Lake Maraetai Camping Reserve
Mangakino
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Lake Maraetai Camping Reserve
Free camping on the Mangakino Recreation reserve on the shore of Lake Maraetai.
The Mangakino Recreation Reserve is located on the right of Lake Road and down to the edge of Lake Maraetai in Mangakino.
Only non-powered sites are available. All campers, including those in certified self-contained vehicles, can stay for a maximum of three nights and/or four days before they need to move on unless otherwise stated.
Dogs are permitted on most reserves, but they must be on a lead.
The designated camping area is located between the Pouakani Marae and Bowling Club.
This camping area is close to Lake Maraetai's launching ramp and jetty, and within walking distance of Mangakino village. The Bus Stop Cafe is on-site and can provide excellent coffee and food to campers.
Details
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Organisation |
Taupo District CouncilCouncil organisation |
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Location |
North Island ▷ Waikato ▷ Tokoroa |
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Directions To Coordinates |
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Coordinates |
Basic Camping
Nearby
Reviews
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3.0/5
The Taupo council implies freedom camping is on a piece of land a stones through away from Mangakino reserve and not on the reserve itself.
However the access to this spot has a chain across it. They have proposed complete removal of freedom camping on the reserve in July 2023. There is a lot of boat activity here and I guess that's the reason why. My suggestion would be to go 10km down the road, 1km beyond Whakamaru dam on SH30 as the this reserve is as scenic, much larger and has showers. Needs booking in advance
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2.5/5
My worst freedom camping experience.
The lights of the public was blindingly bright and was on all night. I don’t know how this can benefit any living beings. I cry for the nocturnal beings. On top of that, a car, probably residents, came around 4am and started playing loud music until 6am, doing something shady in their car. I’m really disappointed by how the local council and the local community lack respects to the environments and the campers/residents.
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4.0/5
Beautiful spot.
Thoroughly enjoyed it. Only down side are the boaties with their attitude of entitlement who park their trailers in the camping area when they have their own designated parking which campers are not allowed to use!
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4.0/5
Location is nice.
Crowded but quiet. Everyone pretty much kept to themselves.
Would stay again
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4.5/5
Great location by the lake, flush toilets, bus cafe if you want tea/coffee/food.
Great hut for cooking under, it rained our entire stay so was good to cook and stay dry! Right beside a play park and a golf course also. Drinking water available on an outside tap (near the road ramp) only downfall was that the toilets smelled quite bad both nights that we stayed here but friendly locals and laundrettes, shops and bakery close by just up the road.
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4.0/5
Lovely peaceful spot beside the lake close to public toilets.
Winter review:
We arrived on a Saturday night in mid July and were the only ones there so It was a little unclear where to park our campervan.
There were some signs around saying ‘no camping/motor homes’ so we decided to park where there were no such signs- so parked in the carpark next to the gorgeous Bus stop Café.
Some cars drove by throughout the night (so didn’t feel so private) but other than complete peace.
Were able to have a coffee from the lovely Bus Stop Café in the morn. 2 cute cats live there.
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4.0/5
Really lovely spot for freedom camping!
We got a spot right in front of the lake and close to the toilets (which were clean). Bus cafe next to us sold nice coffee in the morning - owners were really welcoming and friendly. There's a spacious flat grass area where we had a fish & chip (from down the road) picnic.
There's quite a few camper spots to choose from.
Really popular spot with the locals. We loved watching them speed around the lake on their boats, jet skis & water toys.
There's a little fun island in the lake that you can swim to with a slide etc.
We stayed for one night and loved it!
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4.5/5
Lovely stop beside the lake.
Lots of flat grassed area to park up. A bit of a schlep from the self contained area to the toilets, but you can live with that and it's worth it. Great place.
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5.0/5
Really nice spot by the lake you can camp by the cafe but if your self contained there’s more camping further around that’s quite popular for rv and caravans good clean flushing toilet and seems popular
with locals
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4.5/5
If you are self contained, continue down Lake Rd.
to the lake edge and follow gravel road to the right. About 500 mts along there is a turn to the left which will take you to a wonderful camp area called 'dog island'.
