Taupō
Taupō
Taupō-nui-a-Tia(Māori) | |
|---|---|
 | |
  Taupō | |
| Coordinates:38°41′15″S176°04′10″E/ 38.6875°S 176.0694°E | |
| Country | New Zealand |
| Island | North Island |
| Region | Waikato |
| Territorial authority | Taupō District Council |
| Ward | Taupō-Kaingaroa |
| Settled | Pre-European |
| Founded | 1869 |
| Borough status | 1953 |
| Named for | Originates fromTaupō-nui-a-Tia,meaning "great cloak of Tia" inMāori |
| Electorate | Taupō |
| Government | |
| •Mayor | David Trewavas |
| Area | |
| • Urban | 42.05 km2(16.24 sq mi) |
| • District | 6,970 km2(2,690 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 360 m (1,180 ft) |
| Population (June 2024)[1] | |
| •Urban | 27,000 |
| • Urban density | 640/km2(1,700/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+12(NZST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+13(NZDT) |
| Postcode | 3330 |
| Area code | 07 |
| Localiwi | Ngāti Tūwharetoa |
Taupō(Māori pronunciation:[ˈtaʉpɔː]), sometimes writtenTaupo,is atownlocated in the centralNorth Islandof New Zealand. It is situated on the edge ofLake Taupō,which is the largest freshwater lake in New Zealand. Taupō was constituted as a borough in 1953.[2]It has been the seat ofTaupō District Councilsince the council was formed in 1989.[citation needed]
Taupō is the largest urban area of theTaupō District,and the second-largest urban area in theWaikato region,behindHamilton.It has a population of approximately 27,000 (June 2024).[1]Taupō is known for its natural beauty, with the surrounding area offering a range of outdoor recreational activities such as hiking, fishing, skiing, and water sports. Visitors can also enjoy a variety of attractions, including theWairakei Power Station,Huka Falls,and theTongariro National Park.
Naming
[edit]The nameTaupōis from theMāori languageand is a shortened version ofTaupō-nui-a-Tia.The longer name was first given to the cliff atPākā Bay,on the eastern shore of the lake, and means the "great cloak of Tia". It was named forTia,the Māori explorer who discovered the lake. Māori later applied the name to the lake itself.[3]In 2019 the official name of the town was changed fromTaupotoTaupō.[4][5]
Although the English pronunciation "tow-po" (/ˈtaʊpoʊ/,NZE/ˈtæʊpaʉ/) is widespread, it is often regarded as incorrect, and the Māori pronunciation, "toe-paw" (/ˈtoʊpɔː/,NZE/ˈtaʉpoː/) is generally preferred in formal use.[6][7][8][9]
History
[edit]In 1868, an armed constabulary post was established in Taupō in order to strengthen communication lines in the central North Island.[10]Hot water pools around Taupō began to attract tourists to Taupō in the late 1870s and early 1880s and hotels were developed to take advantage of this.[11]In the 1890s, rainbow trout were introduced to Lake Taupō and Taupō became a popular town to stay and fish.[11]
A road board was established in 1922 and it was made aboroughin 1953.[10]Taupō grew quickly due to the development of theWairakei geothermal power station,expansion of the timber industry, and farm development between 1949 and 1953. The population of Taupō was 1,358 in 1951, later increasing to 2,849 people in 1956 and 5,251 people in 1961.[11]
Geographical features
[edit]Taupō is located on the northeastern shore ofLake Taupō,New Zealand's largest lake, which is itself in thecalderaof theTaupō Volcano.TheWaikato Riverdrains the lake and runs through the town, separating the CBD and the northern suburbs. The river flows over the spectacularHuka Falls,a short distance north of the town, Taupō is a centre of volcanic andgeothermalactivity, and hot springs suitable for bathing are located at several places in the vicinity. The volcanicMount Tauharalies six kilometres (4 mi) to the east.[citation needed]
Somewhat to the northeast are significant hot springs. These springs containextremophilemicro-organisms that live in extremely hot environments.[12]
The small but growing satellite town ofKinloch,where there is a golf course designed byJack Nicklaus,is 20 kilometres west along the lake.[13][14]
Suburbs
[edit]Taupō suburbs include:
- Wharewaka– has a popular swimming spot for locals and a growing new subdivision along with a large retirement village.
