Last updated November 2026
Whangarei District Council has four freedom camping sites on the Whangārei Heads peninsula: Reotahi, Tamaterau, the Manaia walkway car park and the Ocean Beach car park. All four are one-night sites, and the council allows both self-contained and non-self-contained vehicles at each.
Reotahi and Tamaterau also take tents, which makes them two of only five places in the district where you can camp in a tent on council land.
The sites range from about 10 km from Whangārei in a straight line at Tamaterau to about 26 km at Ocean Beach. Each is small, with room for two to four vehicles, and each has a council toilet nearby.
Practical Information
- Sites
- Reotahi, Tamaterau, Manaia walkway car park, Ocean Beach car park
- Location
- Whangārei Heads, Whangārei District
- Distance from the city
- About 10 to 26 km from Whangārei (straight line)
- Vehicles
- Self-contained and non-self-contained vehicles at all four sites
- Tents
- Reotahi (up to 3) and Tamaterau (4 to 5) only
- Maximum stay
- 1 night at each site
- Capacity
- Reotahi up to 3 vehicles; Tamaterau and Manaia 2 to 3; Ocean Beach around 4
- Toilets
- Council public toilets at or beside every site, open 24 hours
- Dump station
- None on the Heads; nearest council station on Kioreroa Road, Whangārei
- Cost
- Free
About Whangārei Heads Freedom Camping
Whangārei Heads Road runs out along the peninsula from the city, and two of the four sites are on it. Tamaterau is the nearest to town, opposite 647 Whangārei Heads Road.
Reotahi is at the end of Beach Road, and the Manaia walkway car park is the car park for the Mount Manaia track. Ocean Beach is the furthest out, at the end of Ranui Road.
These are some of the smallest sites in the district. The council’s numbers are “as many as can fit” in each designated area, which works out at two or three vehicles at Tamaterau and Manaia, up to three at Reotahi and around four at Ocean Beach. Nothing can be booked, so have another site in mind in case the one you want is full.
Every site is a one-night stop. If you are in a certified self-contained vehicle, the council also allows up to three nights in its other public places that are not on the prohibited list. After that you need to move at least 1 km away and not return for four weeks.
Several other bays on the Heads are on the council’s no-camping list, so check the council’s map before you settle in for the night.
The Four Sites
Reotahi
Reotahi takes up to three vehicles and up to three tents for one night. The council’s Reotahi toilets are in the car park at the end of Beach Road, near the marine reserve and the Mount Aubrey track, and are listed as accessible.
Tamaterau
Tamaterau has room for two or three vehicles. It is also one of the council’s tent sites, and its tent table allows four to five. The Tamaterau toilets are on the waterfront opposite 647 Whangārei Heads Road.
Manaia walkway car park
This is a vehicle site only, for two or three vehicles in the Mount Manaia track car park. The council’s single unisex toilet is next to the car park and the Manaia Club.
Ocean Beach car park
Around four vehicles can stay in the car park at the end of Ranui Road, where the council’s accessible Ocean Beach toilets are. The grass overflow car park beside it is permanently closed to camping.
No-Camping Areas on the Heads
The council’s prohibited list includes several places along this road. You can’t camp at the McLeod Bay playground and reserve, anywhere on the Stuart Road road reserve at McLeod Bay, at Urquharts Bay, at Taiharuru or on the grass overflow car park at Ocean Beach. Signs at each site and the council’s map show the boundaries.
Parua Bay, closer to the city on Whangārei Heads Road, is a separate council site with a longer limit of three nights and room for around 15 vehicles, and it also allows tents.
Rubbish and Waste
There is no council dump station on the peninsula. The council’s nearest public dump station is on Kioreroa Road in Whangārei, outside the sewerage treatment station. It is free, open 24 hours and has drinking water.
Take all rubbish and recycling with you to a transfer station or dump station, and leave no sign of your stay. Breaking the rules can lead to a fine under the Freedom Camping Act or the Reserves Act.
From locals
Can I camp on the grass overflow car park at Ocean Beach?
How sheltered is the Ocean Beach car park if the wind picks up overnight?
No answers yet. If you know, a local would love to hear it.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I freedom camp at Whangārei Heads?
At four council sites: Reotahi, Tamaterau, the Manaia walkway car park and the Ocean Beach car park. Parua Bay, closer to the city, is a fifth council site on the same road.
How long can I stay?
One night at each of the four Heads sites.
Can I camp in a tent at Whangārei Heads?
Yes, at Reotahi and Tamaterau only. Manaia and Ocean Beach are for vehicles.
Do I need to be self-contained?
No. The council allows self-contained and non-self-contained vehicles at all four sites.
Can I camp at Urquharts Bay or McLeod Bay?
No. Both are on the council’s no-camping list, as is Taiharuru.
Is there a dump station at Whangārei Heads?
No. The nearest council dump station is on Kioreroa Road in Whangārei.
Are there toilets at the sites?
Yes. Each has a council public toilet at or beside it, open 24 hours.
Spotted something incorrect on this page? Let us know.
Related links 2
- Whangarei District Council: Freedom camping: the site tables, a map for each site and the full no-camping list.
- Whangarei District Council: Camping in Public Places Bylaw: the bylaw behind the district’s camping rules.