Recent stories
We are pleased to bring you the latest from around the Taupō & Tūrangi communities. Reporting local, supporting local.
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Bridges and bush in the Ruapehu
The call went out early for wet weather gear, a change of clothing and horror of horrors, umbrellas.
The gift that keeps on giving
In 1887, the then paramount chief of Ngāti Tūwharetoa Horonuku Te Heuheu Tukino 1V, gifted the sacred summits of Tongariro to the government to protect their tapu, but also, as Sir Hepi Te Heuheu wrote “to be owned by no-one and yet be for everyone”.
Waitahanui, pretty as a picture
Taupō turned on another stunning Monday; perfect for our walk along a section of lake shore and the Waitahanui River.
Rotorua in the spring
Sunny faced daffodils nodded a cheery welcome to us, and to the first day of spring, as we arrived at the Rotorua lakefront.
The ‘Dinosaur Forest’
If we were eggs, we would have been cracked and scrambled by the time we arrived at the River Road carpark in the Whirinaki Te Pua-a- Tāne Conservation Park.
Foreign tourist levy for Tongariro
Foreign visitors will be charged a fee of $20-$40 to walk the Tongariro Crossing and three other popular New Zealand places.
Walking to the centre of God’s Own
The establishment of the 78,000 hectare Pureora Forest Park has long been regarded as a hero story in New Zealand’s conservation history.
The dam that disappeared
Another beautiful Monday, how fortunate we have been with the weather.
Walking into an otherworldly scene
Rainbow Crater, Sulphur Crystal Cliffs, the Lagoon, Sauron’s Eye, Miner’s Lament all names oozing drama and colour.
For the fun of the run
Despite the wind and the rain, 200 people were up bright and early on Saturday morning pounding the pavement between Two Mile Bay and Wharewaka.
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.
At peace with nature
Life is a series of changing seasons and Matariki and the winter solstice is a perfect time to remember those and what has passed, celebrate what we have and reflect on the future.
Still a ‘great’ overnighter
The Tongariro Northern Circuit as a multi-day Great Walk loop is out of action over the 2025-26 season to make way for construction of a new Oturere Hut.
Taupō’s Waikato River walks
Another blue-sky Monday. How fortunate we were especially with the huge downpour on Sunday night and meteorological winter only weeks away.
Exploring ‘otherworldly’ Tokaanu
Rāhina dawned, chilly, crisp and clear.
Family walks length of NZ
A Taupō family of six has walked the length of the country along the Te Araroa trail, homeschooling all the way, having never done an overnight hike before.
Fairytale landscape to explore
Despite dire forecasts of rain an optimistic crowd of walkers set off for the Ohaaki Wetlands.
‘Mirror perfect’ Lake Okataina
This Rāhina we walked a medley of short, easy trails in the Lake Ōkataina Scenic Reserve.
Symmetry across the lake
A pea soup fog had us creeping along Broadlands Road at snail’s pace before we broke free of the gloom on the Rotorua side of Rainbow Mountain.
The toil and trouble of Ōpepe Reserve
Today’s medley of walks may have been short on distance but certainly not short on variety, history, information or fun.
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