Tawanui Farm - The Domes | Canopy Camping Escapes New Zealand

Tawanui Farm - The Domes

Canterbury

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ADDRESS

1321 Blythe Road, Domett 7383

DIRECTIONS

Tui Hilltop is 20 minutes from Whangarei and 2 hours and 15 minutes from Central Auckland.

You will receive a pre-arrival email with arrival instructions and your host's details 5-days prior to your stay.

Note: If you have booked within 5 days and haven't received a pre-arrival email shortly after booking, please email us at [email protected].

OpenStreetMap

The campsite sleeps up to 8 people across two geodesic domes.

Each heated dome contains a queen-sized bed and two single beds, sleeping 4 per dome.

Full linen, towels and bedding are supplied. Queen beds are made up with 100% cotton linen. Linen for the single beds will be provided. All beds have either wool duvets and blankets.

We think the campsite best suits either one to two families, 2 couples or up to 8 adults, depending on your sleeping preferences. Please BYO portacot if bringing infants.

The camp kitchen is a covered, enclosed space with canvas roll-up sides for maximum airflow on warm days. It has good bench space for preparing food and hot water for dishes. The kitchen has a four-burner gas hob, oven, and a BBQ for cooking.

All the pots, pans and utensils you'll need for cooking and eating are provided. For cool food storage - A heavy-duty chilly bin has been provided for your use, complete with cold ice packs.

Some pantry basics are supplied - coffee, tea, sugar, salt, and pepper.

Very private! You'll be well away from the main house and farm cottages - however, the campsite at Tawanui Farm is set on a working farm, so expect some farm activity depending on the season.

The escape can sleep a maximum of 8 people across two tents and is only available to a single group to book at a time, regardless of the number of people, or tents used.

Please also note that the driveway is shared with Tawanui Farm's other glamping property, A Frame Cabin. You will only be able to see the cabin in the very far distance.

Tawanui Farm is a working sheep and beef farm, so for the safety of all concerned, it’s very important to follow the safety guidelines and terms that you’ll find in our booking terms and in your Welcome Guide on site. These terms and guidelines include:

Visitors stay at their own risk, this is a working farm with hazards both farm-related (ie. machinery and animals) and natural.
Leave gates as you find them.
Animals are unpredictable - best to avoid them.
Extreme caution driving in and out of the property - speed limit on the property is 15km p/h.
Supervise young children carefully. There are specific water hazards for young children on the property - for example, water troughs and a pond 400m from the campsite.
For your own safety please do not touch any farm machinery, and do not enter the woolshed or other buildings on the property.

Jet boating:

Mike and Tim also run Energy Jet, Hurunui River experiences. Get your adrenalin hit on one of their energising jet boat rides up this beautiful river system. The options are:

**30min Energizer -**Adults $90 - Child $60 - Family $300

Departing from the Hurunui Mouth Village, you will head up stream through exciting river braids and narrow channels under the Hurunui Mouth swing-bridge. You will enjoy numerous 360 spins and pause to enjoy the serenity and history of the area before blasting back down to the coastline.

**45min Energizer -**Adults $110 - Child $75 - Family $370

This thrilling bridge to bridge trip takes you from your departure at the Hurunui Mouth Village just 5min drive from Tawanui Farm, upstream 16km to the State Highway 1 Bridge. You will see a large variety of sea birds, enjoy stops to enjoy the history and serenity of the area before a fast and furious blast back downstream through the river braids complete with 360 spins

For more details check out www.energyjet.co.nz

River BBQ- Adults $150 - Child $110 - Family $520

Your chance to enjoy a true local NZ experience. Enjoy a thrilling jet-boat ride to your very own secluded river beach where you will disembark into a feeling of pure nature and remoteness. Relax with some music, take a walk or even a swim as you are cooked a delicious selection of local produce on the river’s edge. This is your chance to really experience how many New Zealanders enjoy their spare time. Finish your river experience with an Energising blast back to civilisation. Please remember to let us know if there are any special dietary requirements in your group.

Note: 'Family' is defined as 2 adults and up to 3 children (aged 13 years and younger)

Farm Experience Tour

Go for a blast around the farm in a 6 seater Kawasaki Mule as Tim and Mike go about their daily farm checks. Get up close and personal with the animals (feed them by hand), see working dogs in action and take in the beautiful scenery. All of this as you enjoy some off-road action from your comfy seats.

