Tourists are more interested in local history and often ask about the background of the mighty hydro power scheme that created Turangi and dominates the natural surrounding landscape..

The detrimental effects are still being suffered. As a condition of the consent, the Government contractors, MOW (Ministry of Works), promised that the Tongariro River fishing would not be affected and that access to the lower river would be maintained. They lied. Fifty years later, compensation is still owing…

This claim, reported in the “Turangi Township Report 1995”, concerned the taking by the Crown of an extensive area of ancestral land under the compulsory acquisition provisions of the Public Works Act. There were many failures reported, in particular the Crown took between two-thirds and twice as much – 1665 acres, despite having promised to take no more than 800 to 1,000 acres. etc.

The loss to the fishing community was their failure to ensure the important trout fishery would not suffer or be degraded, and that increased flooding would not occur.

In the Turangi Township Report 1995 they concluded the claimants were entitled to be compensated for any losses. Genesis should replace the lost access and opportunities in the lower river by extending existing tourist access up river to link with the Poutu Dam.

The Tribunal reported that the Crown failed in significant ways and as a consequence increased flooding has occurred, and the trout fishing opportunities were degraded. Watch this space…