Latest news with #Taupo
RNZ News
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- RNZ News
Taupo dinosaur statue 'Boom Boom' explodes online
life and society arts about 1 hour ago Boom Boom, the Taupo dinosaur, is exploding on social media after a rocky start with some rate payers. The near ten metre tall dinosaur scuplture sitting on a large geometric rock is the town's latest attraction. The scultpture first gained attention after the council contributed a one off grant of one hundred thousand dollars, while residents are facing a rates increase of more than eight percent. Now Boom Boom is attracting international attention online. Taupo Mayor David Tewavas spoke to Lisa Owen.
RNZ News
22-05-2025
- Automotive
- RNZ News
Christchurch to stage Supercars in three-year NZ double-header
New Zealand driver Andre Heimgartner won race one of the Australian Supercars championship round in Taupo. Photo: Photosport New Zealand will stage two Supercar rounds for the next three years after Christchurch was confirmed as the first-ever South Island venue. A revamped Ruapuna Raceway will host rounds of the Australasian touring car championship from 2026-28, along with Taupō, which has extended its deal for the same period. It will be the first time New Zealand has staged two rounds in the same season, with Supercars chief executive Shane Howard hailing the work of numerous bodies to bring racing to the club-run Ruapuna venue, 15km west of Christchurch. Race start with Broc Feeney & Jamie Whincup (Red Bull Ampol Triple 8 Camaro) leading the filed. 2023 Supercars Bathurst 1000. Photo: PHOTOSPORT Howard said the government, Christchurch City Council's economic development agency and the Canterbury Car Club worked together to present a financially-sound vision. "This is an incredibly exciting day for Supercars and for fans across New Zealand," Howard said. "Christchurch is a motorsport city, and Ruapuna is a circuit with huge potential. This is a passionate community with a proud history, and we are thrilled to bring Supercars to the South Island for the first time. "Since Supercars' first visit to New Zealand in 2001, more than 2.3 million fans have attended championship events across the country and we're thrilled to be bringing a second event to the country that makes up 20 per cent of our total audience. "We know what Supercars means to New Zealanders. This is going to be a two-week celebration of Kiwi motorsport that will rival any on our calendar." Ruapuna Raceway will undergo a multimillion-dollar upgrade ahead of the event, including track resurfacing and a rebuilt supporters' lounge. Ruapuna Raceway Photo: photosport Canterbury Car Club has already raised nearly $1 million toward the first stage of development. Club president, Lewis Low said he was proud the club had been added to the Supercars calendar. "This is a dream come true for our club and for motorsport fans right across the South Island. It's the result of years of hard work from our dedicated volunteers and supporters, and we couldn't be more excited to welcome Supercars to our home," he said. "Ruapuna has a proud grassroots heritage, and this investment will help us transform the venue into a world-class facility that can deliver an unforgettable experience for fans, teams and drivers alike." Photo: RNZ / Angus Dreaver Tourism and Hospitality Minister Louise Upston said the announcement was significant. "For more than 20 years Supercars Championship events have played an important role showcasing our beautiful country to an international audience and I'm thrilled the South Island will now be part of this from next year," she said. "I'm pleased that with this investment from our Major Events Fund, New Zealand's strong relationship with Supercars will continue in Taupo and extend to include Christchurch, with all the benefits that brings." Christchurch mayor Phil Mauger expected the event in Ruapuna would "inject millions into our local economy - from tourism and hospitality to local jobs and infrastructure". Grove Racing driver Matt Payne celebrates winning race 10 of the V8 Supercar season, Taupo International Motorsport Park, Taupo, Sunday, 13, April, 2025. Photo: Kerry Marshall / Photosport Photo: Kerry Marshall/ More than 67,000 fans were attracted to the event at Taupō International Motorsport Park last year, resulting in 22,000 visitor nights and $5.8 million in visitor spending. Taupō District mayor David Trewavas was delighted to receive confirmation for three more years. "The Supercars event has already proven to be a huge success for our community - it brings energy, visitors, and international attention to our district," Trewavas said. "To see it grow into a two-week New Zealand celebration alongside Christchurch is fantastic for the whole country."
