Last updated October 2026
Auckland Council runs seven places to stay overnight in Hūnua Ranges Regional Park, about 22 to 29 km east of Pukekohe in a straight line. Upper Mangatāwhiri campground is the only one you can drive into with a tent, caravan or motorhome, and it has a flush toilet and tap water.
Two small parking areas, one beside it and one at Hūnua Falls, take certified self-contained vehicles only. The other four, Lower Mangatāwhiri, Mangatangi Trig, Piggott’s and Repeater, are tent-only sites that you walk or ride into.
Every site must be booked and paid for online, and dogs and fires are not allowed anywhere. Parts of the park’s tracks are closed, so check the council’s alerts before you go.
Practical Information
- Drive-in campground
- Upper Mangatāwhiri (tents and vehicles up to 10 m)
- Self-contained parking
- Upper Mangatāwhiri CSC area and Hūnua Falls CSC area (2 vehicles each)
- Walk-in campsites
- Lower Mangatāwhiri, Mangatangi Trig, Piggott’s, Repeater (tents only)
- Distance from the city
- About 22 to 29 km from Pukekohe (straight line)
- Campground fees
- Adult $10, child $4.50, infant free, per night
- Self-contained parking fee
- $18 per vehicle per night
- Maximum stay
- 7 nights at campgrounds; 3 nights at Upper Mangatāwhiri CSC; 1 night (1 October to 30 May) or 3 nights (31 May to 30 September) at Hūnua Falls CSC
- Check-in and check-out
- 11 am
- Bookings
- Required, online, up to six months ahead
- Dogs
- Prohibited at all times
About Camping in the Hūnua Ranges
The council describes the Hūnua Ranges as bush-clad ranges with streams and waterfalls, and its camping is spread across the park.
Most of it is reached from the Mangatāwhiri Valley at the end of Moumoukai Road, where Upper Mangatāwhiri campground and its car park are the starting point for several of the walk-in sites. Hūnua Falls, reached by Falls Road, has its own self-contained parking area.
These are bookable campgrounds, not freedom camping. Book and pay online, check in from 11 am, and take all rubbish and recycling home, because there are no bins. Group bookings are capped at 10 people at most sites, and at Upper and Lower Mangatāwhiri from 17 December to 31 January.
Water varies from site to site. Upper Mangatāwhiri has tap water, Mangatangi Trig has tank water off its shelter roof, Lower Mangatāwhiri, Piggott’s and Hūnua Falls have stream water only, and Repeater and the Upper Mangatāwhiri self-contained area have none.
The council asks you to boil all of it before use: three minutes for tap and stream water, five minutes for the tank water at Mangatangi Trig.
The Campgrounds and Parking Areas
Upper Mangatāwhiri campground
An open grassed area for up to 40 people, with a flush toilet and tap water but no power. It is an all-modes campground: tents, motorhomes, campervans, caravans, fifth wheelers, buses and pop-top campers under 10 m.
In dry weather you can park beside your tent, but the council may close the grass to vehicles if it gets too wet over winter, and you would then park in the main car park and carry your gear in. It is reached from Hūnua Village by Moumoukai Road, which becomes A R A Drive inside the park; signs point the way in the Mangatāwhiri Valley.
Upper Mangatāwhiri CSC overnight parking area
A level gravel area in the main car park for two certified self-contained campervans or motorhomes, one per booking, for up to three nights at $18 a night. There are no toilets or water, and vehicles must be 8 m or shorter. No tents.
Hūnua Falls CSC overnight parking area
A level hard area in the main car park at Hūnua Falls (turn right at the end of Falls Road, then keep left where the road splits) for two certified self-contained vehicles up to 10 m long.
You can stay one night from 1 October to 30 May and up to three nights from 31 May to 30 September. There are no toilets, and the only water is from the stream.
Lower Mangatāwhiri campground
A grass clearing in the valley for up to 40 people, with a toilet and stream water. It is a 7 km walk from the Upper Mangatāwhiri car park by Mangatangi Hill Road and Graeme White Road, finishing on a dirt road.
Mangatangi Trig campground
A grassed site for 20 people midway around a loop track from the Mangatāwhiri Dam car park, opposite the start of the Mangatangi Trig Track. It has a long-drop toilet and a shelter with a roof, sides and a dirt floor. Cyclists and people on the Hūnua Traverse can reach it along Mangatangi Hill Road.
Piggott’s campground
A grass clearing among scrub and bush for 20 people, with toilets and stream water. It is about 4.5 km on foot from the Upper Mangatāwhiri car park, up Lilburne Road and then a track to the junction of the Rata Ridge and Ernies tracks.
Repeater campground
A grassed site for 20 people off the Challenge Mountain Bike Track, which the council describes as an easy one to two hour walk from the Wairoa Dam car park. It has a long-drop toilet and a shelter with wooden bunks, but no water supply, so carry enough for your stay.
Track Closures and Kauri Dieback
The council has closed large sections of the Hūnua Ranges to stop the spread of kauri dieback, so check its open and closed tracks list before you plan a walk to a campsite, and clean your footwear and gear between areas.
Parts of the Hūnua Ranges tracks close from time to time, for example for forestry works or slips, and the council’s closure map shows exactly where. A large slip at the top of the Cossey Access Track has a detour along the road.
For the two self-contained areas, your vehicle needs a current certificate of self-containment. Under the law change that took full effect in June 2026, that means a green warrant and a fixed toilet, not a portable one.
Where to Learn More
Auckland Council: Upper Mangatāwhiri campground: availability, booking, alerts and directions, with links to the park’s other sites.
Auckland Council: Hūnua Falls CSC overnight parking area: seasonal stay limits, booking and rules for self-contained vehicles.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I camp in the Hūnua Ranges?
Yes, at Auckland Council’s bookable sites: Upper Mangatāwhiri campground, four walk-in tent sites and two self-contained parking areas.
Can I take a campervan or caravan?
Yes, to Upper Mangatāwhiri campground if it is under 10 m. Certified self-contained vehicles can also book the parking areas at Upper Mangatāwhiri (up to 8 m) and Hūnua Falls (up to 10 m).
Are dogs allowed?
No. Dogs, other animals and pets are prohibited at all times.
Is there drinking water?
It depends on the site. Boil all water the council supplies, and carry your own to Repeater, which has none.
Are the tracks open?
Not all of them. Large sections are closed for kauri dieback, and the northern Hūnua Traverse is closed on weekdays. Check the council’s alerts before you go.
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