Kia Ora Turangi

Now the tourist season is full on, and to celebrate next month when a restored super smooth (no potholes!) Desert Road will be returned, it is Turangi’s turn for our own updated tourist information newsletter. 

Tourism research website blogs advise that forward-thinking ‘moteliers’ (like SWMBO?) need to respond more to prospective guests’ new hunger for local experiences by moving beyond their traditional boring motel brand marketing style.

i.e. What guests really want to know is:

What’s right outside your front door?

What can they walk or bike to?

Where can they find the best local fare?

Where can they catch a good happy hour?

Where can they buy locally made items they won’t find anywhere else?

Motels need to concentrate on local and neighbourhood content

So TRM’s response (in the format of a typical Turangi out-of-date brief promotional video produced 8 years ago!) provides for your holiday planning…

Every week the NZ Herald Travel Supplement used to review a small town.  

This is the BIG one…

As Turangi has not been featured by the NZ Herald since 2013, Tongariro River Motel have prepared a completely unbiased (?) local version using the same format for tourists’ consideration…

Origins:

An abbreviation of Turangitukua, a Maori leader who must have been a great fisherman.  Their tribal land was acquired to develop Turangi township during the 1970’s.  Excavations for the Tongariro Power Development unearthed 16 pre-maori villages, 246 pre-maori dwellings, artefacts carbon dated around 400 AD, etc. originally occupied by Moa Hunters, Fairy folk and Hobbits.

Population: 

About 2900 and, strangely, still steadily falling.  Why? The houses get snapped up for holiday homes. About 1970 it peaked at over 9000 for the Tongariro Hydro Development but in the years since 2001 census, Turangi resident population fell 14% while the rest of NZ rose 11%.  About 64% are permanent resident-occupied homes with 36% holiday homes.

Where is it:   

Halfway to everywhere – located where SH 1 crosses the Tongariro River and surrounded by National Parks with dual world heritage status.  Midway Wellington (320km) & Auckland (310km).  Midway Napier & New Plymouth.  Midway Hamilton and Palmerston North.  Midway Tokoroa & Taihape. 

Midway Paradise and Heaven.

Town Slogan: 

“Trout Fishing Capital of the World”.  When the Toepaw Council tried to relabel the town as “The Source of Great Lake Taupo” a Facebook appeared to “Save the Signs” to reflect the passion of locals for trout fishing.  They have since removed the offending “source” sign to restore local pride.

Source of Pride:  

Trout Fishing Capital of the World.  Tongariro River is a world-renowned trout fishing paradise offering fly fishing for huge wild trout all year from over 50 famous historic named pools. 

More books have been published about trout fishing on the Tongariro than any other river in NZ. “Tongariro Skulduggery“ is not just another fishing book. It is much more entertaining than that. It will soon become a collectors’ item – originally published over four years ago. Only available at TRM’s reception.

Town Mascots: 

Rainbow trout, Brown trout,  Wild trout. Trophy trout.  Big trout,  Huge Trout, Giant trout, More trout.

Famous anglers: 

All TRM inmates plus others who loved Turangi since the 1920’s include American author Zane Grey (returned three times to write about it), all the Royals since the Duchess of York (the Queen’s mother), Queen Elizabeth, King Charles, and many other celebrities – an incredible world famous trout fishing reputation.

Best local website:

What a question – we are so embarrassed that you even had to ask?  You are reading it (but sometimes you need to read between the lines…).

Main Employer:  

Tourist industry built around the trout fishing on the Tongariro River – 8 motels, 8 cafes, various B&B’s and backpackers – offering something for everyone – from upmarket superior lodges to specialist holiday locations even catering for campervans.

Best reason to stop: 

The National Tongariro Trout Centre is unique in NZ.  It includes a trout fishing museum and an underground viewing chamber to view trout in a natural spawning stream. They often hold a kids’ fishing day – the only guaranteed way to catch a trout in Turangi.  They will even smoke it for you to take home. Now they even farm trout for local iwi.  Amazing…

Best place to take kids:

Tongariro Trout Centre (trout farming factory?) or hike around the (1 hour) loop track from the Koura Street swing bridge past famous fishing pools and up and over the hill providing wide views over Turangi and Lake Taupo beyond.

Best entertainment: 

Along the river bank tourists can spot trout spawning and admire the action – aquatic ballet by geriatric anglers perfecting their combat casting.  This would easily be the most popular trout river in NZ where everyone can catch trout.  Great entertainment.