RNZ News
21-05-2025
- Politics
- RNZ News
Concerns about Lake Taupō pollution under proposed blanket national wastewater standards
Skipper Tahlia Pook (R) and her crew for the Chris Jolly Outdoors lake cruise. Photo: RNZ / Libby Kirkby-McLeod The fog has burnt off to a fine day as skipper Tahlia Pook brings her catamaran back to dock. She had taken a boatload of visitors on a Chris Jolly Outdoors lake cruise, and she said the quality of the lake was a big draw. "This is kind of why people come to Taupō, people love seeing our crystal-clear waters and just about every customer who comes on comments on how clear the water is," she said. She worried this would be tarnished if there was a lowering of the standard of wastewater going into the lake. "Maybe they don't quite understand what it will do for our businesses and stuff like that. Maybe if they wanted to come out and see how pristine it is, because I don't think you quite get how beautiful and how pristine it is until you are actually out here." In a submission to the Water Services Authority - Taumata Arowai, Waikato Regional Council said the standards could result in water quality loss across the region. "Many existing municipal wastewater discharges have contaminant standards in their existing consents or current applications which are of higher quality than what the Standards would require. The Standards would undo significant work and investment already undertaken by territorial authorities and encouraged by the Council, in upgrading wastewater treatment plant discharges," the council said in its submission. Lake Taupō. Photo: RNZ / Libby Kirkby-McLeod Waikato Regional Council's Mike Scarsbrook said it was like setting one speed limit for every road in the country - some might end up safer, but others would be made more dangerous. "The challenge with having national standards is that some waterways that might need a greater level of protection aren't necessarily protected by those national standards," he said. One area which needed higher than average standards was Lake Taupō. The council asked that the new standards not impact the work that had been done to restore the lake, or override the Lake Taupō provisions of the Regional Plan. "When we've looked at the current standards across the region, versus the proposed standards, there is quite a marked softening of the standards compared to what's in place already, including around Lake Taupō," Scarsbrook said. Another concern for the council was that the proposed standards would conflict with existing Treaty Settlement obligations. In its submission, the regional council recommended the Water Services Authority clarified the relationship between the wastewater standards and Treaty Settlement obligations including Te Ture Whaimana. Robert York and Jenny Noonan would be unhappy to see the quality of the lake water change. Photo: RNZ / Libby Kirkby-McLeod "The proposed standards will conflict with the existing Treaty Settlement obligations to be met in the Waikato, Waipā and Taupō catchments, including meeting Te Ture Whaimana and Te Kaupapa Kaitiaki objectives." The chief executive of Tūwharetoa Māori Trust Board, Rakeipoho Taiaroa, said it also had serious concerns. "Of particular concern are proposals that fall short of maintaining the freshwater quality we've fought hard to protect and restore. These taonga cannot afford diluted standards or approaches that prioritise box-ticking compliance over holistic, on-the-ground solutions like Te Ture Whaimana. Most importantly, decades of collaboration between councils, hapū, and iwi to protect these waters cannot be sidelined - our partnerships are the foundation of progress," he said. Taiaroa said Te Ture Whaimana o Te Awa o Waikato, the Vision and Strategy for the Waikato River, is a legally binding commitment under the settlements. "National standards must align with this framework, not weaken it." Chief executive of the Water Service Authority Allan Prangnell said that the national wastewater standards were not finalised yet but he believes the draft standards will lift performance of wastewater treatment in the Taupō catchment. "Across the Waikato - Waipā catchment, five of the 22 wastewater treatment plants discharging to water are operating on expired consents. This is reflective of the national picture, with 20 percent of all wastewater treatment plants operating on expired consents. Within the next decade, 60 percent of all public wastewater treatment plants will require reconsenting," he said. The wastewater standards are proposed as a way to address this bow wave of reconsenting. "To ensure that a once-in-a-generation upgrade of New Zealand's wastewater treatment plants is done in a way that is efficient, cost-effective and ensures ratepayers are not funding unnecessary duplication in consenting and infrastructure costs." Raymond Kahia and his family. Photo: RNZ / Libby Kirkby-McLeod Locals at the lake edge said they did not want more pollution going into Lake Taupō. "No one in their right mind would be happy if they are going to change the lake," said Robert York. "That they pour more waste into our awa? I think that no good," Raymond Kahia. Consultation on the proposed changes has finished and the national wastewater standards are expected to be set later this year. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
