TRM recently posted an old obsolete anglers hand-drawn access map of the island at the confluence of the W(h?)anganui & Whakapapa Rivers – see below.
This encouraged many fly fishos to ask if TRM had any more similar old maps of the Tongariro River?.
For similar old anglers access maps of the Tongariro River, they were referred to the Tongariro National Trout Centre. This iconic venue is a very special shrine for all fly fishos and should be on their programme for a compulsory visit more regularly.
In their special Amos & Milner Library, they have mounted enlarged versions of old hand drawn maps from the 1975 booklet, “POOLS OF THE TONGARIRO” by Allan & Barbara Cooper.
This Pools of the Tongariro booklet includes these old maps naming all the old pools, some of which are now history. Now you know where TRM adopted some of the forgotten names – such as Daisy Pool, Cicada Pool, Duffs Pool, Doctors Pool, Fan Pool etc. – for the Tongariro Bucket List map – Fifty Pools to Fish Before You Die.
Thank you to Bevin Severinsen (Trout Centre CEO) for his help. What a wonderful tourist facility. They do such a great job to encourage more young people (away from cell phones) into trout fishing and learning the need to care for our aquatic environment.
Apart from the Amos & Milner Library there are many changes worth checking out, such as the freshwater aquarium. Make sure you call in on your next visit.
When the weather is unsuitable for fishing it is an excellent refuge for anglers to spend a few hours.
For the Tongariro junkies, some other interesting old maps in TRM library, include Lyn Lloyd’s (of Sporting Life – copyright reserved – above & below, which might mean you cannot reprint this?) as shown complete with genuine coffee stains!
Another 1983 map based on the Crown Survey Maps of 1977 is below:
The maps advise the trout pool names had been approved by the NZ Geographic Board as a minor feature…
But just to confuse everyone, when they are compared to the official 1955 NZ Geographical map below, perceptive TRM anglers have been quick to spy differences (?). They have suggested some licence (freedom of expression?) may have been applied by the authors to change and introduce new names of pools to fit in with their 1983 book “Fishing Guide to the Tongariro River and Lake Taupo’s Southern Shore”.?
On the 1955 geographic board map above Turangi town is missing?. From the car park beside the river the main road to Tokaanu headed directly west past the school and linked with Hirangi Road. There was no tail race and no Tokaanu Power Station. Compare the differences in the map below. Most importantly, anglers had vehicle access all the way down the TRB to the Delta! I wonder if it will ever be restored? SWMBO is working on it…
Viewers may notice in the map below there was no SH47 across the saddle past Lake Rotopounamu to Lake Rotoaira and Lake Otamangakau. The Tongariro River still enjoyed natural flow without any interference or extraction of water to the Hydro Power Scheme. The trout were much bigger then too…
TRM’s most recent version of a Tongariro River map updated in June 2017 relied on the more historic maps for names of pools – “FIFTY POOLS TO FISH BEFORE YOU DIE” – below: Note the changes below the road bridge where De Latours Loop and valuable brown trout spawning areas have disappeared.