- Nukuhau– lies north of the Waikato River. To the south-west lies Acacia Bay and to the south lies Taupō town centre.
- Richmond Heights – lies to the east of Rainbow Point and south of Mountain View. It is home to the Richmond Heights shopping centre.
- Waipahihi– lies to the north of Richmond Heights. It is home to the Waipahihi Primary School, and the Waipahihi Botanical Gardens.
- Mount View – lies north of the Taupō CBD
- Acacia Bay– lies west of Tapuaeharuru Bay
- Rainbow Point – lies north of Wharewaka and west of Richmond Heights. To the west lies Lake Taupō.
- Tauhara– lies just north of Hilltop and east of Mount View. Mount Tauhara lies just east of Tauhara. Tauhara is the location of Tauhara primary school, Tauhara College and Tauhara Golf course.
- Hilltop– lies south of Tauhara. Hilltop is the location ofHilltop School,Taupo Intermediate School,Taupo Hospital, Taharepa shopping centre and Hilltop shopping centre.
- Taupō CBD
- Outer suburbs
- Five Mile Bay – is located on the east side of Lake Taupō, south of Wharewaka and north of Waitahanui onState Highway 1just west ofTaupō Airport.It is a popular swimming/water skiing beach that is very busy in summer. Five Mile Bay is one of three similar named bays along the lake shoreline, the others being Two Mile Bay and Three Mile Bay.
- Wairakei– is a small settlement, andgeothermalarea 8-kilometres north of Taupō.
- Waitahanui– is a village on the eastern shore of Lake Taupō.
Climate
[edit]Taupō has anoceanic climate(Cfb). The town is located inland, which results in the accumulation of dry air causing severe frost during winter. However snowfall in Taupō is rare. The summer climate in Taupō is mild with maximum average temperature reaching 23 degrees and a minimum average temperature of 10 degrees.
| Climate data for Taupō (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1949–present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 33.2 (91.8) |
33.0 (91.4) |
28.9 (84.0) |
25.2 (77.4) |
23.0 (73.4) |
18.8 (65.8) |
17.2 (63.0) |
19.5 (67.1) |
23.8 (74.8) |
27.6 (81.7) |
32.8 (91.0) |
30.8 (87.4) |
33.2 (91.8) |
| Mean maximum °C (°F) | 27.5 (81.5) |
27.0 (80.6) |
25.1 (77.2) |
21.5 (70.7) |
18.5 (65.3) |
15.8 (60.4) |
14.4 (57.9) |
15.3 (59.5) |
18.0 (64.4) |
20.5 (68.9) |
23.3 (73.9) |
25.6 (78.1) |
28.3 (82.9) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 23.0 (73.4) |
23.0 (73.4) |
20.7 (69.3) |
17.4 (63.3) |
14.4 (57.9) |
11.9 (53.4) |
11.1 (52.0) |
12.0 (53.6) |
13.9 (57.0) |
16.0 (60.8) |
18.3 (64.9) |
20.9 (69.6) |
16.9 (62.4) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 17.3 (63.1) |
17.4 (63.3) |
15.2 (59.4) |
12.3 (54.1) |
9.8 (49.6) |
7.6 (45.7) |
6.8 (44.2) |
7.5 (45.5) |
9.2 (48.6) |
11.2 (52.2) |
13.1 (55.6) |
15.7 (60.3) |
11.9 (53.4) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 11.6 (52.9) |
11.9 (53.4) |
9.8 (49.6) |
7.2 (45.0) |
5.2 (41.4) |
