Balmoral Recreation Reserve Camping Ground
beside Hurunui River
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Balmoral Recreation Reserve Camping Ground
The Balmoral Recreation Reserve Camping Ground is administered by the Balmoral Recreation Area Charitable Trust and is located along Culverden Road (turn left after Hurunui bridge).
It is a huge area; grassy, open and sunny with loads of mature pine trees. There is a range of facilities here including power and non powered sites, toilets, water taps and BBQ’s. There are no rubbish bins - you must carry out what you bring in.
Please adhere to the fire ban rules.
Bookings & Payment: Payments are made at the Caltex Garage (Mockett Motors) in Culverden
Details
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Organisation |
Hurunui District CouncilCouncil organisation |
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Location |
South Island ▷ Canterbury ▷ Hanmer Springs |
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Categories |
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Directions To Coordinates |
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Coordinates |
Basic Camping
Dump Station
Nearby
Reviews
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5.0/5
10 based on a short stay for lunch only.
Very large area with plenty of space and good facilities.
Plenty of campers there but loads more space available.
A very small hedgehog close to us too. Bonus!
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4.5/5
What a spot, heaps of room clean toilets and drinkable water from taps lovely at night to star gaze
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5.0/5
A great camping spot.
Very spacious grassey area for pitching a tent or parking up, no need to be near to others if you'd like some privacy.
Toilet block open in summer, long drops only in winter (quite a few distributed throughout the reserve). Lots of drinking water taps, plus a sink and tap for dish washing outside the toilet block.
At $5 a night per adult, this was very reasonable.
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4.5/5
Very very large grassy forest area, excellent facilities, only losing a point because there are no showers - although not an issue if your doing the Hamner thermal pools, as they have showers there.
There can be quite a bit of wind at times.
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4.0/5
We took a dog with us in this camping ground.
There are lots of space for dog running around. It costs only $5.00 per night for whole family. Water didn’t run this time of year. That’s why I put 8 points of review. Toilet is compost toilet. But it is great camping ground. From October, 2020 camp fee will be up to $10 for family and $5 per adult.
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3.5/5
Easy to access with plenty of space for the kids to run around.
No showers but there are toilets and clean drinkable water during the summer. Short walk to the river. Can't get any better for the price and is an excellent lay over spot.
Only downer is it can be quite noisy as it is right next to the highway.
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5.0/5
Stayed 2 nights here late December.
Place was packed out but still found our group of 10 a spot under the shade of the pine trees. Good atmosphere and great vibe about the place. Little wind and virtually no sand flies during the day. Road noise from the state highway during the night on still nights might bother some people. Mobile reception was available through Vodafone's 4g network most of the time also.
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5.0/5
It's very nice place with dogs with big space, quiet , and friendly people.
It's a only minute to get the river and long truck to walk.
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4.0/5
Nice place to stay the night.
Only thing negative is we could not find the box to put the money in. Maybe better to put it near the entrance
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5.0/5
A 10, this is one of the most beautiful places we found.
Pool to swim, clean toilets, water supply, lots of places, no annoying people coming complain at 8pm to talk more quietly 🙈....
Perfect, we come back. Also thanks to the lady for the pool tip. It was very hot today and the swim was welcome
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3.0/5
Very large grassy, sandy area with lots of trees!
Pick a sunny or shaded place. Toilets. Honesty box ($5) by toilets or pay the lady in the caravan at the far end. Run by the council who take care of the place! Thumbs up! Thanks! We stayed in January.
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5.0/5
10 based on a short stay for lunch only.
Very large area with plenty of space and good facilities.
Plenty of campers there but loads more space available.
A very small hedgehog close to us too. Bonus!
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4.5/5
What a spot, heaps of room clean toilets and drinkable water from taps lovely at night to star gaze
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5.0/5
A great camping spot.
Very spacious grassey area for pitching a tent or parking up, no need to be near to others if you'd like some privacy.
Toilet block open in summer, long drops only in winter (quite a few distributed throughout the reserve). Lots of drinking water taps, plus a sink and tap for dish washing outside the toilet block.
At $5 a night per adult, this was very reasonable.
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4.5/5
Very very large grassy forest area, excellent facilities, only losing a point because there are no showers - although not an issue if your doing the Hamner thermal pools, as they have showers there.
There can be quite a bit of wind at times.
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4.0/5
We took a dog with us in this camping ground.
