Community

Taupō Hospital has more than double the number of Senior Medical Officers it had just over a year ago. 

A Taupō man who has been battling one of the most aggressive forms of prostate cancer is now hoping to establish the town's first support group for men with the disease. 

“If your dream doesn’t frighten you, it’s not big enough.” 

This was the catch phrase that Peter Feickert used to inspire the sheep farmers in the mountains of China.  

Taupō athletes have made their mark on the world stage, with four local competitors achieving outstanding results at the inaugural Deadly Dozen World Championships

Regional tourism agencies Destination Great Lake Taupō (Love Taupō) and RotoruaNZ are leading a government-funded campaign to promote a series of new food tourism trails

Last week’s fire at the Broadlands Road Geothermal Reserve has dealt a blow to a sensitive ecological area. 

Taupō District Mayor John Funnell says he’s ready to cap rate increases before they are required in 2029, but warns "something will have to give".

Join in with some great people helping to plant more native plants at Hipapatua.

Running a restaurant post-Covid has been a tough prospect but Phill and Nora Blackburne’s passion and perseverance is paying off in accolades and awards. 

When Taupō District Council concluded its education partnership with the Tongariro National Trout Centre in 2024, local school trips stopped going. 

Once a mutual match has been made, one of the first questions is often surprisingly.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says the government is not forcing amalgamation onto councils, and it is “up to you guys” what happens in Taupō. 

Taupō's newest hotel is almost ready to open its doors.  After almost four years of renovation, developer Murray Jones is putting the finishing touches on a 30-room hotel above Finns Bistro and Beer Garden on Tūwharetoa St. The next stage of the development will involve three apartments above Cobb & Co, attached to the new hotel. 

The cost of putting on events looks like it will hit both of Taupō’s fireworks shows this year.  The cancellation by the Taupō District Council of the town’s annual Big Bang New Year’s Eve fireworks display was last week being put down to costs and environmental concerns. 

They have been handing out prize money left right and centre at Lake Taupo Golf Challenge, with four people taking the top prize of $10,000 so far this year. The latest winner was Bruce Taylor from Taranaki who only hit 20 of his 50 balls before the $10,000 shot. 

How the district’s many parks and reserves are managed is under review.  The Taupō District Council is reviewing its reserve management plans and is asking people to tell them how they use these public spaces. 

At just 17 years old, I had the incredible opportunity to represent New Zealand on tour in South Africa with the New Zealand Ladies Polocrosse team (in June).  It was an experience I’ll never forget, and one that I’ll be proud of and cherish for the rest of my life. 

Taupō's Stella Awards are back, with 47 finalists set to be narrowed down to 11 winners including a public vote category for the first time.   The awards recognise businesses across the Taupō District that deliver outstanding customer experience at every point in the process — from the first social media scroll to the time the customer walks out the door.  

The biggest race at Taupō Racing Club didn’t disappoint on Sunday with a dramatic, come-from-behind win in the listed $100,000 Chittick Family Fillies Classic.  It may have been snowing on the nearby mountains, with a chilly wind whipping across the course, but that didn’t deter hundreds of punters keen to see Taupō’s richest race unfold. 

A second book by Taupō writer, Tom Clarke, has just been released. Entitled Great Tales of Aotearoa, it is the second in a series of books by the writer recounting forgotten or unknown stories from pioneering New Zealand and significant events from the early 20th century.  Tom is a former journalist and before turning to writing non-fiction books, spent five decades working in broadcasting and media across TV, radio, print journalism, PR, marketing, and business management. 

Treats of Taupō won Food, Beverage or Lifestyle Event of the Year at the New Zealand Event Awards. 

Treats of Taupō debuted in 2024 and was held again at the end of September 2025. 

Tūrangi’s Peter Deakin has spent more than 40 years at sea — from deck boy to deep-sea fisherman to rounding Cape Horn on the Endeavour. Now he's written it all down. 

Peter was just 10 years old when he talked his way onto a Yorkshire cobble in Bridlington. 

The Department of Conservation is going to new heights to check on the Whio (Blue Duck) population in the Tongariro area.  

Rangers are using thermal drones to find threatened whio . 

DOC has been doing surveys for deer over the past couple of years, using drones equipped with thermal and standard camera equipment. 

It’s back to the future for a local radio station in Taupō with a new face at the helm of Lake FM and Timeless Taupō. 

In his mid-30’s Jesse is already something of a veteran in the radio industry having started announcing for Whakatane’s 1XX in 2008. 

Taupō music lovers had a rare treat on Friday when the New Zealand String Quartet performed at the monthly lunchtime concert at St Andrews.  

The programme, designed to be readily approachable, consisted of a collection of works by Henry Purcell, Anthony Ritchie, Fanny Mendelssohn (the elder sister of the more famous Felix), Benjamin Britten, Antonin Dvorak, and three folk dances from the Danish String Quartet.

The Global Games New Zealand Junior Rugby Festival has been named Sports Event of the Year and Sustainable Event Initiative of the Year at the New Zealand Event Awards. 

Global Games founder Tyrone Campbell says the awards mark the realisation of an idea that first took shape while travelling overseas nearly two decades ago. 

Storm is looking for a forever home after losing a leg to a gunshot wound. 

The Taupō branch of Care NZ stepped in to save his life when his owners couldn't afford the surgery. 

There’s gold in them thar hills and it’s the doggie kind.

Golden retriever meets have become a global phenomenon in recent years and Taupō’s Lynda Gulbransen is making it happen right here in Taupō.

A Taupō couple who won $1million in Lotto on the weekend say they will pay off the mortgage and buy a ute that has cup holders. 

The pair, who wish to remain anonymous, are regular players who have been playing their own numbers for more than 20 years. In last Wednesday’s draw, they won some bonus lines. 

The new manager at Craters of the Moon is encouraging locals to come back for another look at the geothermal park in Wairakei. It’s fitting that Pip Dixon has a background in emergency response management, tourism management and regional council work in Hawkes Bay.