90-Minute Farm Experience Tour - Adults $70, Child $50, Family $240

Note: A minimum of two people are required to book the Farm Tour. 'Family' is defined as 2 adults and up to 3 children (aged 13 years and younger).

Note: Tawanui Farm also offers corporate packages, combining Jet Boating, Glamping and Farm Tours. Please get in touch with Tim at www.energyjet.co.nz to find out more.

The minimum stay for a particular day or date can vary depending on factors such as the day of the week, the time of year and the host's preferences.

The easiest way to check what's available is to use the online calendar for this escape—it’ll show you the current options for your dates.

Please note that the minimum stay rules are set by the host and can’t be adjusted, so we’re not able to make exceptions.

If the stay length doesn’t quite match what you’re after, head to Find Your Escape, enter your check-in date and preferred length of stay, and browse other great options that might be a better fit.

To find out if single nights are available at this escape, check the online calendar and see if your preferred date is available to book.

If this escape isn’t available, head to Find Your Escape, enter your check-in date and length of stay, and browse all one-night options available for that day.

Please note that the minimum stay rules are set by the host and can’t be adjusted, so we’re not able to make exceptions.

The base nightly rate for Tawanui Farm - The Domes typically ranges from $340 to $340, depending on factors like the length of stay, day of the week, and time of year.

To check the exact rate for your preferred dates, just enter your check-in date, length of stay and number of guests in the online booking calendar.

Please note that prices may occasionally fall outside this range due to changes in demand.

We've teamed up with Gift Box company 'XO' to bring you a 'special treat' gift box to celebrate those special occasions. The Connection Gift Box features a bottle of Cloudy Bay Pelorus Brut sparkling wine, 'Bubbly Bears' deluxe sweets, a speciality chocolate bar from the House of Chocolate, and pack of 'Deeper Questions' conversation cards - all beautifully presented in a black gift box with tissue paper and an optional handwritten note. Order your Connection Gift Box now, and it will be waiting for you on arrival.

Please note: Gift Boxes are sent 15 days before your arrival date to ensure timely delivery. If you cancel your stay within this time frame, the cost of the Gift Box will not be refunded.

This 45min thrilling bridge to bridge trip takes you from your departure at the Hurunui Mouth Village just 5min drive from Tawanui Farm, upstream 16km to the State Highway 1 Bridge. You will see a large variety of sea birds, enjoy stops to enjoy the history and serenity of the area before a fast and furious blast back downstream through the river braids complete with 360 spins. 'Children' are defined as aged 5 years (minimum) to 13 years.

1.1 Canopy Camping Limited (Canopy Camping Escapes, also referred to as we, our and us) has a curated collection of unique nature-based properties throughout New Zealand, independently owned and operated by individual owners of the properties (Hosts).

1.2 By making a booking through our website (here) (Website), you, as the person making the booking, agree to be bound by these terms and conditions (Booking Conditions).

1.3 Canopy Camping Escapes enters into these Booking Conditions as an agent for the Host. That means that you are making an agreement with the Host for the use of its property. Anything Canopy Camping Escapes does (including enforcing any of the Host’s rights), it does so as agent for the Host and is not a party to your agreement with the Host.

1.4 In these terms:

“Day” means a period of 24 hours; and
“check-in time” means the check-in time specified [in the booking confirmation email we send you / specified on the Website for the property you have booked]

2.1 If you book within 28 Days of your check-in time, full payment via credit or debit card (VISA/Mastercard) is required at the time of booking. If you book more than 28 Days prior to your check-in time, a deposit of 10% is required to confirm your booking and secure the property. This will be charged to your credit or debit card (VISA/Mastercard) at the time of booking. A credit or debit card (VISA/Mastercard) payment surcharge of up to 2.1% will be applied to all credit or debit card (VISA/Mastercard) payments.

2.2 Bookings are considered confirmed once you have made your online booking and payment and we have sent an email to the address provided to us which confirms both the payment and your booking details. If you do not receive a confirmation email, please contact us as soon as possible. However, we (as agent for the Host) reserve the right to cancel any booking within 12 Days of the confirmation email where we discover that you, or any of your guests, has previously breached these Booking Conditions in relation to a previous booking. In that case, you will receive an email advising you that the booking has been declined, and the full amount paid by you at the time of booking will be refunded to the credit or debit card (VISA/Mastercard) you provided during the booking process.

