Recent stories
We are pleased to bring you the latest from around the Taupō & Tūrangi communities. Reporting local, supporting local.
If you have news to share contact news@tauponews.co.nz

Young footballer off to Barcelona
Oliver Thomas’s 2025 Christmas present has really turned into the gift that keeps on giving.

Watch out there’s crocs on the loose
There’s a rule in journalism that if you write a story about how dry the weather has been, it will invariably rain.
Danny needs a home
Hello to my new parents, thank-you for choosing me! My name is Danny, I'm the only boy! I am black with a little streak of white on the front of my chest and I’m at Taupō SPCA.
A feast of food and kapa haka
Flash floods and strong winds couldn't stop 800 free hāngi packs being given away at the Ruia Taitea festival on the weekend.

Inaugural iwi-led art awards set to stun
The longevity, resilience, innovation and sustainability of Ngāti Tūwharetoa are encapsulated in the theme for the inaugural iwi-led art awards.

Locky Docks bring cycle security
Road bikes, mountain bikes, e-bikes, BMX bikes - no matter the bicycle, people can now lock up and charge for free in the Taupō CBD. The days of lugging a bike lock around are over with Locky Dock stations popping up all over New Zealand. The new stations being installed in Taupō are a first in the Central Plateau.

Cactus course sharpens young minds
Sergeant Shane McNally has been at the pointy end of proactive policing for the past 12 years. Next week Sgt McNally will kick off the 20th Cactus Programme to be held in Taupō. He has been involved in every one of them and has seen about 530 young people pass through it in that time.
Taupō schools not immune to staff shortages
Taupō is not immune to the national teacher shortage, says the Taupō Principal’s Association, but local schools are working hard to hire the best teachers for their students.

New mosque planned for Taupō
In the space of a decade, the Taupō Muslim community has outgrown its small and humble masjid (mosque) on the corner of Kaimanawa and Tamamutu Streets. They are planning to replace the current building with a two-storey house of worship.
Speed limit changes proposed for Taupō-Tūrangi route
The Taupō-Tūrangi road corridor is back in the news – though this time not for a road closing crash. Consultation is now open on the coalition government’s announcement that speed limits dropped in 2020 will revert to 100km/h on several of the country’s highways.

Taupō to host historic boxing clash
Taupō will make history in April when world champion boxer Lani Daniels defends her IBF Light Heavyweight title. Daniels (Ngāti Hine/Ngāpuhi) won her first world title against Alrie Meleisea in May.
Glad to be still kicking
Being told over the phone by my neurologist I likely had ‘six months to two years to live,’ was fairly sobering.
Yet, here I am, a little over 15 years later – fortunate to be still alive and kicking.

Kinloch wins from ‘polite persistence’
So as not to leave any cause unmentioned, Belinda Walker turns up to our interview with a graphic organiser. Though, to be fair, it is more of a plan for enhancements the Kinloch community.

Tinder dry Taupō
Rain over the Auckland Anniversary Weekend may have dampened holiday spirits but it has given some relief to farmers and fire fighters.

Standing up for the Great Lake
Now she has turned 80 there are some pastimes long-time conservationist Laurie Burdett is pulling back from, but her commitment to Lake Taupō and the surrounding environment remains firm.

Taupō in a spin over disc golf
Over the last week, Taupō has welcomed, entertained, challenged and befriended world disc royalty at the now legendary Spa Park Disc Golf Course.

‘Fun and games’ for racing club president
King’s Service Medal recipient Terry Cambell is keen to acknowledge the part fellow Taupo Racing Club Committee members play in the club’s success and his award.
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