2022 Turangi “must-do’s” updated for the summer holidays

In May 2020 all accommodation suppliers in the Taupo region received a “rev-up” from DGLT (Destination Great Lake Taupo are a wonderful team who looks after regional tourist promotions) asking a heap of questions like what we are doing to promote locally. TRM have been reminding Kiwis for the last 18 years on what Turangi has to offer – i.e. Following TRM Daily report from 2015: (Some minor amendments have been made to remove obsolete info.)

Kia Ora Turangi

…. Tourism research website blogs advise TRM that forward-thinking ‘moteliers’ (like SWMBO? She Who Must Be Obeyed is the manager of everything, including the weather, at TRM)) to respond more to prospective guests new hunger for local experiences by moving beyond their traditional motel brand marketing efforts.

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

What’s right outside your front door?

What can they walk to?

Where can they find the best local fare?

Where can they catch a good happy hour?

Where is the best running track?

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 follows for 2022 post Covid season.

Each week the NZ Herald used to review a small town.   Now the new post Covid tourist rush is about to kick off, so today it is Turangi’s turn for their own updated version.  This is the BIG one…

As Turangi has not been featured by the NZ Herald since 1927, 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 for the Tongariro Power Development during the 1960’s.  The town cost $16 Million to build. But more exciting were excavations which 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 (all SWMBO’s ancestors).

Population: 

About 2900 and, strangely, still steadily falling.  About 1970 it peaked at about 7-8-9000 for the Tongariro Hydro Development but in 12 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:   

Half way 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 (183 km) & New Plymouth (227 km).  Midway Hamilton 202 km) and Palmerston North (192 km).  Midway Paradise and Heaven.

Town Slogan: 

“Trout Fishing Capital of the World”.  When the Taupo 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. Then Toe-paw Council since suggested to promote Turangi as the “Gateway to the National Park” but when that was criticised by SWMBO, they withdrew it.

Source of Pride:  

Trout Fishing Capital of the World.  Tongariro River is a world-renowned trout-fishing paradise offering wild fly fishing all year with over 50 pools.  More books have been written about trout fishing on the Tongariro than any other river in NZ. But when TRM erected signage to direct tourists to the Tongariro River the Toe-paw Council fined us – twice! They don’t want tourists to know about Turangi’s best competitive advantage.

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 and tried to buy the river), Duchess of York (the late Queen’s mother), Queen Elizabeth, King Charles, President Jimmy Carter, film stars and many other celebrities – an incredible world-famous trout fishing reputation.

Best Fishing Guides

Several local guides “retired” or found new occupations during the Covid lockdown. Those that survived have to be good. SWMBO’s choice as the best local fishing guide is Jason at Creel, and several others “flying under the IRD radar” – all very good – inquire at TRM…  For boat fishing on Lake Otamangakau or Lake Taupo contact Whiskery Mike.  For casting lessons – Carol Harwood.

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 low cost camping ground.

Town fiesta:  

Back in 2015 there was a festival at Easter to feature the many autumn colours from the mature deciduous trees that predominate through Turangi. Now everyone just goes fishing instead.

Best reason to stop: 

The National Tongariro Trout Centre is hard to beat.  It includes a trout fishing museum, underground viewing chamber to view trout in the spawning stream, and they hold a kids day – a guaranteed way to catch a trout in Turangi.  Now they even farm trout for local iwi.  Amazing…

Best place to take kids:

Turangi library or 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: 

Walk along the riverside trail and watch the action from the anglers perfecting their combat casting.  This would easily be the most popular river in NZ where they all catch trout.  Great entertainment.

Best place for ‘happy hour’:

Turangi Tavern – a pleasant friendly family hotel atmosphere offers an excellent budget menu or for mid-day caffeine hits there are 8 other cafes. Another “happy hour” favourite is in any of the TRM units after a good day fishing.

Best food:

Update 2022 – The best food selection is at the Hare & Copper restaurant on Graces Road. Dial it up and read the reviews. This is the only restaurant where we often take inmates and leave it up to the chef Andrew to select a suitable meal for all of us.

Turangi Bakery’s pies are famous throughout NZ.

Best cafe:  

Creel Cafe, foodies heaven – healthy breakfasts and delicious finger food on Taupahi Road, walking distance from TRM.

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 –  12 km – 2 hours.  Joggers can add the north loop to extend it to 15 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 or climb Mt. Tihia (1165m). 

Best Mountain Biking: 

Tongariro River Trail provides an easy-peasy one hour tourist loop trail. TRM have our own special trail for keen bikers taking about four hours depending on the route choice. As it starts up on the Desert Road it is mainly down-hill back to Turangi. We promise that long after bikers might have forgotten the route linking several tracks, they will always remember the unique drinks stop.

The feasibility study for an extraordinary new scenic bike track was completed in 2016 for the T2T – Taupo to Turangi – along the lake edge. Since then the council’s Turangi Economic Development Strategy report featured the T2T as the most important priority, described as “transformational” to secure Turangi’s future prosperity. So Toe-paw ignored it. But then Taupo Council included it in their submission to DOC to develop the T2T as the next great NZ walk? Confused? So are we… Watch this space…

Best tourist hike: 

Tongariro Alpine Crossing – it is so good that Taupo (50km North of Turangi) and National Park and Taumaranui and Ohakune all tried to claim it as well.  It’s on everyone’s Bucket List.  Can get extremely crowded on fine weekends.  A better more challenging alternative option away from the crowds is to climb Mt. Ruapehu in fine summer weather only.

Best place to pull over: 

Stump Bay – about 5 km north of Turangi on 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.

Best Kept Secrets: 

Tongariro Skulduggery!

 

The only place in the world you can “invest” in a copy of Tongariro Skulduggery is at TRM’s reception. This “mockumentary” was published 2 years ago with a rivetting plot – a giant hoax for TRM to reclaim all the land that Maori claim to have owned by conquest. It is all true, except where I lied…

The TRM Big Day Out bike trip is one of the best scenic rides anywhere, providing a full range of different tracks – everything from a speed section to stream crossings on DOC managed tracks to the most unique drinks stop in NZ. You will not find it on any biking brochure but only at TRM.

Tongariro river-side walk between Taupahi Reserve and Koura Street is better 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 used 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 but it is still a secret as Genesis won’t let you see it. True!

In 1970 the Turangi Museum attracted 250,000 visitors to view the most comprehensive collection of pre-Maori artefacts available to the public in NZ.  So Toe-paw closed it and the artefacts are missing (?) so you can’t see them either. True!

A new tourist bike trail is being planned to extend the loop Tongariro River Trail further up river to link with other DOC managed tracks in the Kaimanawas. It will knock the socks off any other bike trail in NZ.   TRM predict it will become the most popular bike trail in NZ.  But Toe-paw is still keeping it a secret. Watch this space…

Best swim:    

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

Best review:           

Turangi – a town with heart – dvd.- now unavailable – a collector’s item. Rely on TRM’s reviews instead.

Best Wildlife: 

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

Raiding parties of Tuis in Kowhai trees along the Tongariro River Trail are unforgettable in springtime.

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.  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 the fishing season 20 years ago.

Best images to reflect life in Turangi:

(1)  Above – a corporate box at the footy…

(2)  Below – a Turangi traffic jam…

Best youtube – go to TRM website for a choice – i.e.