2.3 If you book more than 28 Days prior to your check-in time, the remaining balance of your stay will be due 28 Days prior to your check in time. An email reminder will be sent to you at this time requesting payment for the outstanding balance. The reminder email gives you the option to pay the remaining balance by A2A (Internet Banking) or credit or debit card (VISA/Mastercard). If your payment has not been received within 24 hours, the remaining balance will automatically be charged to the credit or debit card (VISA/Mastercard) used at the time of booking. Please note: a 2.1% credit or debit card (VISA/Mastercard) payment surcharge is applied to all payments made by credit or debit card (VISA/Mastercard). Credit/Debit Card data is held in a secure and encrypted environment.

2.4 If any amount is not paid when due, you will forfeit your deposit and your booking will be cancelled.

3.1 Your 10% deposit (or 10% of the value of your stay if you have paid in full) is non-refundable, however it can be transferred to another booking made within 12 months of the date of confirmation of your original booking, if you cancel your stay more than 21 Days prior to your check-in time.

3.2 Cancellation or date changes by you that are between 3 and 21 Days prior to your check-in time will result in 50% of the total cost of your stay being charged. Cancellation or date changes made 3 Days (72 hours) or less prior to your check-in time will result in 100% of the total cost of your stay being charged.

3.3 Date changes made more than 21 Days prior to your check-in time are allowed without forfeit of any amounts paid.

3.4 Force Majeure

You are entitled to a full refund if you need to cancel for the following reasons:

Road closure. If at 1pm on the day before your arrival, a road on your route to your accommodation is designated by Waka Kotahi as closed or for essential travel only, and there is no detour, or the detour adds more than two hours to your travel according to the Waka Kotahi Journey Planner.
Metservice RED Weather Warning. If at 1pm on the day before your arrival, the Metservice has issued a RED warning/forecast in either your home region or the region of your accommodation, for either the day of your arrival or departure.
Natural disasters in New Zealand. Natural disasters such as cyclones, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, tsunamis, and other severe and abnormal natural events causing large scale disruption of essential services and/or transport, specifically impacting your travel to or from your accommodation.

4.1 Exceptional or unforeseen circumstance

Hosts reserve the right to cancel a booking at any time in the event of exceptional or unforeseen circumstances. This right will only be exercised in good faith and in exceptional circumstances such as:

(a) Any alteration to the property or its surroundings which may pose a safety risk for the guest.

(b) Unexpected damage or destruction at the property.

(d) Our relationship with the Host ends for any other reason.

In the unlikely event a Host cancels under this clause, the guest may elect to receive a full refund or to credit the booking to another available date or Escape. The Host’s liability will be limited to the refund of amounts paid for any part of your stay that is cancelled.

4.2 Cancellation for breach

Hosts may terminate a booking at any time if they, or we, reasonably believe that there is, or has been, a breach of these Booking Conditions by you or any guest or visitor. Where a Host cancels under this clause, all amounts paid are forfeited and, where such termination occurs during the rental period, you and all guests and visitors must immediately leave the property.

5.1 Accommodation is often situated on working farms and there are hazards both natural and man-made. You accept that you, and any guests or visitors, enter the property at your own risk.

5.2 Participation by you and any guests or visitors in activities, such as, outdoor baths, climbing trees, walking on the property and any other activity on the property, is done so at your and their own risk.

5.3 To the extent permitted by law, neither we nor the Host accept any liability for accident, loss of property or personal injury during your stay.

9.1 Guests have a licence to occupy the Property for the paid holiday period only. You are responsible for ensuring that you and they arrive no earlier than the check-in date, and leave no later than the check-out time, specified on the Website.

9.2 You are required to, and must ensure that all guests and any approved day visitors, observe the rules and procedures in relation to the property:

Specified on the Website.
Contained in the information folder provided at the property.

9.3 You must, and must ensure that all guests and any approved visitors, take all reasonable and proper care of the property and its furniture, fittings and effects and leave them in the same state of repair, condition, cleanliness and tidiness as at the commencement of the rental period. Where the property has not been left in the same state of repair, condition, cleanliness and tidiness as at the commencement of the rental period, you will be required to pay an additional cleaning cost of $100 which may be charged to the credit or debit card used at the time of booking.

9.4 You are required to inform Canopy Camping Escapes of any damage or breakage occurring during the rental period in or around the property promptly so that it can be repaired and replaced for the next booking. You must reimburse the Host for the reasonable costs of replacement or repair of any damage caused by you or any guests or visitors and such costs may be charged to the credit or debit card (VISA/Mastercard) used at the time of booking.

