The resilience of the traditional early-twentieth century bach in the face of a predominantly hostile regulatory environment symbolises that this humble structure is an enduring social, historic and cultural icon of New Zealand.This article will examine the history of four bach communities, three of which have survived judicial scrutiny in recent years. From these cases, it will analyse the nature of the private right enjoyed by bach holders in publicly owned lands, and observe the convergence of historic, social and cultural factors that have enabled a limited form of private tenure on Crown land.The tenacity of bach tenure exemplifies how uncertain private rights in public lands may prevail, notwithstanding that the interest is a simple, even whimsical, footnote in New Zealand's social history.