3.3 (37.9) |
2.5 (36.5) |
3.0 (37.4) |
4.6 (40.3) |
6.4 (43.5) |
7.8 (46.0) |
10.6 (51.1) |
7.0 (44.6) |
| Mean minimum °C (°F) | 3.1 (37.6) |
3.5 (38.3) |
1.0 (33.8) |
−1.0 (30.2) |
−2.6 (27.3) |
−4.1 (24.6) |
−4.4 (24.1) |
−4.1 (24.6) |
−2.9 (26.8) |
−2.1 (28.2) |
−0.5 (31.1) |
2.0 (35.6) |
−5.1 (22.8) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −1.5 (29.3) |
−1.0 (30.2) |
−1.5 (29.3) |
−4.7 (23.5) |
−5.3 (22.5) |
−6.2 (20.8) |
−7.1 (19.2) |
−6.3 (20.7) |
−5.3 (22.5) |
−5.1 (22.8) |
−4.2 (24.4) |
−1.7 (28.9) |
−7.1 (19.2) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 73.4 (2.89) |
64.8 (2.55) |
65.9 (2.59) |
77.3 (3.04) |
79.4 (3.13) |
93.0 (3.66) |
99.8 (3.93) |
88.6 (3.49) |
79.0 (3.11) |
74.2 (2.92) |
64.7 (2.55) |
88.0 (3.46) |
948.1 (37.32) |
| Average rainy days(≥ 1.0 mm) | 6.9 | 6.3 | 7.1 | 8.2 | 8.8 | 10.5 | 11.2 | 11.7 | 10.8 | 10.1 | 8.7 | 9.5 | 109.8 |
| Averagerelative humidity(%) | 76.9 | 78.5 | 81.1 | 83.0 | 87.1 | 88.5 | 88.6 | 86.1 | 81.4 | 80.3 | 76.4 | 77.0 | 82.1 |
| Mean monthlysunshine hours | 224.3 | 202.6 | 179.7 | 156.3 | 126.3 | 96.1 | 116.5 | 134.6 | 140.0 | 179.6 | 190.4 | 204.6 | 1,950.9 |
| Source: NIWA Climate Data (sun 1981–2010)[15][16][17] | |||||||||||||
Demographics
[edit]Taupō is defined byStatistics New Zealandas a medium urban area and covers 42.05 km2(16.24 sq mi), which stretches from Acacia Bay in the west to Centennial Park in the east and to Taupō Airport in the south.[18]The Taupō urban area had an estimated population of 27,000 as of June 2024, with a population density of 642.09 people per km2.It is the26th-largest urban areain New Zealand, and the second-largest in the Waikato Region behindHamilton.[1]
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 19,000 | — |
| 2001 | 20,400 | +1.43% |
| 2006 | 20,694 | +0.29% |
| 2013 | 21,123 | +0.29% |
| 2018 | 23,631 | +2.27% |
| Source:[19][20] | ||
Before the 2023 census, the town had a larger boundary, covering 42.94 km2(16.58 sq mi).[18]Using that boundary, the Taupō urban area had a population of 23,631 at the2018 New Zealand census,an increase of 2,508 people (11.9%) since the2013 census,and an increase of 2,937 people (14.2%) since the2006 census.There were 9,000 households, comprising 11,520 males and 12,096 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.95 males per female, with 4,740 people (20.1%) aged under 15 years, 3,849 (16.3%) aged 15 to 29, 10,164 (43.0%) aged 30 to 64, and 4,875 (20.6%) aged 65 or older.
Ethnicities were 79.8% European/Pākehā,24.5%Māori,3.3%Pacific peoples,5.7%Asian,and 2.0% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.
The percentage of people born overseas was 18.5, compared with 27.1% nationally.
Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 51.7% had no religion, 34.9% wereChristian,2.7% hadMāori religious beliefs,1.1% wereHindu,0.2% wereMuslim,0.6% wereBuddhistand 1.9% had other religions.