9.5 You must ensure that any access information in relation to a property (including any access codes, location of keys, etc) is kept confidential and not disclosed to any person.

9.6 Smoking is not permitted anywhere on the properties.

9.7The Host may access the property during the rental period to the extent reasonably necessary to undertake repairs or replacement or where we or the Host have reason to believe these Booking Terms are not being complied with.

9.8The number of guests staying at the Escape overnight must be the same as the number of guests included in the booking. Any day visitors must be approved by the Host prior to your stay. No overnight visitors are permitted.

9.9You and all guests and any approved day visitors must behave in a proper, appropriate and legal manner with due respect to the Host, the Property, other guests and neighbouring properties and neighbours, and Canopy Camping Escapes’ staff and representatives.

If you encounter any issues or problems during your stay, you must first contact the Host to try to resolve the issue. The Host should be given the opportunity to address and fix the problem before any further steps are taken.

If you decide to leave the accommodation early due to an issue without first contacting the Host to resolve it, you will not be entitled to compensation. Essentially, if you don’t give the Host a chance to fix the problem, you cannot expect financial reimbursement for leaving early.

If you have a complaint that you'd like to alert Canopy Camping Escapes about after your stay, please contact us promptly at [email protected] with details of the complaint. As an agent, we will be the initial contact between you and the Host but may need to put you in direct contact to resolve any issues.

To the extent permitted by law, as agent for the Hosts, we have no liability, to you or any other person, in contract, tort (including negligence) or otherwise:

for the acts or omissions of the Hosts; or
under or in relation to these Booking Conditions or your stay,

Your rights are against the Host, not Canopy Camping Escapes.

If, for any reason, Canopy Camping Escapes has any liability to you under or in relation to these Booking Terms or your stay, to the extent permitted by law, our liability is limited to the 20% of the amount paid by you in relation to the relevant booking.

Any liability the Host has to you under or in relation to these Booking Conditions or your stay is, to the extent permitted by law, limited to refund of amounts paid by you for the relevant booking and shall not extend to any other costs or loss incurred by you or any guest or other person.

As the person who completes the Booking Form, you certify that all information provided is true, accurate and correct and that you: are authorised to agree to the Booking Conditions on behalf of all persons included in the Booking Form, including those substituted or added at a later date; are over eighteen years of age; agree to take responsibility for the party occupying the Property and shall ensure that they (and any approved visitors) comply with these Booking Conditions; and will notify us if you are not present at the property for the rental period.

EATING AND DRINKING

Tawanui Farm Glamping is self-catering. Just bring your own food and drink, and cook meals using the facilities provided in your camp kitchen. You'll find all the cutlery, crockery, pots and pans that you'll need.

Need a break from the kitchen? Cheviot is a quick 15-minute drive away, offering delicious options. Number Eight Cafe is a great choice. For hearty meals, try the Cheviot Trust Hotel. And don't miss the Boys Souvlaki van Cheviot for the best kebabs and takeaway options.

If you want to go further afield, the Waipara wine area is 40 minutes South, or Kaikoura is 1 hour North.

The nearest store for stocking up on food and supplies is in Cheviot.

THINGS TO DO

At the campsite, there's board games, petanque, and plenty of space to kick a ball. But if you can bear to tear yourself away from the giant 6-8 person gas-heated hot tub and spectacular views of the campsite, you'll find plenty to do in the area.

Your hosts, the Loughnan family, operate Energy Jet, Hurunui River Experiences if you're keen for a jetboating adventure. They also offer ATV farm tours for those keen to see a true kiwi farm in action (Check out the Rates and Extras button for more information).

There's also swimming and fishing available at the Hurunui River, 10 minutes drive away, and surfing and swimming at Gore Bay, 20 minutes away. The Manuka Bay DOC track from the Hurunui River mouth to Gore Bay is a 10-minute drive away.

YOUR HOSTS

Your hosts at Tawanui Farm are Mike, Elspeth and Tim Loughnan - and a nicer bunch of people you couldn't hope to meet.

The Loughnan family are the fifth generation to farm and live in the Blythe Valley. Tawanui Farm is situated towards the mouth of the Hurunui River and overlooks its beautiful waters

Mike and eldest son Tim share the responsibilities of running the 450ha sheep and beef farm along with its tourism ventures, Energy Jet and Tawanui Farm Glamping and farm tours. Elspeth teaches at the local Cheviot Area School. Tim’s other siblings Virginia and Hugh are both involved in Environmental Consultancy in Christchurch

The neighbouring Hurunui River has been a huge part of their lives, mainly on a recreational level. Showing people their part of the country is huge passion for the family. Combining the novelty of glamping with the thrill of jet boating and farm tours has given them a great platform for introducing their beautiful corner of the world to visitors - both Kiwi and international.