19-05-2025
- Business
- RNZ News
Cheapest petrol in NZ: Newcomer U-GO takes the crown from Gull
Gull was credited with shaking up competition in the fuel sector through the 'Gull effect' when it opened stations around the country Photo: RNZ / Dan Cook For a long time, New Zealand's cheapest petrol was often found at Gull Ātiamuri. But now, fuel price monitoring site Gaspy says it is U-GO Waikaraka, Auckland, that has the cheapest gas - and Gull is not the outlier it once was. On Monday, U-GO was selling 91 petrol for $229.7, Gaspy said. While Gull was credited with shaking up competition in the fuel sector through the 'Gull effect' when it opened stations around the country, Gaspy director Mike Newton said that impact had been more muted recently. "In the past four months the gap between the national average price for 91 and the Gull National average price for 91 has closed slightly. Mid-January Gull was 3.45c cheaper than the national average, whereas it is now 2.53c cheaper. "Gull Ātiamuri, partway between Taupō and Tokoroa, used to be the cheapest station in the country by quite a bit - whereas now it's not even close." Newton said there were a large number of Auckland stations that were only 1c more expensive than the U-Go, operated by Z Energy. Last week, motorists on a Facebook community page complained that on Whangārei's Gull discount day, the local New World petrol was still 11c cheaper. "Also cheaper are Allied Whangārei, Gull Wellsford, Waitomo Kaikohe and Gull Snells Beach," one person wrote. Commerce Commission data showed that at times since June 2022, the discounted price of fuel from BP, Mobil and Z - such as when people are using their rewards apps - was at or even below the Gull price. Terry Collins, AA principal policy adviser for transport policy and advocacy, said he could often find cheaper options than the Gull discounts he was sent. He said it could be that since it was sold in 2022, Gull's new owner had a different business model. "Since the sale of Gull, we have seen Kiwi-owned independents like Allied and NPD and Waitomo entering the market with low-cost self-service models that seem to be offering sharper prices. 'The Gull effect' is now the 'independents effect'." Gull spokesperson Michael Clifton said Gull was well-known for its discounts to motorists "as part of delivering fuel savings for all Kiwis". "For the last 20 years Gull has provided regular discounts in increasing frequence with no transactional limits or loyalty cards required. The variety of prices available is evidence of 'the Gull effect' creating a competitive market. "
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Travel + Leisure
15-05-2025
- Travel + Leisure
One of New Zealand's Most Impressive Stays Is Back—With 20 Suites Set Along the Country's Longest River
The lodge is set on 17 acres of wild-meets-manicured gardens, filled with birdsong and anchored by the mesmerizing Waikato River. Arriving guests are ushered straight to seats by the river and welcomed with charcuterie platters and Louis Roederer Champagne. The new River Room is an instant hit for its front-row water views and striking design of oversized ship's lights, brass fireplace, and window-hugging lounges. The range and number of activities—both within the lodge grounds and in the surrounding Taupō area, one of New Zealand's top spots for adventure and nature tourism—are impressive. The hedge-lined driveway at Huka Lodge meanders through what, at first, feels like impeccable English parklands, with checkered lawns, flowerbeds, and an ornamental pond complete with resident ducks. But as we round a bend to the main lodge, I catch my first sight of the Waikato River, a quicksilver streak of glacial green-blue rushing along the edge of the 17-acre property, and the scene is suddenly transformed into something wild and untamed—and unmistakably New Zealand. It was this mesmerizing river, the country's longest, that first lured thrill-seekers to this spot over a century ago. In 1924, Irishman Alan Pye opened a canvas-tented fisherman's camp where keen anglers could match their skills against the Waikato's spirited rainbow trout. The camp's fame soon spread, attracting A-list anglers, including British royalty, the aviator Charles Lindbergh, and novelist James Michener. Nowadays, the setting has lost none of its allure—nor its celebrity clientele—but Huka is a more elaborate affair of 20 riverside suites and two cottages anchored by a two-story lodge above the emerald torrent. Fresh from a 10-month, $14-million renovation under new owners Baillie Lodges, Huka now offers even more vantage points from which to admire the Waikato River. Besides an expanded restaurant and extra decking, there's a striking new River Room with walls of white-paned windows that put guests closer to the action than ever. The hotel gardens along the banks of the Waikato River. George Apostolides/Courtesy of Huka Lodge New Zealand's so-called 'lodge queen' Virginia