No amenities but flat grass sheltered by trees and right on lakes edge. There are just a few places where you can access the water as the area is surrounded by dense foliage.
A really good spot, we will be back.
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4.5/5
Flush toilets in good condition.
Plenty of parking space. Shower for a fee, cafe nearby if you want coffee in the morning. Would be great place to take kids as there is a "fun island playground" on the lake. Kayaks and bikes for hire too.
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3.0/5
The Taupo council implies freedom camping is on a piece of land a stones through away from Mangakino reserve and not on the reserve itself.
However the access to this spot has a chain across it. They have proposed complete removal of freedom camping on the reserve in July 2023. There is a lot of boat activity here and I guess that's the reason why. My suggestion would be to go 10km down the road, 1km beyond Whakamaru dam on SH30 as the this reserve is as scenic, much larger and has showers. Needs booking in advance
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2.5/5
My worst freedom camping experience.
The lights of the public was blindingly bright and was on all night. I don’t know how this can benefit any living beings. I cry for the nocturnal beings. On top of that, a car, probably residents, came around 4am and started playing loud music until 6am, doing something shady in their car. I’m really disappointed by how the local council and the local community lack respects to the environments and the campers/residents.
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4.0/5
Beautiful spot.
Thoroughly enjoyed it. Only down side are the boaties with their attitude of entitlement who park their trailers in the camping area when they have their own designated parking which campers are not allowed to use!
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4.0/5
Location is nice.
Crowded but quiet. Everyone pretty much kept to themselves.
Would stay again
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4.5/5
Great location by the lake, flush toilets, bus cafe if you want tea/coffee/food.
Great hut for cooking under, it rained our entire stay so was good to cook and stay dry! Right beside a play park and a golf course also. Drinking water available on an outside tap (near the road ramp) only downfall was that the toilets smelled quite bad both nights that we stayed here but friendly locals and laundrettes, shops and bakery close by just up the road.
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4.0/5
Lovely peaceful spot beside the lake close to public toilets.
Winter review:
We arrived on a Saturday night in mid July and were the only ones there so It was a little unclear where to park our campervan.
There were some signs around saying ‘no camping/motor homes’ so we decided to park where there were no such signs- so parked in the carpark next to the gorgeous Bus stop Café.
Some cars drove by throughout the night (so didn’t feel so private) but other than complete peace.
Were able to have a coffee from the lovely Bus Stop Café in the morn. 2 cute cats live there.
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4.0/5
Really lovely spot for freedom camping!
We got a spot right in front of the lake and close to the toilets (which were clean). Bus cafe next to us sold nice coffee in the morning - owners were really welcoming and friendly. There's a spacious flat grass area where we had a fish & chip (from down the road) picnic.
There's quite a few camper spots to choose from.
Really popular spot with the locals. We loved watching them speed around the lake on their boats, jet skis & water toys.
There's a little fun island in the lake that you can swim to with a slide etc.
We stayed for one night and loved it!
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4.5/5
Lovely stop beside the lake.
Lots of flat grassed area to park up. A bit of a schlep from the self contained area to the toilets, but you can live with that and it's worth it. Great place.
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5.0/5
Really nice spot by the lake you can camp by the cafe but if your self contained there’s more camping further around that’s quite popular for rv and caravans good clean flushing toilet and seems popular
with locals
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4.5/5
If you are self contained, continue down Lake Rd.
to the lake edge and follow gravel road to the right. About 500 mts along there is a turn to the left which will take you to a wonderful camp area called 'dog island'.
No amenities but flat grass sheltered by trees and right on lakes edge. There are just a few places where you can access the water as the area is surrounded by dense foliage.
A really good spot, we will be back.
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4.5/5
Flush toilets in good condition.
Plenty of parking space. Shower for a fee, cafe nearby if you want coffee in the morning. Would be great place to take kids as there is a "fun island playground" on the lake. Kayaks and bikes for hire too.