There are lots of space for dog running around. It costs only $5.00 per night for whole family. Water didn’t run this time of year. That’s why I put 8 points of review. Toilet is compost toilet. But it is great camping ground. From October, 2020 camp fee will be up to $10 for family and $5 per adult.
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3.5/5
Easy to access with plenty of space for the kids to run around.
No showers but there are toilets and clean drinkable water during the summer. Short walk to the river. Can't get any better for the price and is an excellent lay over spot.
Only downer is it can be quite noisy as it is right next to the highway.
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5.0/5
Stayed 2 nights here late December.
Place was packed out but still found our group of 10 a spot under the shade of the pine trees. Good atmosphere and great vibe about the place. Little wind and virtually no sand flies during the day. Road noise from the state highway during the night on still nights might bother some people. Mobile reception was available through Vodafone's 4g network most of the time also.
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5.0/5
It's very nice place with dogs with big space, quiet , and friendly people.
It's a only minute to get the river and long truck to walk.
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4.0/5
Nice place to stay the night.
Only thing negative is we could not find the box to put the money in. Maybe better to put it near the entrance
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5.0/5
A 10, this is one of the most beautiful places we found.
Pool to swim, clean toilets, water supply, lots of places, no annoying people coming complain at 8pm to talk more quietly 🙈....
Perfect, we come back. Also thanks to the lady for the pool tip. It was very hot today and the swim was welcome
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4.5/5
Great campsite with plenty of space for privacy and just far enough away from the highway to not get the noise and only $5 a night
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5.0/5
I hope we come across more like this, big space, for $5 per night what more could you want, site was clean and at this time of year on a sat night a lot of room, very impressed
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5.0/5
Really nice place to stop with plenty of space, clean facilities and the river next door!
We highly recommend this campground.
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4.5/5
Great site!
You pay only $5 into the honesty box for a site. The campsite has flush toilets, fireplaces for BBQ and a lot of space. The river is nearby for swimming. With showers I would give 10/10.
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4.0/5
Great wee spot not far from Hamner Springs and a good swimming hole in the Hurunui River, 5 minutes walk from campground.
Fire pits for when there's not a fire ban, too.
Bring your own loo paper as there's none to be had here. Also, if you're not a fan of raid noise, drive further into the camping area. Lots of shade and very few insects.
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4.0/5
A little bit noisy because it is close to the main road.
All bbq spots are 'broken'. Big, beautiful trees.
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4.5/5
Beautiful place with plenty of room for campers, nicely kept.
Decent (flush) toilet facilities, and a decent price. Clean drinkable water available, pets allowed (on a leash). Only downside to our stay (not the camp's fault) was a random (French) camper attempting to kick our dogs - they were tied up on their leads to the car, not even barking; he just didn't like how they looked at his kids... mind you, I suppose Maltese/Shih-Tzu can look pretty ferocious. =_= Needless to say we had to move for our dogs' sake, but it ended up putting a damper on our camping experience.
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3.0/5
Very large grassy, sandy area with lots of trees!
Pick a sunny or shaded place. Toilets. Honesty box ($5) by toilets or pay the lady in the caravan at the far end. Run by the council who take care of the place! Thumbs up! Thanks! We stayed in January.
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4.0/5
Great large area to stay, has a flushing toilet facilities with drinking water all around the place.
Quite busy in December but still heaps of space! Close to the road which was busy due to the Kaikoura earthquake. Otherwise great place to stay with great facilities for just $5 no mossies too! Would definitely stop here again!
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4.0/5
Nice spot to unwind.
Set in amongst pines. Basic toilet facilities. Have stayed there a couple of times now .
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4.5/5
Beautiful site, very spacious, clean flushing toilets, for $5 honesty box, it was a perfect stopover and very picturesque.
Would have stayed a couple of nights if we were not on a timetable. Drinking water taps scattered around the site.
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4.0/5
Cheap place ($5 for 2 persons) that provided drinking water and flushing toilets.
Next to main road, so easy to find. Plenty of space to tent and close to the river for exploring and a swim. Hardly any sandflies or mosquitos. Can occasionally hear road traffic.
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5.0/5
Lots of space, drinking water, toilet - clean and flushing.
Committee member chatty and helpful. Great price, stayed twice!!
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4.0/5
$5 per campervan or $70 per year.
Large camping area, clean facilities - toilet area, very helpful staff. Subject to flooding on lowest areas.
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4.0/5
Great couple there mowing the lawn, brought us wood to supplement what we had collected.
Toilets very clean, $5 total (2 persons). Water good to drink.
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