Oparau Roadhouse and Bills Backpackers
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Oparau Roadhouse and Bills Backpackers
No Frills Freedom Camping
FREE camper (RV) van park ($5.00 fee for power) FREE backpacker tenting
Details
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Organisation |
Oparau Roadhouse and Bills BackpackersCommercial organisation |
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Location |
North Island ▷ Waikato ▷ Kawhia |
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Directions To Coordinates |
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Coordinates |
Freedom Camping
Dump Station
Holiday Rentals
Reviews
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4.0/5
Nice spot close to the road.
Lot of space and very clean toilets. Friendly staff and you can even buy food. Would recommand if you want to take a nice gravel road to Raglan.
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5.0/5
As all the other reviews say, this is an awesome stop-over.
Registered inside the shop to freedom camp at the roadhouse. Serve hot food until 5.30/6, shop open until 7, incredibly friendly staff and loos open all night. Highly recommend staying here.
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4.0/5
Free for campervan.
Clean Toilet. Dump station. Tables. Views. Shop. Fuel station. Safe. No noise.
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5.0/5
Great little free spot with beautiful views and super kind and generous staff.
No AU payWave or AU credit card facility so have some cash.
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5.0/5
Great spot, next to the road but was considerably quiet for our stay in the middle of jan.
Toilets our clean, staff are very friendly and you get a great view! Highly recommend and was free for non- powered or $5 for powers.
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5.0/5
Feels very safe well kept for a free site.
Lovely staff in the shop
Staying for 3 days fly-fishing in the area
So cool they let people stay for free but will make a donation anyway
Cheers Dave
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4.5/5
Great location, we were on our own the night we stayed, felt safe as we were made very welcome by the shop owners, hot food available to 6pm, great selection of groceries in store also.
Flush toilet facilities and great breakfast menu available the next morning with a very friendly greeting in shop.
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5.0/5
Plenty of grass (with gravel areas for the bogging averse), elevated with a view across some of the classic NZ rolling green farmlands this, we couldn’t believe the unpowered space was free.
Winter review:
A welcoming space outside of Kawhia, we arrived here at dusk mid July after visiting the Te Puia/ Kawhia hot water beach
The owner was so friendly and the toilets (around the back) was clean.
Great to have shop next door to buy basics as well as get hot food & coffee. Petrol also!
It’s by the SH31 so some car noise is normal.. but there wasn’t much traffic in the heart of winter so it was a most peaceful place to stop
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4.0/5
Midwinter campervanning (late June 2020).
We were the only ones at this flat grassy spot next to the Roadhouse. Paid $5 for the one power hookup. Toilet basic but clean; dump station; no potable water but friendly staff pointed us in the direction where locals get their spring water. Good spot to stock up on basic foods if you’re spending time in this rural area.
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2.0/5
Nice outlook, cafe stops cooking at 630 and not much else around for food.
We had an unhealthy meal of pies and fried chicken (not free or discounted despite being the last remaining from the day- we wouldn't normally expect otherwise except quite a few people have mentioned free food.) They have quite a lot of grocery items and petrol. Good free spot tho not much around apart from the hot water beach.
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4.0/5
Nice spot close to the road.
Lot of space and very clean toilets. Friendly staff and you can even buy food. Would recommand if you want to take a nice gravel road to Raglan.
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4.0/5
Free for campervan.
Clean Toilet. Dump station. Tables. Views. Shop. Fuel station. Safe. No noise.
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5.0/5
As all the other reviews say, this is an awesome stop-over.
Registered inside the shop to freedom camp at the roadhouse. Serve hot food until 5.30/6, shop open until 7, incredibly friendly staff and loos open all night. Highly recommend staying here.
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5.0/5
Great little free spot with beautiful views and super kind and generous staff.
No AU payWave or AU credit card facility so have some cash.
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5.0/5
Great spot, next to the road but was considerably quiet for our stay in the middle of jan.
Toilets our clean, staff are very friendly and you get a great view! Highly recommend and was free for non- powered or $5 for powers.
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5.0/5
Feels very safe well kept for a free site.
Lovely staff in the shop
Staying for 3 days fly-fishing in the area
So cool they let people stay for free but will make a donation anyway
Cheers Dave
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4.5/5
Great location, we were on our own the night we stayed, felt safe as we were made very welcome by the shop owners, hot food available to 6pm, great selection of groceries in store also.
Flush toilet facilities and great breakfast menu available the next morning with a very friendly greeting in shop.
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5.0/5
Plenty of grass (with gravel areas for the bogging averse), elevated with a view across some of the classic NZ rolling green farmlands this, we couldn’t believe the unpowered space was free.
Winter review:
A welcoming space outside of Kawhia, we arrived here at dusk mid July after visiting the Te Puia/ Kawhia hot water beach
The owner was so friendly and the toilets (around the back) was clean.
Great to have shop next door to buy basics as well as get hot food & coffee. Petrol also!
