Camping in St Arnaud
While most people stay at a Lodge or Bed and Breakfast in St Arnaud you can camp at Kerr Bay camp ground instead.
St Arnaud township
One of the places you will pass through on the Te Araroa is St Arnaud,
it is a small town and is the administrative centre for Nelson Lakes NP.
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| St Arnaud Township from high on the St Arnaud Range |
The township is very small, there would be less than 50 permanent residents and it has a DOC visitor Centre, various accommodation providers, 2 cafe's and a small general store
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| DOC visitors centre St Arnaud |
Kerr Bay Campground
There are a number of DOC camp grounds in St Arnaud but the closest one to the Te Araroa route is at
Kerr Bay on the Eastern side of Lake Rotoiti.
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| Map of St Arnaud Township |
The camp-site is very nice, it has a number of areas for tents, a cooking/eating shelter (with gas and hot water provided), hot showers, a big toilet block and a washing/ drying room. I have stayed here a couple of times and found the experience positive.
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| Water Taxi jetty, Lake Rotoiti, Nelson Lakes NP |
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| Cooking shelter at Kerr Bay |
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| Kitchen area with gas hob, hot water |
The cooking shelter is of the semi enclosed type but by this stage in your TA experience that will be the norm. There is a free gas hob but no pots or pans so use your own.
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| Dining area, Kerr Bay |
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| The tent/caravan/camper sites past the bushes |
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| Photo of some of the tent sites from the DOC website |
It is located right next to the jetty for the water taxi and the terminus of Lakehead Track heading up to Travers Valley, Travers Saddle and Waiau Pass.
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| Start of Lakehead Track heading to Travers Valley |
The camp ground can be busy especially at Christmas as Lake Rotoiti is a Mecca for boaties and the camper van crowd. Over the summer months bookings can be made
on-line, other times you need to visit the DOC St Arnaud Visitor Centre, price per night is $20 NZD.
