Elliot Bay
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Details
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Organisation |
Elliot BayCommercial organisation |
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Location |
North Island ▷ Northland ▷ Bay of Islands |
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Directions To Coordinates |
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Coordinates |
Basic Camping
Reviews
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5.0/5
Elliot Bay campground is an undiscovered treasure on the east coast of Northland.
I’m hesitant to write about it because we’d rather this untouched paradise stayed a jealously-guarded secret. It’s set in the most astonishing beautiful, remote location far away from the noisy crowds and tiny cramped plots you encounter at so many commercial camping sites. We arrived on Christmas Day 2023 and the new managers, Charlotte and Michael, were incredibly kind and attentive to us, taking time to provide excellent information about the area while preparing Christmas dinner for a large number of family and friends. We requested a beachfront site and ended up with an entire paddock right on the beach to ourselves. We could park our fully self-contained motorhome wherever we liked. There were a few groups camping in tents in another part of the campground but our only immediate neighbours were rare and endangered dotterels and oyster catchers. A handful of surfers and fisher-people turned up during the day along with hikers traversing the rugged coastal headlands to even more remote bays. We climbed the hill behind us, ablaze with pohutukawa trees in full bloom, and discovered exquisite, deserted Pahi Bay. Ours were the only footprints in the sand that day. We also hiked the nearby Whangamumu DoC Track to a long-abandoned whaling and sealing station. Highly recommended for spectacular scenery and rather gruesome history of how the whalers cornered their prey in this small and tranquil bay.
Don’t go to Elliot Bay campground expecting fancy facilities. It’s exactly as advertised, a rustic, back-to-basics Kiwi camp site where you need to be able to survive off-grid and without wifi. It’s a rare privilege to find such an unspoiled gem these days.
However, if camping is really not your thing, there’s upmarket accommodation on a hill overlooking the beach.
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3.5/5
Great Spot, but a little bit expensive for quite nothing (drip toilet) and a shed with old furniture, where you can charge your devices.
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1.0/5
Beautiful location and beach but horrible value for money.
20 dollar per person/night, stinky and uncomfortable long drop toilet (apparently closed during summer) and water faucet on the opposit side of the ground (no sink, no soap).
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5.0/5
Some worthwhile tips to enjoy your visit at Elliot Bay.
Pay the $2 (per vehicle) car park fee on arrival prior to going on the beach, don't bring a dog, don't cry or get offended when asked if you have paid the $2, take all your rubbish with you and leave before dark. If you arrive feeling some sense of entitlement (for whatever reason) , carry on driving to the next beach (Taupiri Bay) and finally, don't lie about paying when an empty coin box or our cameras suggest otherwise.
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2.5/5
We love this place and have spent many happy times here with family and friends.
Even better to hear that just last week it went into a trust by all to enjoy! On Saturday we'd had a great time watching a big pod of dolphins, fishing and a walk to the old Whangamumu whaling station. Only to have a great day spoilt by the psychopathic carpark caretakers who accused us of not paying our $2 parking fee! It was the 1st thing we did on arrival! We could not convince them and a verbal altercation took place which ended up with them barring the entrance way and taking photos of our vehicle. From there it went from bad to worst with the male caretaker spitting at my husband, scratching his arm, punching the drivers window with his fist and attempting to tear off the side mirror. We understand from previous reviews that this is not the 1st time and feel terrible to think that this is happening in our local area! We have travelled all over NZ and have never experienced anything like this before. Here is a trust that wants to promote Northland, provide employment and business opportunities in an area of high unemployment only to be spoilt by the bad behaviour of this rude couple!
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5.0/5
Our very first camping ground of our 4wk trip, and it definitely sits in our top 3.
Kind owners (they prefer reservations), quiet and spacious spots and great views. There are several bays next to each other, fairly untouched by people. No facilities except for the large shed where the regulars have their refrigerators and power outlets. Ask them if you can use those.
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3.5/5
Beautiful place to stay, bit pricey at $20 per head, with no amenities at all.
But we loved waking up to the beautiful sunrise.
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5.0/5
Have been camping here with our families and friends for over 30 years.
An absolutely amazing getaway with the most beautiful beach. Farm managers Helen and Erol are great. Pretty basic with no facilities but that's what real camping is all about.
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1.0/5
Beautiful location and beach but horrible value for money.
20 dollar per person/night, stinky and uncomfortable long drop toilet (apparently closed during summer) and water faucet on the opposit side of the ground (no sink, no soap).
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3.5/5
Great Spot, but a little bit expensive for quite nothing (drip toilet) and a shed with old furniture, where you can charge your devices.
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5.0/5
Elliot Bay campground is an undiscovered treasure on the east coast of Northland.
