3 Years have gone so fast!
3 Years have gone so fast!
It’s now 2026, and we’ve been running this little camp ground for just over 3 years, sharing this beautiful park with travelers both local and international – and meeting wonderful people along the way!
We’re really getting the hang of it now, and each month brings better understanding of how we can continue to make improvements and fine-tune the daily running of the property.
Zoe continues to work in Havelock North every Tuesday and is fortunate to be able to work online on Fridays. This still suits us for now, as there are often gas bottles to be filled and orders to be collected from town – along with the weekly grocery shopping! Richard has immersed himself fully into the role of chief janitor and lawns man, with the optional roles of plumber, sparky, handyman and exceptional sausage-maker, depending on the day!
We’re also thrilled to be able to include a couple of hobbies into the mix. Zoe now heads up the Arts Club at the Pōrangahau Country Club and is involved with the painting group and making leadlight windows. Richard is fascinated with the process of ceramics and is dabbling in Raku and Slip-casting. We’re looking forward to converting the front office into a studio this year, which will mean we can pick up our hobbies at any time without choking up our current living space!
We continue to prioritise improvements on the property, and during the past year we replaced the old lavender hedge with the current Korokia hedge, which has settled in well and is already putting on good growth. The two cercis trees at the front gate took a hammering with recent winds – that the tops snapped off! So we may choose to keep these smaller so they survive.
The high winds also wreaked havoc on the kitchen doors which blew out after a particularly blustery session. Thankfully our replacement door could be quickly installed. The result is stunning, and the kitchen is a much nicer venue now it’s wind proof and more secure. We just need to finish the painting now!
The grounds keep us busy, along with our two cabins which have become popular this year! The Manor has also seen a few more visitors and is available for up to 3 couples on enquiry (unfortunately not suitable for children or pets). We hope to renovate the little blue caravan as time allows and having this as a stay-over option to compliment our other accommodations.
With another Christmas well and truly behind us, and a whole new year ahead, we’re looking forward to what we can achieve in the next 12 months. And yes, we continue to be excited at the thought of it. And yes, we still love owning and sharing this beautiful property with like minded, appreciative visitors!
Why “BlueBeach”?
There’s that time of day, when the sky is clear, and the sun is high
Looking down the beach as the waves recede –
When the wet sand magically appears blue….
BlueBeach!
Currently at BlueBeach
Powered Camp Site:
$22/night per Adult
Children 5 Years to 14 Years $10/night
Children under 5 stay free
Increase effective 1 May 2026 – Adult rate $ 25/night
Non Powered Camp Site:
$20/night per Adults
Children 5 Years to 14 Years $10/night
Children under 5 stay free
Increase effective 1 May 2026 – Adult rate $ 22/night
Hot shower – $1 coin operated
Laundry – $2 coin operated
Cabins
We have 2 Cabins available on enquiry:
Haydn’s Cabin: Queen Bed in the cabin, 3 x singles in adjacent caravan (Max 5)
Bach 42: Queen Bed in the cabin, 2 x singles in adjacent caravan (Max 4)
$150 / night excludes linen additional charges for towels, sheets etc.
Both cabins share the communal camp facilities and communal kitchen
No WIFI available. No pets allowed inside the cabins or caravans.
About Us – 2 Years On….
From Your hosts
Richard and Zoe
November 2024 and we’re two years into owning the camp!
The first 12 months saw us both living in suburbia and continuing our full-time employment, navigating the sales of our properties back in Hastings and Palmerston North. However, late 2023, thankfully our properties sold, and we finally had the opportunity to move down to Pōrangahau together and start planning and focusing on our dream – here at Bluebeach!
In this second year, we have made some significant improvements to the grounds. The entrance has had a massive revamp – old scrubby gardens have been pulled out, and the derelict office has had a fresh coat of paint and a new roof put on. We’ve fitted new railings and both gates have been replaced. Leaning trees in the camp have been felled and new garden areas have been developed and planted. 200 daffodil bulbs successfully bloomed this Spring and more will be planted next season – they provided a spectacular display!
The Manor has been quietly made available for accommodation, however, improvements are still continuing before we promote this as an option. We’re very proud of this serene and tranquil hideaway, with it’s tasteful décor and rampant garden. Enquiry is available – adults only, no children or pets.
We’re having fun completing another couple of casual accommodation options, and these will be marketed in the New Year!
Continuous improvements will carry on through 2025 and beyond! Guest reviews on our website assure us that we are getting this right, and we’re thrilled to have return bookings over the holidays. Living here is still a novelty – waking to the birds, the sheep and crashing waves – and blissfully no alarm clock!! The camp is our passion, it’s beginning to show, and we are investing heavily into making this little camp in Pōrangahau a special place to remember.
About Us – November 2022
From Your hosts
Richard and Zoe
It’s fair to say that when we purchased the camp back in November 2022, it was run down and needing lots of TLC! Together we have a vision and have been working towards being at the camp full time to start our journey of improving and beautifying this stunning spot….
Over the next decade, we intend to reinvest into the grounds and facilities to provide a real Kiwi camping experience, full of green spaces, edible gardens and various areas where campers can enjoy the peace and beauty that Pōrangahau offers.
Come and stay with us now, to enjoy the basics of what BlueBeach has to offer,
then return in the in the future to enjoy the full experience!
