Options narrowed for Kerikeri dump station

Bay of Islands-Whangaroa Community Board will soon review a report outlining the preferred location for a new public dump station for caravan and motorhome owners visiting Kerikeri.

During Bay of Islands-Whangaroa Community Board meeting on Thursday 27 November, residents voiced frustration at the time it has taken to find a new site for a dump station. The previous, centrally located site on Cobham Road was decommissioned in July 2024 when the property owner decided to develop the site.

Since then, council staff have been working to identify a new site in the Kerikeri-Waipapa area. However, finding a site with space for multiple vehicles to park and safely turn in has been a challenge. The new site must also have access to water and either an existing septic system and treatment option or space to install one. Consideration also needs to be given to possible noise impacts on neighbouring properties as the site will be open 24 hours a day.

Residents told the board that the delay in finding an alternative site is impacting the local economy that relies on tourism with fewer mobile campers visiting the town due to the lack of a dump station. They expressed that the urgency of finding a new site should be prioritised to bring back this key facility to Kerikeri.

Until a preferred site is confirmed, dump station users will be directed to the nearest alternative public sites at Kawakawa, Kaikohe and Mangōnui.

More information about council-operated public effluent dump stations and nearby freedom camping sites can be found here. The New Zealand Motorhome and Caravan Association (NZMCA) also provides information about the location of sites in the north on its website, such as privately-operated camp grounds, with dump stations.