Lake Whakamaru Reserve
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Lake Whakamaru Reserve
Descend down toward the recreation area. A grassy area with lots of space, on the banks of the Waikato River.
Have you seen 'The Castle'? "How's the serenity" applies here. And Bennydale (or is that Bonnydoon....), is just down the road.
Self Contained Vehicles: 2 nights stay - no permit required. More than 2 nights, please apply for a permit.
Casual campers (tents and non-CSC vehicles) require a permit at all times. Casual camping allowed.
Facilities: Toilets, picnic tables. Activities: Swimming, Fishing
One permit is required for each vehicle at a camp site (maximum of six people can be covered by a permit). Campers are encourage to bring sufficient rubbish bags to suit their length of stay. From mid-December to mid-February rubbish bags will be collected from the authorised dumping point at each of the reserves on the following days:
Whakamaru Reserve - Monday, Wednesday, Friday
Permits can be obtained from the Council offices in Putāruru and Tokoroa*. Or the i-SITEs in Tokoroa and Tīrau or Pride in Putāruru office in Putāruru, or by applying online.
Details
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Organisation |
South Waikato District CouncilCouncil organisation |
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Location |
North Island ▷ Waikato ▷ Tokoroa |
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Operating Season And Hours |
One permit is required for each vehicle at a camp site (maximum of six people can be covered by a permit). Campers are encourage to bring sufficient rubbish bags to suit their length of stay. From mid-December to mid-February rubbish bags will be collected from the authorised dumping point at each of the reserves on the following days:
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Directions To Coordinates |
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Coordinates |
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Websites |
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Basic Camping
Reviews
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4.5/5
Beautiful & lovely Spot!
Plenty of space for everybody and a stunning lake and mountain view. The best is: hot showers are for free. Loved it! Also good for running, biking and hiking, campsite is part of the Waikato River Trail. Only drop toilets on site.
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5.0/5
Wow ☺️ brilliant camping spot 👌 highly recommended stay.
We found this spot after finding no luck at Mangakino reserve..to late for a space 😢😢
It was late Easter Saturday weekend afternoon and Whakamaru was busy with everyone parked close to the lake but we found a very good spot for our camper van to make ourselves at home. Got awesome evening photos 📸 and equally brilliant morning photos of the mist on the lake..stunning.
Will definitely be going back.
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4.5/5
If you’re looking for a spot near Taupo, this option is fantastic!
The campsite is huge and flat with stunning views of the lake. There is easy access for swimming.
Great drop toilets with TP and hand sanitiser. Hot showers are a bonus! Giving it 9/10 only because not all of the facilities were open.
There’s a small section of potholes on the gravel road towards camp, however they’re not major!
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5.0/5
Loads of space, beautiful view!
Although has drop toilets they didn’t smell BUT free hot shower!! Great free campsite!
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4.5/5
Great place to stay (at least for a night).
It was quite busy with a lot of families and their motorboats, but we had a nice swim in the lake and even warm shower for free.
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5.0/5
Beautiful spot!
Toilets are drops but doesnt bother me after Glastonbury, showers and views are just beautiful
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4.0/5
There are showers at the site now and the reserve has more grass than shown in the existing photos.
Hole in the ground toilets are basic but the hot shower and cooking facilities make up for it. I haven't searched the whole site but no water supply seen, although I suspect the lake water, once bolied, is OK.
I stayed at Mangakino Lake reserve the previous night ( I don't think they encourage freedom camping there anymore) and I wished I came here. Facilities better and no speed boat humdrum 🙂
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5.0/5
It's a beautiful campsite with lots of space and a stunning view with a lake and mountains.
It becomes pitch dark at night, make sure to bring a headlight. The longdrop toilets are okay, good enough for a campsite in the middle of nowhere. The road to the campsite is full of holes so be careful.
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4.5/5
Great big grassy area to stay the night.
Had a nice swim in the lake. Toilet with desinfection gel and warm showers (2min max per person).