Best place for ‘happy hour’:

Turangi Tavern – recently refurbished, pleasant friendly family hotel atmosphere offers a budget menu or for mid-day caffeine hits there are 8 other cafes.

Best food:

Hare & Copper Restaurant – a wee way north out of town and an absolute treasure. Try the shared menu. Amazing chef and lovely staff. Turangi is very fortunate to have such a fine-dining restaurant to satisfy all the “foodies”.

Turangi Bakery’s pies are famous throughout NZ.

Best cafe:  

Creel Cafe, anglers’ heaven – healthy breakfasts and delicious finger food in a historic setting on  Taupahi Road. Probably the oldest tackle shop and cafe in NZ.

Best walk/jogging track:

Tongariro River Trail loop north of Major Jones Pool bridge is 1 hour, loop trail south to Red Hut Bridge to return via the Trout Centre –  15 km – 2 hours.  Joggers can add the north loop to extend it to 20 km.

Just out of town is the 2 hour circuit of a hidden Lake Rotopounamu (Greenstone Lake) winner of the NZ Herald’s readers favourite secret touristy place (or something like that?).

Best View: 

Lake Taupo – the largest most stunning lake in the North, South & West Islands erupted about 30,000 years ago on a Wednesday – best views from the lookout on SH47 about 6 km from Turangi or from the lookout track above the Tongariro River. 

Best Mountain Biking: 

Tongariro River Trail. For a BIG DAY OUT is the Tree Trunk Gorge to Pillars of Hercules trail then a secret route all the way back to TRM. Trail map from TRM.

An extraordinary new scenic bike track is still on Toepaw’s Council mind – the T2T – Taupo to Turangi along the lake edge.

Best tourist hike: 

Tongariro Alpine Crossing – it is so good that Taupo (50km North of Turangi) try to claim it as well.  It’s on everyone’s Bucket List.  Warning – it can get crowded on fine weekends.  A better more challenging alternative option away from the crowds is to climb Mt. Ruapehu in summer only.

Best place to pull over: 

Stump Bay – about 5 km north of Turangi off SH 1 provides safe swimming in Lake Taupo – nature’s 100% pure playground.

Best Playground: 

Lake Taupo for a natural beach playground or locally outside the indoor swimming pool in the town centre includes a skateboard park and a new little kids adventure playground.

Best Kept Secrets:  

Tongariro river-side walk between Taupahi Reserve and Koura Street is more scenic than Tamaki Drive or Oriental Parade.

The lower Tongariro River has the biggest Brown trout spawning area and nursery in NZ so Waikato Regional Council use it for a gravel quarry.  True!

Turangi has hidden the only underground power station in the North Island just off SH 1 – a must visit for tourists except Genesis won’t let you see it.

In 1970 the Turangi Museum attracted over 100,000 visitors to view the best collection of pre-maori artefacts in NZ.  Now they are locked up, the museum has since been demolished, so you can’t see them either.

A new tourist bike trail is still being planned from Taupo to Turangi (T2T) that will knock the socks off any other in NZ.   TRM predict it will become the most popular bike trail in NZ.   Watch this space…

Best swim:    

For natural heated soothing therapeutic thermal pools go to Tokaanu 5 km west or Turangi indoor heated pool.

Best sheltered sun bathing beach on Lake Taupo is at Pukawa – off SH41.

Best review:           

Turangi – a town with heart – dvd.- hire or buy from Civic videos

Best Wildlife: 

Trout, Rainbow trout, Brown trout, Wild trout, Trophy trout, Big trout, Huge trout, Giant trout, More trout…

Raiding flocks of Tuis trashing Kowhai trees along the Tongariro River Trail are unforgettable in early summer.

Best Historic site:

Te Porere Redoubt – on SH47 – historic battle site where a Maori rebel Te Kooti built a medieval castle so the Government Colonial troops could find him.  The last battle of the Maori Wars where both won?

Best Garden Sculpture:

The biggest trout fly in the world on corner of Poto and Kokopu Streets overlooking the Tongariro River.

Visitors say:  

When can we book again?

Locals say:  

I came to Turangi for a season 20 years ago.

Best images to reflect life in Turangi:

(1)  On right – a corporate box at the footy…

(2)  Below – a Turangi traffic jam…

You never know what you might see on the river trails.