Buxton Square Carpark
Overnight Campervan Parking
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Buxton Square Carpark
Certified self-contained vehicles only.
Maximum 23 vehicles.
The area designated for camping is indicated by blue line making in the car park.
This car park is right in the middle of the Nelson CBD and are in the Nelson City Council 24 hour liquor ban area.
Tourists have been issued with $250 fines, and in some cases arrests have been made of those who have breached the ban.
It is a breach of the liquor ban, even if it is a quiet wine with dinner.
Carparks are small, a large campervan over 6m will take up 2 spaces.
Details
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Organisation |
Nelson City CouncilCouncil organisation |
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Location |
South Island ▷ Nelson Region ▷ Nelson |
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Directions To Coordinates |
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Coordinates |
Freedom Camping
Nearby
Reviews
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4.0/5
Clean, well lit, toilets, felt safe.
Convenient to be able to freedom camp in the middle of town. Not busy at all but was Easter weekend. During the day the car park is free for 1 hour then metered but can only stay max 3 hours on weekdays and Saturday mornings
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3.0/5
As already noted in the description and in previous reviews this is a public carpark in the centre of town.
There are about 20 spaces available outside of paid parking times ie 6pm til 8am. There are public toilets which seem to be cleaned regularly but they are closed overnight from about 7pm due to issues with vandalism. We were there on. A Sunday night and had no noise issues, probably because most of town was closed. There were a few restaurants and bars open on the main street which suited us as we didn’t want to sit around in the car park. A very practical stop for one night
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2.0/5
You are near The Buxton pub which is a late night venue; karaoke is Thursday night - which would’ve been insufferable if I hadn’t gone & joined it haha (so i’d avoid Friday/Saturdays too).
Parking guy did come by to check how many nights you stay - he was super chill & said as long as you put your plate in for the hour free parking at 8am he didn’t mind you being sat around longer.
The toilet is better than the free ones at Montgomery.
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2.0/5
If it’s a Friday or Saturday night, don’t stay here unless you have to.
We are pretty good at sleeping through noise but this was more screaming and full on fighting episodes through the night from those coming from the bars
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4.5/5
We stayed on a Friday night and it was a bit noisy with the bars and the local kids skateboarding until late, but overall nice convenient location.
Clean facilities and respectful campers.
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4.0/5
Easily accessible for a night to sleep.
Plenty of room for us. Public toilets well lit, reasonably clean. Disabled only at night time we’re open, but fine. Keep in mind it’s in the middle of a shopping centre square. Lots of night noice, but not too bad.
FYI Monday morning 6am the bins get emptied, so don’t plan to be awake past this.
And lastly, we actually noted that someone had wrote on our window “stay away” was a little creepy knowing someone was that close to us at night while we were sleeping.
Fellow Aussie Campers
Cheers
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5.0/5
Many campers ignore the bylaws and pitch tents, leave Rubbish everywhere and wash their dishes in public bathrooms.
Some even take up 2 carparks by placing their chairs in the neighbouring park, preventing residents from parking in their own city. We love visitors and the majority are, I imagine, polite. HOWEVER, many many campers have in recent times exploited our city, and this is why you will feel animosity from many when staying here. Our carparks are full, and there is a liquor ban. PLEASE, if you choose to stay, then do so with respect that residents are PAYING for YOU to have these free facilities........
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4.5/5
Very cool to sleep for free in town.
We stayed the Saturday night so it was noisy. There is not much shade. We were the attractions, some people took photos and others just walked around us to look at our way of life.
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4.0/5
Clean, well lit, toilets, felt safe.
Convenient to be able to freedom camp in the middle of town. Not busy at all but was Easter weekend. During the day the car park is free for 1 hour then metered but can only stay max 3 hours on weekdays and Saturday mornings
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3.0/5
As already noted in the description and in previous reviews this is a public carpark in the centre of town.
There are about 20 spaces available outside of paid parking times ie 6pm til 8am. There are public toilets which seem to be cleaned regularly but they are closed overnight from about 7pm due to issues with vandalism. We were there on. A Sunday night and had no noise issues, probably because most of town was closed. There were a few restaurants and bars open on the main street which suited us as we didn’t want to sit around in the car park. A very practical stop for one night
-
-
2.0/5
You are near The Buxton pub which is a late night venue; karaoke is Thursday night - which would’ve been insufferable if I hadn’t gone & joined it haha (so i’d avoid Friday/Saturdays too).
Parking guy did come by to check how many nights you stay - he was super chill & said as long as you put your plate in for the hour free parking at 8am he didn’t mind you being sat around longer.
The toilet is better than the free ones at Montgomery.
-
2.0/5
If it’s a Friday or Saturday night, don’t stay here unless you have to.
We are pretty good at sleeping through noise but this was more screaming and full on fighting episodes through the night from those coming from the bars
-
4.5/5
We stayed on a Friday night and it was a bit noisy with the bars and the local kids skateboarding until late, but overall nice convenient location.
Clean facilities and respectful campers.
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4.0/5
Easily accessible for a night to sleep.
Plenty of room for us. Public toilets well lit, reasonably clean. Disabled only at night time we’re open, but fine. Keep in mind it’s in the middle of a shopping centre square. Lots of night noice, but not too bad.
FYI Monday morning 6am the bins get emptied, so don’t plan to be awake past this.
And lastly, we actually noted that someone had wrote on our window “stay away” was a little creepy knowing someone was that close to us at night while we were sleeping.
Fellow Aussie Campers
Cheers
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1.0/5
Extremely crowded, rubbishy and messy campers seem to choose this location.
Should be warned....if your not there to party, don't stay. Close to bars and very loud throughout the evening to sunrise! Awoke many times to German raves in the lot to drunken antics! Perfect for the young camper on the party scene! Not for us :( did make for a good story to tell!
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5.0/5
Many campers ignore the bylaws and pitch tents, leave Rubbish everywhere and wash their dishes in public bathrooms.
Some even take up 2 carparks by placing their chairs in the neighbouring park, preventing residents from parking in their own city. We love visitors and the majority are, I imagine, polite. HOWEVER, many many campers have in recent times exploited our city, and this is why you will feel animosity from many when staying here. Our carparks are full, and there is a liquor ban. PLEASE, if you choose to stay, then do so with respect that residents are PAYING for YOU to have these free facilities........
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2.5/5
Beware that camping is free over night but you may get a fine after 8am if you do not display a parking ticket.
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3.0/5
Good for location, toilets are clean and left open overnight.
Bins, but I couldn't find the water tap for filling water bottles. Monday-Friday you have to be leaving by 8am, On the weekend it's 9am but you also get a 'free hour ticket' from the machine - not sure if this is the same for Monday-Friday.
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1.5/5
The good news is it's free.
Unfortunately on the night we visited, a group of local youths turned up with a boom box in the boot of their car and played really loud music until 1am. They were also drinking and smoking. Very aggressive with loud expletives and insults when some people asked them to turn the music down. My wife and I were unable to leave as we had been exploring the craft beer scene and were not legal to drive. Felt very unsafe and got little sleep. Weirdly, the police drove through the car park and did absolutely nothing so I can only assume this behaviour is condoned to dissuade more campers from freedom camping. We got a knock from the police at 7:50am to let us know we needed to leave or get a parking ticket though! Cannot recommend unless desperate. Stay out of town.
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4.5/5
Very cool to sleep for free in town.
We stayed the Saturday night so it was noisy. There is not much shade. We were the attractions, some people took photos and others just walked around us to look at our way of life.