It’s by the SH31 so some car noise is normal.. but there wasn’t much traffic in the heart of winter so it was a most peaceful place to stop
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4.0/5
Midwinter campervanning (late June 2020).
We were the only ones at this flat grassy spot next to the Roadhouse. Paid $5 for the one power hookup. Toilet basic but clean; dump station; no potable water but friendly staff pointed us in the direction where locals get their spring water. Good spot to stock up on basic foods if you’re spending time in this rural area.
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5.0/5
Awesome free camping spot with lovely views and nice grassy area with table's Its free so how can you not love it , great spot to stay after the hot beach
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5.0/5
Fantastic little place.
They have 1 powered site that is $5, otherwise non powered is free. Dine in/takeaway dinner, fuel, toilets, shop - no complaints here. The people are lovely! Very helpful.
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5.0/5
Not a lot to add - this is an excellent and free site.
Amazing shop for such an isolated place. Good breakfast in the morning.
Very helpful and friendly owners and staff.
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4.5/5
0nly a 9 because they're basically out of water and that's not their fault.
Great spot, and FREE! Friendly, helpful owners. Little road noise from time to time but otherwise super. Great views. Get in early (before 5) to get the best spots.
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5.0/5
Free campsite, clean toilet.
Place is pretty nice but owners.. The most friendly and helpful people in the world! Also, you can be suprised because is possible to buy everything in their shop! 10/10. Thank You Bill.
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4.5/5
Free camping, super friendly owner who let me stay in a caravan for the night (I was cycling).
Pleasant surrounds, with a big shop with hot meals and lots of food! There were also some cute cats wandering around the property. The lawns at this place were amazing! No showers but toilet facilities are available.
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5.0/5
This is the free campsite.
Owner is very friendly. Very friendly personal in the store too.
There is with wi-fi and toilets. No shower though.
Cafe has power sockets, so you can charge your devices. Great place!
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4.5/5
Really friendly Personal at the petrol Station.
Camping for free. And a free dump Station also free WiFi.
Only grey water.
The Public toilets are clean
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3.5/5
Great spot for free.
Owners have a little general store/petrol station and parking is on the side lawn. Dump station available & toilets. We had a good interaction with owners but some others near us did not (unsure of situation). Be sure to check in upon arrival!!
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4.5/5
We were cautious about this accommodation after having been burned by the Turangi freedom campsite the night before, but at 5pm we pulled into the Oparau Roadhouse and found quite a few campers already
there on the grassy area next to the Roadhouse. The toilets, shop and food available were welcome after a long day and the site is lovely and grassy and landscaped with lots of space to park. If you get a spot closer to the road you get some lovely views down the valley and the road wasn't too noisy. Can definitely recommend!
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5.0/5
Lovely campsite, with big petrol garage which you can get everything you need.
The owners are great and couldn't be more helpful or friendly. Perfect location for exploring Waitomo and Kawhia! Would definitely recommend staying here.
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2.0/5
Nice outlook, cafe stops cooking at 630 and not much else around for food.
We had an unhealthy meal of pies and fried chicken (not free or discounted despite being the last remaining from the day- we wouldn't normally expect otherwise except quite a few people have mentioned free food.) They have quite a lot of grocery items and petrol. Good free spot tho not much around apart from the hot water beach.
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5.0/5
Lovely owners.
Flushing toilets. Petrol station, shop and cafe on site. Free wifi and electricity! Best of all - free to camp!
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5.0/5
One of the best freedom campsites in New Zealand!
We stayed there one night on the way to Raglan - free wifi, free camping , cute little spot with tables and chairs, cafe next door - what more could you want? I ran in just as they were closing to ask if maybe they could fill up our hot water bottles - the owners did this for us and gave us some free chicken - such lovely people, the world needs more people like them - stay here if possible so nice.
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5.0/5
Very nice place at Bill and Brenda's roadhouse.
Stay there for free (not for tents) and in the evening they give you chicken and chips that has not been sold. Bill and Brenda are really nice.
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3.5/5
Great set up, and nice people.
Bummer was there were pies at 3:30 but none to be had at 6:30 ! ! Who wants to have dinner that early ! Summertime and closed for food business at afternoon tea time.
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5.0/5
Wow what an amazing place!
Free place to camp ($5 for power). The owners are so friendly and helpful. We came in the shop to chat with them and they let us use their washing machine, shower and kitchen. Bill gave us pies and chicken. The pies are absolutely amazing, you have to try them!! They made us feel at home.
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5.0/5
For a free campsite, this has got to be the best in NZ!
Really friendly and helpful owners, stayed 2 nights for free, they have a shop, bar, cafe, petrol station all on site, and flushing toilets :) and it's free for campervans, or only 5 dollars with power. Ooh and lovely pies!
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5.0/5
Very great place, no view but Bill and Brenda are very great people.
We could use washing machine, showers and kitchen for free and Bill gave us very good pies and burgers!
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