Area & getting there
Whites Bay Campsite
DOC's published campsite reference point, not a surveyed entrance or individual pitch.
Official location information: Department of Conservation (new tab)Location source & precision
- Reference coordinates
- -41.38291, 174.05709 (latitude, longitude)
- Precision
- Published DOC reference coordinates; not a claim of survey accuracy. Source positional accuracy is not specified.
- Source
- Whites Bay Campsite: published Location coordinates (new tab)
Department of Conservation - Location source checked
Read the full guideArrival, planning and local advice
- Book ahead and allow for overnight gate locking during the peak season.
- Labour weekend-Easter: unsuitable for arrivals after 8pm or departures before 7am.
- Cold showers, flush toilets and untreated tap water are listed.
- Check beach-event notices and keep vehicles off the beach.
- Setting
- Pukatea/Whites Bay, off Port Underwood Road
- Adult fee
- NZ$15 per adult 18+ per night, non-powered
- Stay types
- Tent, campervan and caravan access listed
- Peak gate restriction
- Labour weekend-Easter: avoid arrival after 8pm or departure before 7am
- Facilities
- Cold showers, flush toilets and untreated tap water
- Dated notice
- Beach event on 14 November 2026, 11am-4pm; check updates
Whites Bay offers beach camping with basic washing facilities and a short forest walk, but it is not a flexible late-night ferry stop during the peak season. Check the DOC campsite page before connecting a reservation to a Picton sailing.
Put gate timing before the beach view
Between Labour weekend and Easter, DOC says the campground is unsuitable for arrivals after 8pm or departures before 7am. The gate is locked overnight. Allow for disembarkation, road conditions and an unhurried setup, not just the ferry's scheduled arrival.
For an early departure, decide whether you can leave after the restriction ends and still meet your check-in time. A booking confirmation does not establish an exception to the access arrangements.
Reserve the right space and bring water
Adult non-powered camping is NZ$15 nightly and bookings are required. Car, campervan and caravan access are listed, but confirm dimensions or turning requirements if your setup is unusual.
Facilities include flush toilets, cold showers and untreated tap water that needs boiling. Pack drinking water for arrival, plus cooking equipment and a meal that does not depend on an unverified communal kitchen or refrigerator.
Add a short walk without overplanning
The Pukatea Walk links the upper camping area with the cable station through regenerating forest beside the stream. It is a separate outing, not a reason to skip current track and weather checks.
Choose a turnaround that suits the whole group. Keep suitable footwear and an extra layer accessible instead of packing them away beneath equipment for a longer, unrelated hiking day.
Check beach notices and camp restrictions
DOC lists a beach event on 14 November 2026 from 11am to 4pm. Check updates if quiet beach time is central to your plans, without assuming the event means the campground itself is closed.
Vehicles are prohibited on the beach, fires are not allowed and dogs are excluded. Watch for seasonal wasps. Make your own water-safety assessment before entering the sea; the presence of nearby campsites is not a swimming guarantee.
Source: Department of Conservation. Information is paraphrased under DOC's CC BY 4.0 reuse terms.
Common questions
Can I arrive after an evening Picton ferry?
During Labour weekend-Easter, DOC says arrivals after 8pm and departures before 7am are unsuitable because the gate is locked overnight. Check the complete ferry-to-campsite itinerary.
Can vehicles go onto the beach?
No. DOC explicitly prohibits vehicles on the beach. A campground vehicle-access category does not change that rule.
Is there a short walk from the campsite?
The Pukatea Walk runs from the uppermost camping area through regenerating forest to the cable station beside the stream. Check its current track advice before heading out.