Of those at least 15 years old, 2,991 (15.8%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 3,510 (18.6%) people had no formal qualifications. 2,835 people (15.0%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 9,246 (48.9%) people were employed full-time, 3,003 (15.9%) were part-time, and 507 (2.7%) were unemployed.[19]
| SA2 name | Population | Dwellings | Median age | Median income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acacia Bay | 1,653 | 987 | 50.8 years | $39,600 |
| Bird Area | 2,235 | 1,155 | 43.3 years | $34,900 |
| Brentwood | 1,893 | 891 | 48.2 years | $31,600 |
| Hilltop | 2,721 | 1,236 | 42.2 years | $29,600 |
| Mountview | 2,601 | 1,116 | 34.8 years | $28,900 |
| Nukuhau-Rangatira Park | 2,442 | 1,206 | 44.6 years | $31,700 |
| Richmond Heights | 2,328 | 1,143 | 37.2 years | $32,500 |
| Tauhara | 1,803 | 681 | 30.4 years | $26,400 |
| Taupō Central East | 2,439 | 1,083 | 35.8 years | $25,400 |
| Taupō Central West | 405 | 222 | 32.1 years | $31,100 |
| Waipahihi | 2,172 | 1,125 | 46.4 years | $36,300 |
| Wharewaka | 939 | 726 | 57.5 years | $30,200 |
Economy
[edit]Taupō is a tourist centre, particularly in the summer, as it offers panoramic views over the lake and to the volcanic mountains ofTongariro National Parkto the south. It offers a number of tourist activities includingsky diving,jetboating,parasailing,andbungy jumping.[22]
Taupō services a number of surrounding plantation pine forests including the largeKaingaroa Forestand related industry. A large sawmill is sited approximated 3 km to the north east of the town on Centennial Drive.[citation needed]
Taupō is surrounded by seven geothermal power stations including the historicWairakei geothermal power stationa few kilometres north of the town.[citation needed]
Taupō has aMcDonald'swith a decommissionedDouglas DC-3attached to the store. The fast food outlet has seating inside the plane's structure.[23]
Governance
[edit]TheTaupō district councilprovides local government services for Taupō.[24]Taupō is part of theTaupō electorateand the current member of parliament (as of 2023) isLouise Upston.
Museum
[edit]The Taupō museum is located in the centre of the town on Story Place. It has displays including about theNgāti Tūwharetoa,aWharenui(Māori Meeting House) which was carved locally between 1927 and 1928, amoaskeleton and a caravan filled with local memorabilia from the late 1950s and early 1960s. There are also displays aboutvolcanosand art galleries.[25]
Sports and recreation
[edit]Regular sporting events in Taupō includeIronman New Zealand,theLake Taupō Cycle Challengeand theGreat Lake Relay(established in 1995).[26][27]The Lake Taupō Cycle Challenge has about 5,000 riders.[28]TheOxfam Trailwalkerhas been held in Taupō several times.[29][30]In 2006 Taupō was also the location of the off-road motorcycle eventFIM International Six Day Enduro.[citation needed]
Mountain biking
[edit]TheInternational Mountain Bicycling Associationhas designated the mountain biking trails at Bike Taupō as a silver-level IMBA Ride Center.[31]Ride Centers are the IMBA's strongest endorsement of a trail experience.[32]
Golf
[edit]Taupō is home to the Taupo Golf Club which has two courses: the Tauhara golf course[33]and the Centennial course. Other golf courses located near Taupō include Wairakei Golf + Sanctuary, the Kinloch Club Golf Course and the Reporoa Golf Club.[34]
Motorsports
[edit]Taupō is home to theTaupo International Motorsport Park.It has a full international-standard racing circuit.[35]
Swimming pool
[edit]The AC Baths is a swimming pool complex located at 26 AC Baths Avenue. Facilities include two 25-metre lane pools, an outdoor leisure pool with two toddler areas, a sauna, two hydroslides and four private thermal mineral pools.[36]
Education
[edit]Taupō has four high schools:Tauhara College,Taupo-nui-a-Tia College,Māori immersionTe Kura Kaupapa Maori o Whakarewa i Te Reo ki Tuwharetoaand state integratedLake Taupo Christian School.It also has Wairakei, St Patrick's, Waipahihi, Hilltop, Mount View, Taupō and Tauhara primary schools, andTaupo Intermediate School.
