Dan Hutchinson 16/04/2026 Dan Hutchinson 16/04/2026

Tūrangi’s ‘Harbour bridge’ to be replaced

Work is set to begin on a replacement for the Major Jones swing bridge over the Tongariro River in Tūrangi.

Dan Hutchinson 02/04/2026 Dan Hutchinson 02/04/2026

Call of the wild is strong

Thousands of hunters are heading for the hills in the central North Island over Easter weekend.

Dan Hutchinson 26/03/2026 Dan Hutchinson 26/03/2026

Positives sprout from burnt national park

Some good news is sprouting from the fire-damaged Tongariro National Park with ecologists discovering an abundance of a threatened plant species.

Dan Hutchinson 26/02/2026 Dan Hutchinson 26/02/2026

Visitor levy funds Tongariro fire restoration

The Government is putting $3.5 million from the International Visitor Levy into the restoration of 3000ha of Tongariro National Park that was damaged by fire.

Dan Hutchinson 05/02/2026 Dan Hutchinson 05/02/2026

Good sort keeps it green

Rachel Thompson, environmental educator for Kids Greening Taupō, is this month’s Harcourts Taupō Good Sort for her work in preventing invasive gold clams from entering Lake Taupō.

Dan Hutchinson 05/02/2026 Dan Hutchinson 05/02/2026

Planting seeds of knowledge

Taupō is producing a generation of young people with a huge understanding of the ecology they live in, and ground-breaking education is starting to be picked up in other regions.

Dan Hutchinson 20/11/2025 Dan Hutchinson 20/11/2025

Tongariro open for business

The Tongariro Alpine Crossing has reopened, albeit with a charred section at the beginning of the track.

Dan Hutchinson 15/10/2025 Dan Hutchinson 15/10/2025

Shining a light on the cuckoo

Research is starting soon on the long-tailed cuckoo (koekoeā) in the central North Island.

Dan Hutchinson 13/08/2025 Dan Hutchinson 13/08/2025

National park dog photo earns owner $400 fine

A woman who took photographs of herself illegally taking several dogs into Tongariro National Park has been given a $400 infringement notice for her “blatant disregard” of the law.

Dan Hutchinson 16/07/2025 Dan Hutchinson 16/07/2025

Popular track off-limits to vehicles

The Department of Conservation is reminding four-wheel drive owners that the 42 Traverse is off-limits over winter to protect the track.

Dan Hutchinson 03/07/2025 Dan Hutchinson 03/07/2025

A walk back in time

Today we walked in New Zealand’s largest mainland ecological island, an area protected by 47 kilometers of pest proof fencing situated on Maungatautari.

Dan Hutchinson 29/05/2025 Dan Hutchinson 29/05/2025

DOC says ‘don’t bring the dog’

Tongariro Department of Conservation rangers in Ohakune have come up with a lighthearted way to educate their furry friends on the rules for Tongariro National Park.

Kim Manunui 03/04/2025 Kim Manunui 03/04/2025

Time running out for wild horses

Homes are being sought for 250 wild horses to avoid the need for more drastic measures. The Kaimanawa horses are a heritage herd that lives in the Moawhango Ecological Zone, most of which is in the Waiouru Military Training Area.

Kim Manunui 27/03/2025 Kim Manunui 27/03/2025

RMA reforms to end ‘culture of no’

The Government says it will cut up to 45% off compliance and administrative costs with its Resource Management Act reforms.

Kim Manunui 25/03/2025 Kim Manunui 25/03/2025

Planting days about to get underway

As daylight saving draws to a close and cooler autumn temperatures set in, Greening Taupō is ready to launch its planting calendar for 2025. Each year, Greening Taupō, Kids Greening Taupō and Project Tongariro plant about 30,000 native trees, inviting individuals, families, groups, and businesses to get involved.