Distance travelled: 18 km
Total TA distance covered: 2230 km

Really easy road bash.

No big insights today. The road was much busier than expected.
Apparently there is no camping between the Harper River Camp to over 50 km away at the Rakaia Gorge but that didn’t stop a number of caravans and boaties from camping near the lakes. I think it is all either private property or council land with a general bylaw banning freedom camping.

I passed Lake Selfie on the way and took a selfie.

With no where really else to go I did my best to stealth camp on the far bank of Lake Georgie, hidden in amongst the spiky shrubs. Not the best campsite but out of the wind at least and low key. I wasn’t really looking forward to having someone come along and move me one. If they did, where would I have gone?

I’m certain the TA trust is aware of the camping situation along this stretch and have been diligently working towards a solution but there are many players involved and who wants to cover the cost? The trust can’t. Landholders? Maybe there is an option for a small camp but it requires infrastructure and its a working station so their priorities are elsewhere. Council? Perhaps. Change the bylaw but then how do you discriminate between car based campers and trampers? Hopefully this works out over time. But for now, unless you stealth camp, a trampers only option is to walk to Lake Coleridge if you have a booking or hitch out to the gorge or further to the nearest town Methven.