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4.0/5
Plenty of space when we arrived on a Thursday afternoon, decided to go to the further end for easier entry into the lake without going through the weeds.
If the weather forecast says it will be windy, expect it to be stronger than you think, once the wind dies down it is idyllic.
Nice toilet and shower complex at both ends, though the end we went to had no toilet paper, hand sanitizer hot shower or lights at night, the other end did have hot water for the showers. Not sure who refills the toilet paper but we would suggest to take your own.
Lake is calm when the wind is low, easy for kayaking, there are weeds about but they aren't too bad. Waikato bike trail goes through the reserve between Whakamaru and Atiamuri, so take your bike and enjoy the ride.
Was a nice place to stay until bombarded with a group of about 20 people (on Friday afternoon) with music turned up, probably due to it being the end of the week, so we moved on.
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4.0/5
A wonderful area created by the local council with modern toilets and free hot showers and heaps of grassy areas to camp on.
The trees have mostly gone so it is very exposed to strong winds, which it was when we were there. However we found some shelter right up the far end. There’s a great bike trail starting from there too. Highly recommended!
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2.0/5
Lovely spot.
Shame about all the rowdy locals who think they have a right to stay up drinking and playing music loudly. Then they leave all their empty bottle every where. Then there is the loud jet boats going all day and no decent place to swim that isn't full of weed and dirty churned up water.
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5.0/5
great relaxing spot, nice and peaceful with plenty of space to choose.
toilets and shower onsite which is handy
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4.5/5
Beautiful & lovely Spot!
Plenty of space for everybody and a stunning lake and mountain view. The best is: hot showers are for free. Loved it! Also good for running, biking and hiking, campsite is part of the Waikato River Trail. Only drop toilets on site.
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5.0/5
Wow ☺️ brilliant camping spot 👌 highly recommended stay.
We found this spot after finding no luck at Mangakino reserve..to late for a space 😢😢
It was late Easter Saturday weekend afternoon and Whakamaru was busy with everyone parked close to the lake but we found a very good spot for our camper van to make ourselves at home. Got awesome evening photos 📸 and equally brilliant morning photos of the mist on the lake..stunning.
Will definitely be going back.
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4.5/5
If you’re looking for a spot near Taupo, this option is fantastic!
The campsite is huge and flat with stunning views of the lake. There is easy access for swimming.
Great drop toilets with TP and hand sanitiser. Hot showers are a bonus! Giving it 9/10 only because not all of the facilities were open.
There’s a small section of potholes on the gravel road towards camp, however they’re not major!
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5.0/5
Loads of space, beautiful view!
Although has drop toilets they didn’t smell BUT free hot shower!! Great free campsite!
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4.5/5
Great place to stay (at least for a night).
It was quite busy with a lot of families and their motorboats, but we had a nice swim in the lake and even warm shower for free.
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5.0/5
Beautiful spot!
Toilets are drops but doesnt bother me after Glastonbury, showers and views are just beautiful
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4.0/5
There are showers at the site now and the reserve has more grass than shown in the existing photos.
Hole in the ground toilets are basic but the hot shower and cooking facilities make up for it. I haven't searched the whole site but no water supply seen, although I suspect the lake water, once bolied, is OK.
I stayed at Mangakino Lake reserve the previous night ( I don't think they encourage freedom camping there anymore) and I wished I came here. Facilities better and no speed boat humdrum 🙂
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5.0/5
It's a beautiful campsite with lots of space and a stunning view with a lake and mountains.
It becomes pitch dark at night, make sure to bring a headlight. The longdrop toilets are okay, good enough for a campsite in the middle of nowhere. The road to the campsite is full of holes so be careful.
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4.5/5
Great big grassy area to stay the night.
Had a nice swim in the lake. Toilet with desinfection gel and warm showers (2min max per person).
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4.0/5
Plenty of space when we arrived on a Thursday afternoon, decided to go to the further end for easier entry into the lake without going through the weeds.