I’m hesitant to write about it because we’d rather this untouched paradise stayed a jealously-guarded secret. It’s set in the most astonishing beautiful, remote location far away from the noisy crowds and tiny cramped plots you encounter at so many commercial camping sites. We arrived on Christmas Day 2023 and the new managers, Charlotte and Michael, were incredibly kind and attentive to us, taking time to provide excellent information about the area while preparing Christmas dinner for a large number of family and friends. We requested a beachfront site and ended up with an entire paddock right on the beach to ourselves. We could park our fully self-contained motorhome wherever we liked. There were a few groups camping in tents in another part of the campground but our only immediate neighbours were rare and endangered dotterels and oyster catchers. A handful of surfers and fisher-people turned up during the day along with hikers traversing the rugged coastal headlands to even more remote bays. We climbed the hill behind us, ablaze with pohutukawa trees in full bloom, and discovered exquisite, deserted Pahi Bay. Ours were the only footprints in the sand that day. We also hiked the nearby Whangamumu DoC Track to a long-abandoned whaling and sealing station. Highly recommended for spectacular scenery and rather gruesome history of how the whalers cornered their prey in this small and tranquil bay.
Don’t go to Elliot Bay campground expecting fancy facilities. It’s exactly as advertised, a rustic, back-to-basics Kiwi camp site where you need to be able to survive off-grid and without wifi. It’s a rare privilege to find such an unspoiled gem these days.
However, if camping is really not your thing, there’s upmarket accommodation on a hill overlooking the beach.
-
5.0/5
Some worthwhile tips to enjoy your visit at Elliot Bay.
Pay the $2 (per vehicle) car park fee on arrival prior to going on the beach, don't bring a dog, don't cry or get offended when asked if you have paid the $2, take all your rubbish with you and leave before dark. If you arrive feeling some sense of entitlement (for whatever reason) , carry on driving to the next beach (Taupiri Bay) and finally, don't lie about paying when an empty coin box or our cameras suggest otherwise.
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2.5/5
We love this place and have spent many happy times here with family and friends.
Even better to hear that just last week it went into a trust by all to enjoy! On Saturday we'd had a great time watching a big pod of dolphins, fishing and a walk to the old Whangamumu whaling station. Only to have a great day spoilt by the psychopathic carpark caretakers who accused us of not paying our $2 parking fee! It was the 1st thing we did on arrival! We could not convince them and a verbal altercation took place which ended up with them barring the entrance way and taking photos of our vehicle. From there it went from bad to worst with the male caretaker spitting at my husband, scratching his arm, punching the drivers window with his fist and attempting to tear off the side mirror. We understand from previous reviews that this is not the 1st time and feel terrible to think that this is happening in our local area! We have travelled all over NZ and have never experienced anything like this before. Here is a trust that wants to promote Northland, provide employment and business opportunities in an area of high unemployment only to be spoilt by the bad behaviour of this rude couple!
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0.5/5
AVOID!
Owner harassed us for $2 even though we parked on a public road. Hard to know whether beach was truely something that was accessed through private land or whether they just make it look that way. We left the $2 (who even has cash these days anyway?) in their mailbox so there was no negative energy left behind and will never come back there.
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0.5/5
Mr Elliot, the camp manager and psychopathic wife.
Has flipped out, harassed and bullied me and everyone goes to Elliot bay. They are absolutely mental and deranged. They have Assaulted, yell and threatened my friends. They are a menace to the chill kiwi summer. Shouldn't be about to hold everyone ransom to a beautiful beach and surf spot. May the grow old with empty lives.
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0.5/5
By far the worst experience in the two years I've lived in NZ.
Insane, meth-head owners attacked us for two dollars and would not let us leave despite paying them immediately.
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0.5/5
The place is beautiful.
The camping experience is awful on acount of rude and violent owner.
We didn't have cash for payment so the owner asked us to leave surfboard as a bond until we return with cash. We agreed but as we were driving off he said that was not enough and demanded to leave him a cellphone. We refused. He run to the car opened the boot and took one of the backpacks. When I tried to take it back he hit me. After a while his partner managed to calm him down and pull him away. As we were driving through the last of 4 gates he hit the car.
Later we returned to pick up the board and pay. The owner refused to take money.
Tereable experience. People are not welcomed at this place. Ovoid it.
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3.5/5
Beautiful place to stay, bit pricey at $20 per head, with no amenities at all.
But we loved waking up to the beautiful sunrise.
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5.0/5
Our very first camping ground of our 4wk trip, and it definitely sits in our top 3.
Kind owners (they prefer reservations), quiet and spacious spots and great views. There are several bays next to each other, fairly untouched by people. No facilities except for the large shed where the regulars have their refrigerators and power outlets. Ask them if you can use those.
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5.0/5
Have been camping here with our families and friends for over 30 years.
An absolutely amazing getaway with the most beautiful beach. Farm managers Helen and Erol are great. Pretty basic with no facilities but that's what real camping is all about.