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In New Zealand on 18 July 2026, a court sentenced Fairmont Leigh, a disqualified driver who made an obscene gesture at tourists in a campervan on Tākaka Hill road, then failed to see an oncoming campervan and crashed into it. Leigh got out of his car and yelled at the campervan driver, who had managed to stop before impact. He said he was speeding because he was late for a funeral.
Taiwanese host and content creator Zhang Ruifu completed a 7-day solo trip in New Zealand driving a rented motorhome. The trip cost less than NT$30,000. Zhang drove a right-hand-drive vehicle for the first time and had several close calls, including scraping a truck's mirror.
Indonesian celebrities Citra Kirana and Rezky Aditya, with their son Athar, took a five-day campervan trip through New Zealand, visiting Mount Cook, Queenstown, and Lake Wakatipu.
DOC has completed the sale of Waikaremoana Holiday Park to Te Uru Taumatua, the Tūhoe iwi authority. The park, located on Māori freehold land, will continue to operate as usual with lake access maintained, while new investment is planned.
Anastasia and Hayden Tristram, along with their two young daughters, plan to start a caravan journey across New Zealand in October to learn about different farming systems and find their own farm. The couple lost their leased sheep and beef farm in central Hawke's Bay when it was sold for pine plantations. They have bought a caravan and intend to work as farming contractors, gathering information on various agricultural sectors, including dairy and horticulture.
Reporter Kathrin Steevens embarked on a camper trip through New Zealand. On the Wanganui River Road she encountered gravel, mud and steep drops, making the journey tense.
The Queenstown Lakes District Council has made permanent restrictions on freedom camping at two hotspots in Wānaka. Camping is now prohibited at the Allenby Pl carpark at the foot of Mt Iron due to health and safety issues, including a narrow access way with limited visibility for drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists. The council also proposed banning camping at Beacon Point Rd during December and January. Three additional designated spaces were added at Wānaka Recreation Centre.
Tasman Miranda Holiday Park near Auckland offers guests access to thermal pools, which are not closed for renovations as rumored. Visitors can stay in motorhomes or caravans and enjoy the hot springs on site.
The New Zealand Motor Caravan Association (NZMCA) has applied to Christchurch City Council for a 10-year transitional lease of 5,000–10,000 sq m at 60–80 Owles Terrace, New Brighton, to accommodate up to 100 motorhomes and caravans. The site is on vacant red zoned land, previously affected by earthquakes. Basic amenities would include rubbish bins and potable water, with a possible wastewater dump station. The park would be restricted to NZMCA members in certified self-contained motorhomes and caravans, with a maximum stay of 10 days per 30-day period. Opening is optimistically targeted for summer 2026–2027, but more realistically late 2027 if resource consent is required.
New Zealand's Fortress Trailers has launched the Explorer camping trailer, which expands into a two-story base camp. The trailer measures 13.5 feet long and 6.9 feet tall, weighs 2,500 lbs with a 990-lb payload. It features a slide-out kitchen, a rooftop tent with a queen-size mattress, and a staircase integrated into the tongue. Priced at NZ$42,990 (approx. $25,000), it is currently available only in New Zealand.
New Zealand-based Fortress Trailers, known for its secure utility trailers, has introduced the Explorer camper. The 4.1-meter model features aluminum panels, a slide-out kitchen, a 270-degree awning, and a rooftop tent. Base price is NZ$42,990 (approx. US$24,350).
Portuguese company Indie Campers has made a buyout proposal for Tourism Holdings, a campervan rental operator with a fleet of 8,000 vehicles under brands including Britz, Maui, Apollo and Hippie. The proposal is valued at $616 million, topping a previous bid from private equity group BGH Capital. Tourism Holdings is listed on the New Zealand and Australian stock exchanges.
Council staff are recommending no freedom camping bylaw changes to tackle issues at two contentious Wānaka hot spots. A staff report presented to Queenstown Lakes district councillors found that 25% of all freedom camping complaints during the first six weeks of the 2025 bylaw were related to the Allenby Pl carpark, while Beacon Point Rd generated the most service requests over the summer. The report concluded that issues were largely due to non-compliance rather than a need for bylaw amendments. Councillors will consider three options: additional targeted conditions, a prohibition, or maintaining the status quo.
Activist Jennifer Branje withdrew a petition to ban freedom camping for international visitors after receiving violent threats against herself, her family, and her business. The petition on the New Zealand Parliament website had gathered nearly 8,000 signatures. Branje had aimed to spark a discussion on tourism rules after border reopening and to stop taxpayer funding for free camping sites. The New Zealand First party has since taken up the cause, polling public opinion.
A fire in Titahi Bay, Wellington, on Saturday evening destroyed a home and several caravans, and damaged a neighbouring property. Strong winds caused the blaze to spread rapidly. Eight fire trucks responded to the incident at around 5:50 pm. The cause of the fire is under investigation by Fire and Emergency and police.
In New Plymouth, New Zealand, 80-year-old Bill McMurray, who has lived in his motorhome with two dogs for nearly 11 years, received a $400 fine for overstaying at the free Lake Rotomanu freedom camping site. He stayed an extra night due to high winds reaching 100 km/h, deeming it unsafe to drive his 7-metre-long vehicle. The New Plymouth District Council acknowledged the weather but upheld the fine, suggesting he could have parked elsewhere or used a campground within a half-hour drive. Since June last year, 359 infringement notices have been issued at the site, with 95 successfully challenged.
New Zealand's Conservation Minister Nick Smith has called for stricter rules on freedom camping in his Nelson constituency. He says the situation at sites like Millers Acre has become 'completely out of control' this summer, with up to 40 campervans parking nightly in the central city to avoid campground fees, many in a lot adjacent to the Department of Conservation office. Smith has received numerous complaints that the makeshift campground makes Nelson look 'cheap and shabby'. The city council currently allows freedom camping near public toilets, but Smith urges adopting a policy banning non-self-contained campervans from urban areas.
An overseas buyer paid $45m for Hahei Beach Resort on the Coromandel Peninsula, New Zealand, with approval from the Overseas Investment Office. Tasman Tourism New Zealand, a joint venture between an Australian private equity firm and a UAE-based investment company, also bought Raglan Sunset Motel for $5m. Both properties were sold by New Zealand investment group Hahei Beach Limited, which purchased them in 2015 for $13.25m and $3.88m respectively.
A consortium bidding for Tourism Holdings, a campervan rental and sales company operating in New Zealand, Australia, and North America, sees higher value than the market. After a peak in 2023, the company faces a downturn.
A pickup towing a caravan rolled on State Highway 1 in Wellington around 11:30 on Thursday. The northbound lane was closed but reopened by 1:00 pm. No injuries were reported.
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