Fisher, who designed the interiors when Huka became a bricks-and-mortar lodge in 1984, oversaw its latest makeover and has stayed true to what she calls its 'retro, camping-by-the-river' feel while modernizing it for the next century. The trademark tartan has gone, but there are echoes of it in discreetly grid-patterned rugs, stylish plaids, and checked blankets. Original furnishings have been reupholstered, and tables resurfaced, and Fisher has added emphatic bursts of color—a jewel-green velvet sofa in the cocktail lounge and raspberry-hued linen drapes in the dining room. She also enhanced the lodge's art collection, mostly gilt-framed oils of landscapes and animals, with specially commissioned works showcasing New Zealand's indigenous Māori culture. Her style is quite sumptuous but also eclectic. Everywhere I look, something catches my eye—the filigreed eel traps on the lodge's exterior, an antique leather pommel repurposed as a coffee table, hall chairs with backs twisted into Celtic crosses, and, the crowd favorite, an old Spanish cabinet she reconfigured as the cocktail bar. Its four paneled doors open almost ceremonially each evening for drinks. Mornings at Huka are magical as mists lift from the river and cloak the gardens of tree ferns, flax, totara, and rimu pines. It's a scene I enjoyed from my canopied bed or sitting on the deck with an espresso and a shortbread from the minibar. Ideally, I'd spend my days admiring this river from every angle—breakfasting on the restaurant's terrace, walking down to the nearby falls where narrow gorges turn the Waikato into raging cascades and hiking along the opposite bank to bathe in riverside hot springs. But there are many modern distractions at the new Huka—from spa treatments and a forest-view sauna to a tennis court and workouts in the sleek gym. And there is neighboring Lake Taupō, a geothermal hotspot popular for watersports and outdoor activities in one of New Zealand's most striking natural landscapes. Regardless of how guests spend their days, come evening, everyone gathers for cocktails and canapes, ideally in the River Room, where I like to sit on the leather fender by the fireplace and watch the river float by in the fading light. Here's what it's like to stay at the new Huka Lodge. A deep soaking tub in a guest room bathroom. George Apostolides/Courtesy of Huka Lodge The number of accommodations remains the same after the renovation, but each has received such a comprehensive facelift that, despite some being over 40 years old, it's impossible to detect any signs of age. The 20 suites fan out from a fern-lined walkway and are arranged in twos and threes along the river, some with shared foyers and others with private entrances. The duplex Alan Pye cottage has two king bedrooms, an infinity pool, and a hot tub opening onto riverside lawns, while the four-bedroom Van Heeren cottage features a sun deck, plunge pool, and spa set on a bluff above the Waikato. The 645-square-foot lodge suites are richly textured in linen, wool, and leather to create cozy retreats in New Zealand's cool climate, with walls of glass that can open to the river and gardens in warmer weather. Furnished timber decks step down to clipped lawns and sun loungers. New suite features include custom AH Beard king beds curtained in fine linen, chaise longues, and personal bars stocked with New Zealand wines and beers, local craft sodas, and regional products, including chocolate and triple-cream Brie. My favorite treat is Huka kitchen's fat, buttery shortbread discs studded with sugar crystals. The bathrooms, located just beyond the walk-in dressing rooms, are a highlight. Timber-floored and skylit, the centerpiece is a chrome-railed bath set beside mullioned windows looking out to fern gardens, a lovely spot for a lavender and bergamot-scented soak. Lodge dining leans heavily on New Zealand's pristine produce and the easy sophistication of Pacific cuisine, whether it's the breakfast honeycomb cut straight from the estate's hives or Mount Cook alpine salmon from the country's purest streams. At breakfast, the buffet is arranged on and around the kitchen pass with baked bread and pastries, including flaky croissants and pains au chocolat, fresh fruits, cereals, charcuterie, and cheeses. Start here, then order off the menu, featuring classics such as eggs benedict and pancakes with lodge marmalade. The restaurant is an elegantly relaxed, split-level space with a riverside terrace. There are fireplaces inside and out and heated gazebos that allow for riverfront dining in any weather. Lunch offers upscale comfort foods such as pappardelle with prawns, Lake Ohau sirloin, and chocolate fondant, while dinner comprises four-course menus adjusted to taste and dietary requirements. Highlights from my dining included an heirloom tomato tart with local Cranky Goat cheese and sturgeon caviar from Rotorua, and Mount Cook salmon with yuzu and nori tapioca. Wines were well chosen for each course, but for something special, there's a cellar list of 4,500 bottles showcasing 90 percent New Zealand wines plus benchmark vintages from Australia and France. Guests staying three nights