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4.0/5
Amazing place , has everything you need had a lovely spot in front of the lake , was a very warm Friday night so was very busy with the young locals and their cars and dogs , but it's there place as well
and there was no agro or unpleasantness , wonderful.
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5.0/5
Simply the best Water, clean toilets, nice view, near mangakino town with library(wifi+power), 4square, food shops
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5.0/5
Lovely location.
Bird song. Very friendly police officer regular checks. Great food and coffee at the Bus Stop Cafe. Brilliant.
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4.5/5
Quite busy and noisy around the main camping area.
Toilets are nice and clean. If you have your own toilet facility, drive down the shore a bit to a beautiful, quiet area to camp.
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5.0/5
Our first night in a free camping site and if we find more like this one we will be very very happy.
Toilets were immaculate, other campers were great and not withstanding there was an annual event on the following day there was plenty of room between the lake and the golf course.
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5.0/5
There is an area next to the Bus Stop Café, where there were several campervans pulled up, close to the public toilets.
We chose to move further south to a very large secluded area, bounded on one side by the lake, and the other by the golf course.
We had a huge area all to ourselves, and we were entertained by quite a variety of bird life.
There is a lovely walkway along by the lake which is used by locals to walk their dogs.
This is a really nice free camp -- highly recommended!
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5.0/5
I stayed for a couple of nights, a bit further round from where the toilets and showers are, on what a local called 'Dog Island' within the dog walking area as I had 3 dogs with me while en route between
Gisborne and New Plymouth. A very beautiful and peaceful part of the country I have not been to before. While it rained heavily on the day that I spent there it was great to be in a spot where the dogs were safe. Also very glad I spoke to the local chap before parking the caravan as he warned me bits could get very boggy in rain.
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4.5/5
Can't believe this campsite is free!
It isn't a huge space and a lot of larger RVs frequent the area, so i would say to arrive early. We got there around 4pm on a weekend and were able to snag the last lake front spot.
You can swim in the lake or rent kayaks from the small cafe that's onsite. It seems to be an area popular with families.
$2 showers (4 minutes) are available and the flush toilets were clean. There was also a large sink and a seperate small drinking water fountain availble.
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5.0/5
Stayed here a couple of nights just after boxing day.
I got a park overlooking the lake. A nice place to bring the kids and has a cute little cafe onsite. Would stay again.
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5.0/5
If you like sleeping next to a beautiful lake, surely try this one!
The place is great, with good toilets, showers for coins and on top of that - free BBQ!
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4.5/5
This would be one of the nicest spots I've found in the North Island after 2 years travelling in my motorhome.
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4.5/5
Great camping spot.
Flush toilet, water, wash up sink, and a hot shower could be bought for $2 from the portable shower unit. The Waikato River bike trail can be accessed from here, great ride or walk out to the suspension bridge or dam. Beautiful calm morning on the lake, great for swimming.
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4.5/5
Great spot right beside the lake.
Flush toilets with a sink. Grass areas to park on with lake views. Lake was really nice to swim in and popular with the locals. There is a shop beside the lake selling food and renting kayaks. There is also a play ground. Only downside was there was a lot of people coming and going to access the lake.
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4.5/5
Nice and cheap spot.
Good for non- self contained vans. Right at a beautiful lake. Nice little cafe close by. Flush toilets and the best, you can have power for $5pp which is really rare in NZ.
Don't come too late, not much space at the power plugs.
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3.5/5
Stayed here on a very rainy day which may have influenced the rating.
Cafe turned out to be closed (we stayed early April, so it may only run during summer), and one guy sleeping in his car came across a little sketchy. However: heaps of other campervans parked too, and the toilets were very clean! On a sunny day would probably be busier, as during big pouring down already had a little crowd. View of the lake is gorgeous and when weather (and season) allow you can rent kayaks to go on the lake which is awesome! Only downside: no shower facilities.
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4.5/5
Stunning location right on the lake.
Heaps of space. Toilets nice and clean and open all night. Friendly guy runs the cafe, hires bikes and kayaks. Awesome spot.
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5.0/5
Lovely spot on the waters edge.
Very handy if you want to cycle the Waikato River Trails.
