Recent Stories
We are pleased to bring you the latest from around the Taupō & Tūrangi communities. Reporting local, supporting local.
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Tasty event takes top honours
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.
At sea with ‘Pete the Fish’
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.
No point ducking for cover
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.
There’s something in the air
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.
‘Superb’ music treats Midday Concert goers
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.
A global sensation
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.
Calm after the Storm
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.
Golden retrievers’ day in the sun
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.
The ‘mack daddy’ of prizes
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.
Bringing back the Moon walk
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.
Working with the trees
Tama Blackburn sees himself as a weaver, bringing together the many strands of passion and care for the Pureora Forest Park and surrounding areas, to produce something everyone is proud of.
Tama, 41, is DOC’s Project Co-Lead for Pureora, a relatively new role in the department’s Maniapoto team.
High up in the search results
Richie Stokes has clocked up four decades with Taupō Land Search and Rescue (LandSAR).
He joined the group in January 1986, bringing a strong hunting and outdoors background that helped strengthen search and rescue capability across the central North Island.
The best in the business
Taupō's Stella Awards are back, with 47 finalists announced this week and a public vote introduced for the first time.
Organiser Julie McLeod says the awards recognise businesses 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.
Local body musical chairs
Taupō mayor John Funnell is concerned debt-laden Waikato councils are eyeing up the district as a potential “cash cow”.
The Taupō District Council meets today to finalise its response to the Government’s Head Start process having been caught up in a late Western Waikato proposal.
Power shortage imminent
Transpower has issued a warning that there might be an energy shortfall on Friday morning.
It has put out a customer advice notice, which says a national energy shortfall or low residual generation had been identified on Friday from 7.30am until 8.30am.
Trewavas family to hold private funeral
The funeral for former mayor David Trewavas will be a “private celebration” with a larger memorial service possible at a later date.
Sika move could boost tourism
The new Herd of Special Interest status of the Kaimanawa and Kaweka sika deer population could have positive effects on local tourism, Destination Great Lake Taupō says.
Mountains and rivers define communities in iwis’ proposal
A group of central North Island iwi has unveiled a proposal to reorganise local government around the region's mountains, river catchments and the communities connected to them.
Tributes flow for former Mayor David Trewavas
Long-serving Taupō Mayor David Trewavas has died
What’s On…
WHAT’S ON…Join the Midday Concert on August 7 at St Andrew's Church, 91 Tītīraupenga Street to celebrate the art of storytelling through music with the New Zealand String Quartet.
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