or more are treated to dinner in one of the lodge's specialty dining spaces, which include an al fresco 'green room' walled by hedges and warmed by heaters and blankets; the sunken wine cellar; and The Library, where the late British Queen Elizabeth II dined during her four visits here. Aerial view of the spa tennis courts. George Apostolides/Courtesy of Huka Lodge On-site lodge activities are concentrated in an extravagantly hedged enclosure containing a tennis court, croquet lawn, and petanque pitch. There is also a compact pool, two hot tubs in a terraced garden setting, and a yoga lawn for personal practice or private classes with an instructor (by appointment). It's a short walk to Huka Falls, a two-tiered cascade where I watch intrepid kayakers plunge over the drops and survive. Staff can also arrange jet-boating journeys to the base of the falls. Guests can borrow a mountain bike or e-bike and tackle more than 60 miles of trails along the Waikato River. The lodge supplies rods for catch-and-release fly fishing, but if you're serious about snaring a rainbow trout, then book an excursion to Lake Taupō. Huka partners with local tour company Chris Jolly Outdoors for fishing, hiking, and biking adventures centered mostly on the lake. I spent a half-day with them on a refurbished 1970s timber boat, cruising the lake, visiting contemporary Māori rock carvings, and dining on barbequed steaks and salads. One of our group caught a trout big enough to bring back to the lodge, where it was served finely filleted on blinis with sundowner cocktails. High-flyers can charter a helicopter to explore the volcanic landscapes of Tongariro National Park and Rotorua, as well as the prized vines of Craggy Range in Hawke's Bay for a private tour of the estate and cellars, wine tastings, a gastronomic lunch, and your pick of six premium bottles to be packaged up and delivered home. The 2025 renovation has added a two-room spa housed in cottages inspired by typical New Zealand 'bach' holiday homes. Accessed via a woodland path, the spa also offers twin ice-bucket baths, a soaking hot tub set among ferns, and a sauna with calming rainforest views. The spa treatment menu incorporates Indigenous elements such as manuka honey, energizing greenstone (a type of jade), and thermal muds drawn from the surrounding volcanic landscape. Small-batch Verité Spa skincare products are made locally from organic plant extracts such as blue tansy and kiwifruit seed. Treatments range from hour-long Kanohi Radiance facials that combine thermal-mud face masks and collagen-boosting face serums to the two-hour signature Aroha Goddess ritual of aromatic massage, back exfoliation, and anti-aging facial with rosehip and sandalwood. There are more than a dozen indulgence options to choose from, most incorporating some elements of Māori beliefs or rituals; therapists recommend choosing one that 'resonates with your mood or desired focus.' The newly installed gym next door is a glass-walled pavilion equipped with medicine balls, ropes, and a punching bag by the cult German fitness brand Artzt, overlooking a tranquil garden. The lodge is open to children 10 and above but does not offer any special activities or menus for younger guests. They are treated as small adults and expected to behave as such. There is one adapted suite (number four) for guests with limited mobility. The main lodge building is partially wheelchair accessible except for the lower dining room and upstairs lounges. Huka is on the national grid which generates more than 80 per cent renewable energy largely from hydroelectric power, including the Waikato River. Transfers and local transport is by Mercedes Benz electric vans, and water is drawn straight from the river and purified for lodge use. Huka Lodge is on the edge of Taupō, a geothermal region in the center of the North Island known for its therapeutic hot springs and a vast lake the size of Singapore popular for watersports, sailing, trout fishing, and forest hikes. There are also leading golf courses nearby and the Tongariro National Park for epic walks and winter skiing and snowboarding on Mount Ruapehu. Taupō is a three-hour drive from New Zealand's largest city, Auckland. The lodge can arrange transfers, or guests can choose to rent a car and drive themselves. Major agencies, including Avis, Budget, and Hertz, operate from Taupō airport. Once clear of Auckland, the roads are uncongested and easy to navigate for those comfortable driving on the 'opposite' side of the road. Alternatively, guests can book a 30-minute scheduled flight with Air New Zealand or charter a 70-minute helicopter hop. There is parking for five helicopters on Huka's 18-acre greenfield site next door. Huka Lodge and Baillie Lodges do not currently participate in any loyalty program. Lodge rates include a hearty country breakfast, pre-dinner drinks and canapés, and a four-course dinner with paired wines. Nightly rates at Huka Lodge start from around $1,700 per suite, with a minimum two-night stay. Every T+L hotel review is written by an editor or reporter who has stayed at the property, and each hotel selected aligns with our core values.