Infrastructure and services
[edit]Transport
[edit]Taupō is served byState Highway 1andState Highway 5,and is on theThermal Explorer Highwaytouring route. All three highways runconcurrentlyalong the Eastern Taupō Arterial, which was built in 2010.[37]
Taupō is one of the few large towns in New Zealand that have never had a link to the national rail network, although there have beenproposalsin the past.[citation needed]
Taupō Airportis located south of the township. Scheduled services to Auckland and Wellington operate from the airport.[38]
Utilities
[edit]Taupō first received a public electricity supply in 1952, with the commissioning of the Hinemaiaia A hydroelectric power station south of the town. The town was connected to the national grid in 1958, coinciding with the commissioning of Wairakei geothermal power station north of the town.[39]Today,Unison Networksowns and operates the electricity distribution network in Taupō.[40]
Natural gas arrived in Taupō in 1987.First Gasoperates the gas distribution network in the town.[41]
Taupō's fresh water supply is drawn from Lake Taupō. Prior to 2013, there were two separate fresh water systems serving the town: the Lake Terrace system serving the town north of Napier Road, and the Rainbow Point system serving the southern suburbs. In 2013, the Lake Terrace treatment plant was upgraded and the two systems were amalgamated. Acacia Bay has its own dedicated fresh water system.[42]
Media
[edit]The local newspaperTaupō Timesis owned byStuff.[43]Digitisation of theTaupō Timesfrom 1952 was undertaken in a partnership betweenThe Preserving Local History and Educational Trustand Taupō Museum and Art Gallery.[43]
Notable people
[edit]- Patrick Bevin(born 1991), road racing cyclist
- Bevan Docherty(born 1977), Olympic triathlete
- Tumu Te Heuheu Tūkino VIII,Māori Paramount Chief
- James Titoactor and musician
- Nicole van der Kaay(born 1996) Olympic triathlete
- Louisa Wall(born 1972), member of parliament and former national representative netball and rugby union player
- Hayden Wilde(born 1997), Olympic triathlete
Twin cities
[edit]See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^abc"Aotearoa Data Explorer".Statistics New Zealand.Retrieved26 October2024.
- ^"Taupo".Encyclopedia of New Zealand (1966).
- ^Wikaira, Martin (1 March 2017)."Ngāti Tūwharetoa – The journeys of Ngātoroirangi and Tia".Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand.Retrieved3 October2021.
- ^"Taupō".New Zealand Gazetteer.Retrieved20 January2021.
- ^"Over 800 Māori place names made official".TVNZ.Retrieved20 January2021.
- ^Bartlett, Hannah (12 September 2019)."The right way to pronounce Tauranga, Taupo and other butchered place names".Stuff.Retrieved29 August2022.
- ^"Wellington student's 'Toe Paw' video helps out Kiwis who reckon they can't pronounce te reo Maori".Stuff.5 May 2017.Retrieved29 August2022.
- ^"Rotorua pronunciation needs attention according to new online tool".The New Zealand Herald.Retrieved29 August2022.
- ^"Māori language gets its own app".The New Zealand Herald.Retrieved29 August2022.
- ^abMcKinnon, Malcolm (25 May 2015)."Volcanic Plateau places – Taupō".Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand.
- ^abc"'TAUPO', from An Encyclopaedia of New Zealand, edited by A. H. McLintock ".Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand.1966.Retrieved8 November2023.
- ^Oliverio, Angela M; Power, Jean F.; Washburne, Alex; Cary, S. Craig; Stott, Matthew B.; Fierer, Noah (1 August 2018)."The ecology and diversity of microbial eukaryotes in geothermal springs".ISME Journal.12(8): 1918–1928.doi:10.1038/s41396-018-0104-2.PMC6052046.
- ^"Kinloch Golf Club | Taupo New Zealand | 18 Hole Course".kinlochgolf.co.nz.Retrieved8 November2023.
