little spot right by a gardens, park and stream.
Only 3 (very small) spots but one was empty all night when I stayed. Toilets nearby as well as countdown, takeaways and other shops
Reviewed over 4 years ago
4.0/5
Great spot nice quiet and a little creek.
Arrived at 4.30 with 2 spots left full by 4.45 only 3 spots available.
Reviewed about 5 years ago
4.5/5
Beautiful place!
The only downside is that there are only three small places available, but otherwise this is a great place: there is a pharmacy, laundry service and a supermarket nearby, beautiful park with tables and benches. Also, a city free wifi (and a Spark wifi for Spark customers/sim holders) within walking distance
Reviewed about 5 years ago
4.5/5
We were lucky to grab one of these 3 spaces as we got there around 4pm.
Still, we were the first there. Great spot in the park, perfect place to enjoy the afternoon sun, or play some disk golf. Toilets a little wall away, but clean and in good condition. Not a place for large vehicles.
Reviewed over 5 years ago
2.5/5
Better not have a van bigger than a car or you would block the entire carpark.
3 really small spots... Looks nice but couldn’t stay as our van was too big and two other small vans were already there.
Reviewed over 5 years ago
5.0/5
Very scenic spot, seemed to be free as we couldn't find anywhere to pay.
Laundromat nearby. We ended up here because the spot at Queen Elizabeth II at Nelson had a few drunk gents hanging around.
Reviewed about 6 years ago