TESTIMONIALS

“ Atmosphere both inside and outside. A unique stay in a magic part of NZ! And a hot tub under the stars doesn’t hurt at all! ”

James Millward- 2025-03-24

20 / 20

“ Beautiful view, comfortable kitchen and lounge, non smelly composting toilets. ”

Julie Benjamin- 2026-04-01

1 / 20

“ We had an amazing family getaway. We've met one of the hosts, Tim, and he was very lovely. The view was beautiful and the place was also. Have posted on social media sharing pictures and a lot of our friends have asked where it was. Could not recommend it enough. Thank you. ”

Chidchanok O'Connell- 2026-03-10

2 / 20

“ Lovely private and quiet setting. Being able to do a farm tour and jet boat ride was a lovely bonus. ”

Julie Anne Hicks- 2026-02-17

3 / 20

“ Such a fantastic set up, with the most beautiful views! Tim was an awesome host, really responsive and very welcoming. 10/10 would recommend for an elevated camping getaway. ”

Isla McNaught- 2026-02-16

4 / 20

“ It was our second time visiting, it's such a beautiful place! ”

Tamara Glyn- 2026-01-18

5 / 20

“ Great location, great communication from the hosts, and super easy set up to enjoy our stay. Thanks heaps. ”

Rebecca Stevens- 2026-01-02

6 / 20

“ The place is amazing. The domes were so warm and cosy. Our host was great, explained how to use everything well made us feel very welcomed. Loved the hot tub too. ”

Shantzee Donehue- 2025-11-03

7 / 20

“ Absolutely loved our escape! The domes were so warm and sheltered. Great communal space for everyone with plenty of space for the kids to run around freely. ”

Di Lake- 2025-10-25

8 / 20

“ Absolutely amazing accommodation. Great facilities with a rustic charm set in a peaceful scenic location. We had a lovely time with family. Many thanks. ”

John Vercoe- 2025-09-25

9 / 20

“ Amazing setting and wonderful hosts who went above and beyond. Highly recommend. ”

Tamara Glyn- 2025-08-27

10 / 20

“ Absolutely recommend. Tim is easy to communicate with, super friendly and did everything in his power to make the stay as best as it could be. It's awesome to have the jet boat ride as part of the package. Would fully recommend this stay. It was our pleasure to stay and we will again at some stage. The stars from in bed in the dome to waking up to the sunrise is a wonderful experience. Thank you. ”

Karyn Haugh- 2025-07-21

11 / 20

“ Beautiful location and great facilities. ”

Meryl Keefer- 2025-07-11

12 / 20

“ Great relaxing environment. Hosts were great communicators and quickly showed us around the property, then left us to it. ”

James Abbott- 2025-05-08

13 / 20

“ Amazing hosts, amazing location. Nothing more you could possibly ask for! ”

Michael Campbell- 2025-04-29

14 / 20

“ Absolutely loved our stay at Tawanui Farm. Picture perfect weekend with stunning views enjoyed from the hot tub at sunset and sunrise. Beautifully rustic, yet luxurious! Can't recommend this stay enough. ”

Gretel Major- 2025-04-27

15 / 20

“ Such an amazing spot! It felt safe and had stunning views. Will definitely be back. ”

Libby Sheehy- 2025-04-17

16 / 20

“ Excellent relaxing place to stay. Great hosts, everything was fantastic. ”

Scott Wilson- 2025-04-07

17 / 20

“ We had a great, relaxing time and loved the place so much. Tim was a wonderful host. ”

Bronwyn O'Keefe- 2025-04-05

18 / 20

“ Wonderful scenery. Sitting in the hot tub gazing at the stars was a highlight. Spacious domes are ideal for a group booking. ”

Felicity malzard- 2025-03-25

19 / 20

“ Atmosphere both inside and outside. A unique stay in a magic part of NZ! And a hot tub under the stars doesn’t hurt at all! ”

James Millward- 2025-03-24

20 / 20

“ Beautiful view, comfortable kitchen and lounge, non smelly composting toilets. ”

Julie Benjamin- 2026-04-01

1 / 20

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