- ^McMillan, Cameron (8 November 2023)."Kinloch golf course: I don't think there's a tougher course in New Zealand".NZ Herald.Retrieved8 November2023.
- ^"Climate data and activities".NIWA. Archived fromthe originalon 20 May 2024.Retrieved20 May2024.
- ^"CliFlo -The National Climate Database (Agent numbers: 1841, 1856, 1858, 41429)".NIWA.Retrieved20 July2024.
- ^"Climate Data".NIWA.Retrieved2 November2007.
- ^ab"ArcGIS Web Application".statsnz.maps.arcgis.Retrieved26 April2024.
- ^ab"Statistical area 1 dataset for 2018 Census".Statistics New Zealand. March 2020. Acacia Bay (188300), Brentwood (Taupo District) (188400), Nukuhau-Rangatira Park (188500), Taupo Central West (188600), Tauhara (188700), Taupo Central East (188800), Mountview (188900), Bird Area (189000), Hilltop (Taupo District) (189100), Waipahihi (189200), Richmond Heights (189300) and Wharewaka (189400).
- ^"Koordinates".
- ^"2018 Census place summaries | Stats NZ".stats.govt.nz.Retrieved14 December2020.
- ^"Adrenaline & adventure in Taupo".Love Taupo.Retrieved31 August2023.
- ^lovetaupo, Love Taupo |."McDonald's Taupo".lovetaupo.Retrieved9 April2024.
- ^"Taupō District Council".taupodc.govt.nz.Retrieved13 November2023.
- ^"Displays – Taupō District Council".taupodc.govt.nz.Retrieved8 November2023.
- ^"IMNewZealand".Ironman.Retrieved20 January2021.
- ^"Taupo Great Lake Relay – Event Promotions".Event Promotions.24 June 2017.Retrieved20 January2021.
- ^"Welcome – Lake Taupō Cycle Challenge".Cycle Challenge.Retrieved20 January2021.
- ^"Oxfam Trailwalker in New Zealand Search".Eventfinda.Archivedfrom the original on 20 January 2021.Retrieved20 January2021.
- ^"Past Events".Oxfam Trailwalker.Retrieved20 January2021.
- ^"Introducing the 2012 Model Trail Awards Winners; International Mountain Bicycling Association".Imba.Retrieved15 June2016.
- ^"Pocahontas State Park to Develop Regional Biking Center – Richmond Times-Dispatch: Outdoor Recreation In Richmond And Central Virginia".Richmond.10 July 2013.Retrieved15 June2016.
- ^lovetaupo, Love Taupo |."Taupo Golf Club – Tauhara Course".lovetaupo.Retrieved7 November2023.
- ^lovetaupo, Love Taupo |."Golf in Taupō".lovetaupo.Retrieved7 November2023.
- ^"Taupo".RacingCircuits.info.Retrieved7 November2023.
- ^"AC Baths – Taupō District Council".taupodc.govt.nz.Retrieved13 November2023.
- ^"Taupo reflects on bypass road success | NZNews | Newshub".3news.co.nz.29 December 2012.Retrieved15 June2016.
- ^"Sounds Air Flying Wellington to Taupo".Great Lake Taupō.Retrieved15 June2016.
- ^"Hinemaiaia Power Scheme".trustpower.co.nz.Retrieved24 August2021.
- ^"Unison's history".unison.co.nz.Retrieved24 August2021.
- ^"The New Zealand Gas Story".Gas Industry Company. December 2016.Archivedfrom the original on 2 February 2017.Retrieved31 October2018.
- ^"Asset management plan – Water"(PDF).Taupo District Council.Retrieved24 August2021.
- ^ab"Taupō Times".Preserving Local History and Educational Trust.Retrieved22 March2024.
- ^"Taupō District Friendship and Sister Cities – Taupō District Council".taupodc.govt.nz.Retrieved17 August2023.
External links
[edit]
| Authority control databases:Geographic |
|---|
