Ashley-Rakahuri Gorge Holiday Park is a family-friendly campground less than an hour's drive from Christchurch in North Canterbury, nestled against Mount Thomas Forest and set right beside the clean, clear waters of the Ashley Gorge River. Just off the Inland Scenic Route 72 and 45 minutes from the city, it is a hidden gem that works just as well for a weekend under canvas as it does for a first or last night in New Zealand.
The park is surrounded by native bush, and the birdlife announces it: tui, fantails and wood pigeons by day, with morepork owls calling from the hillside after dark. The campsites are large and grassy with plenty of native trees, and the foothills position gives the park its own microclimate. Accommodation spans cosy cabins, a camping pod, powered and unpowered sites, and group accommodation for bigger gatherings.
Days here revolve around the river and the bush. The Ashley Gorge is a welcome relief on a hot day, offering great swimming for the young or old, while acres upon acres of native bush and woodland walking tracks lead to the Giants Walk and the Gorge lookout. Back at camp there is a playground, small ropes course, tree swings, games room, TV lounge, camp shop, laundry, wireless internet and free BBQs — something for everyone from the young to the young at heart.
Practicalities are well covered too: accessible accommodation and facilities, an AED on site, a dump station for motorhomes, EFTPOS and credit card payment, conference facilities, and pets welcome by arrangement. The village of Oxford, with its award-winning cafes, restaurants, supermarket, museum, art gallery and gift shops, is only 8km away.
There is a moment, about 45 minutes out of Christchurch, when the city noise drops away and the road starts climbing into the foothills of Mt Thomas. That is where you will find Ashley-Rakahuri Gorge Holiday Park — a campground tucked into native bush on the banks of the Ashley Gorge River, just off the Inland Scenic Route 72. The park calls itself a hidden gem, and it is hard to argue.
Setting up camp here comes with its own welcome party. Tui, fantails and wood pigeons call from the trees, and after dark the morepork owls take over from the hillside. Nestled against the Mt Thomas foothills, the park enjoys its own microclimate, and the campsites are exactly what you hope a Kiwi campground will be: large and grassy, with plenty of native trees for shade.
Not everyone arrives with a tent. The park offers cosy cabins for those who want a bed and four walls, a camping pod for travellers somewhere in between, and both powered and unpowered sites for campervans, caravans and tents. Larger crews are looked after too, with group accommodation and conference facilities — handy for family reunions, clubs and gatherings that need a bit of space.
Whichever option you pick, the practical side is covered. There is a camp shop for essentials, laundry facilities, wireless internet, a games room and a TV lounge, plus a BBQ area with free BBQs. EFTPOS and credit cards are accepted, a dump station serves self-contained campervans, and an AED is on site for peace of mind. The park also offers accessible accommodation and accessible facilities, and pets can come along by arrangement.
On a hot North Canterbury day, everything at the park tilts toward the water. The Ashley Gorge River runs clean and clear right alongside the campground, providing great swimming for the young or old — a welcome relief when the sun is out. Families gravitate to the shallows, and cooling off after a day on the road becomes part of the routine.
When you are ready to dry off, the bush takes over. The park is wrapped in acres upon acres of native bush and woodland walking tracks, and two are worth seeking out by name: the Giants Walk and the Gorge lookout. It is easy walking, the sort where you keep stopping to watch the birds.
Families do particularly well here. There is a playground, a small ropes course, tree swings and a games room for when the weather turns. The park's own promise is 'something for everyone from the young to the young at heart', and the mix backs it up — river swimming and ropes courses for the kids, quiet bush tracks and a cosy cabin for everyone else.
One of the park's quiet luxuries is its proximity to a proper village. Oxford is only eight kilometres away, and it punches above its weight: award-winning cafes, restaurants, a supermarket, a museum, an art gallery and gift shops. Head in for supplies, or settle in for a long lunch after a morning in the river.
Thanks to its position just 45 minutes from Christchurch, the park has become a natural choice for a first or last night in New Zealand for travellers starting or finishing a trip — close enough to the city, far enough that you fall asleep to morepork rather than traffic. It is also a member of Holiday Parks New Zealand, the association representing around 230 parks across the country.
Ashley-Rakahuri Gorge Holiday Park is at 697 Ashley Gorge Road, near Oxford in North Canterbury. Reach the park on 03 312 4099, or find out more via its website and Facebook page.