If the weather forecast says it will be windy, expect it to be stronger than you think, once the wind dies down it is idyllic.
Nice toilet and shower complex at both ends, though the end we went to had no toilet paper, hand sanitizer hot shower or lights at night, the other end did have hot water for the showers. Not sure who refills the toilet paper but we would suggest to take your own.
Lake is calm when the wind is low, easy for kayaking, there are weeds about but they aren't too bad. Waikato bike trail goes through the reserve between Whakamaru and Atiamuri, so take your bike and enjoy the ride.
Was a nice place to stay until bombarded with a group of about 20 people (on Friday afternoon) with music turned up, probably due to it being the end of the week, so we moved on.
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4.0/5
A wonderful area created by the local council with modern toilets and free hot showers and heaps of grassy areas to camp on.
The trees have mostly gone so it is very exposed to strong winds, which it was when we were there. However we found some shelter right up the far end. There’s a great bike trail starting from there too. Highly recommended!
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5.0/5
Me and another mum and in total 7 kids had amazing time last year end middle of January.
Swimming was great. There were many others there and made for a wonderful week away will definitely be going back .
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5.0/5
I stayed here on a Friday night in April and loved it!
It is FREE if you stay for only 1 or 2 nights. There is a pit toilet and a bin for rubbish. There were a handful of campers near the front part and even fewer on the loop further back. I camped right near the water under the trees and slept well! The other groups were quiet and I didn't experience any of the noise others reported.
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5.0/5
Top notch free camping in the North Island.
Beautiful view, well kept campground, and plenty of space.
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2.0/5
Lovely spot.
Shame about all the rowdy locals who think they have a right to stay up drinking and playing music loudly. Then they leave all their empty bottle every where. Then there is the loud jet boats going all day and no decent place to swim that isn't full of weed and dirty churned up water.
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4.5/5
Slept just across the river on a Thursday night at the free camping at the ski club.
Just wanted to note that there was no partying. I'm guessing it's much better in the off season. Beautiful spot.
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0.5/5
Beautiful and idyllic during the day but turned into pits of despair at night.
Party central, loud music, police in attendance, cars vandalised, people assaulted, multiple arrests and partying dawn to dusk. We were with family groups, council did not send help for open fires durin fire ban or respond to multiple requests for help with noise control. A real shame as it could have been great.
I'm sorry you didn't have a good experience at Whakamaru. We did have one fire let over the 2016/17 Xmas Period. Police, rural fire and fire were in attendance and the fire was put out.
Janine Field
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0.5/5
Agree with the other reviews.
We recently camped at the eastern end, and the site looks spectacular, great for swimming, kayaking, boating, and connects to the mountain bike trail. Relaxing place to be, during the day, only!. At night it turns into a fools 'party spot' that carries on to about 3-4 am, every night. During that time: we heard a series of explosions (gas tanks that were being tossed into one of many open fires, fireworks, and gunfire); open fires and the smell from burning rubber and plastic; and non-stop verbal exchanges, fighting, shouting and screaming. We thought that perhaps this was just a one-off event, but occurred every night. These individuals have complete disrespect for any others including us. Unfortunate considering the spectacular nature of this spot. Don't take your family camping here, A total disgrace.
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5.0/5
Amazing spot, views are incredible - really breath taking, morning and night.
Nice short and long walks, town only 2 kms away (max) if you want to go out for dinner or Mangakino about 5km for more dinner choices! Facilities are nice (only toilets). A lot of space to pick from, can be busy during holidays but never crammed :) Feels like your in another country not the South Waikato and some very stunning views on the drive in from Tokoroa!
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4.0/5
A great campsite on the shores of Lake Whakamaru, very senic spot.
Long drop toilets which are relatively new, no showers or running water but plenty in the lake. Very popular in summer time for water sports, and the camp ground is busy over the Christmas / New Year holiday period
