New lease to return ‘Kiwi camping’ to Maitai

A new lease has been signed for the Maitai Valley Camp and the company that’s taking over wants to see a return of “traditional Kiwi camping” in the city.

Nelson City Council has been managing the camp, but Kiwi Cash Limited, trading as Penny, will take over on 1 June.

Penny founder Chris Wagner says the Nelson Tasman region has been on the company’s radar “for some time”.

“We’re really, really looking forward to it. If there was any spot to have it in New Zealand, having one in Nelson, and especially up the Maitai [Valley] is just awesome.”

Chris says that many travellers skip Nelson – “vis-à-vis they come off the ferry and they go to Queenstown” – and he hopes to attract more visitors to the region. The Maitai Valley was “absolutely beautiful” with great activities, like the nearby mountainbike trails and golf course, but was generally “underused” and Chris hopes a refreshed campground will encourage more visitors and locals to explore the area.

He says that “traditional Kiwi camping” has been eroded around the country, and Penny hopes to offer that experience in Nelson.

“When I was a kid, we used to go out fishing, we used to light a fire, we used to be taught how to do it safely and properly… getting taught how to make a bivvy out of trees, getting taught how to hang your own hammock, and stuff like that,” Chris says.

“Those kinds of spaces are getting lost, and that’s kind of what we’re really [promoting], is the idea of actually getting people to have that experience and get out of the comfort zone.”

The campground has undergone $1.8 million of upgrades over the last two years, including a complete replacement of the sewer system to enable the number of visitors to be lifted from 80 to 400 campers a night.

Other improvements include a new barbeque and picnic area, relocated cabins, and new taps and caravan dump stations. Penny also had plans for other installations, like a new playground, and its use of automated systems and a light presence on the ground aims to ensure that campsites are offered at “reasonable” prices based on hiring the site, rather than per person fees.

“We’re going to try and provide facilities and activities for Nelsonians to actually go up there and enjoy it,” Chris says.

Long-term residents at the campground aren’t expected to see any “dramatic changes”, but will get upgraded Wi-Fi, fixed toilet blocks, and a new laundry machine to “life the site up”, he adds.

Chris and Nelson Mayor Nick Smith signed the five-year lease, which includes the right to a five-year renewal, last week. Nick has welcomed the lease.

“By investing in upgrades and partnering with experienced operators like Penny, we’re delivering real benefits for the city and our visitor infrastructure,” he says.

“Both the Brook and Maitai campgrounds have previously made losses and required significant upgrades after many years of deferred maintenance.

“Last year, we successfully leased the Brook campground to the Brook Waimārama Sanctuary Trust and since then camper reviews have been overwhelmingly positive. We’re aiming for the same here.”

The campground’s rent is set at $40,000 plus GST for the first year, with subsequent years being either the base fee or 9.75 per cent of the camp’s gross income, whichever is higher.