TOKOROA
www.southwaikatonz.com

Cougar Mountain Bike Park (Mossop Road)
This excellent facility replaces Big Rock MTB Park. Off road forest tracks make this home for a number of great mountain biking events. Tracks to suit all levels and abilities.
www.tokoroamtb.co.nz

Colson’s Hill Lookout
Access to this lookout is via Sloss Rd at Dunham’s Park, northern end of Tokoroa township. Visitors are rewarded with extensive views including, on a clear day, Mt Ruapehu on the Central Plateau.

Farmers Market
Located on Bridge St. Produce is for sale between 9am - 12 noon Saturday mornings. Contact Shane Wipere 0-21-264 8345.

Jim Currie Reserve
Located on SH 1 near the Kinleith Mill entrance, south of Tokoroa. This reserve is a restful, natural setting with a picnic area and a Tokoroa Talking Pole “Life Force” for visitors to enjoy.

Lake Moananui
This manmade lake is within a recreational reserve on Maraetai Rd, SH 32 Tokoroa. A popular area for picnics and walking.

Papa O Te Aroha Marae
On Mossop Rd opposite Tokoroa Memorial Sports Grounds. The only Marae in NZ with carvings representing all pan-tribal iwi. Open for viewing by appointment and for special occasions. Contact Tokoroa i-SITE.

Tokoroa Talking Poles
The central business area is home to the Tokoroa Talking Poles project. Talking Poles are located around the township with each pole portraying its own story. The project now boasts 44 poles with 10 new ones being added from the 2008 Pole Art of the World Symposium.
www.southwaikatonz.com

Wood Sculptures
Located in the foyer of the South Waikato District Council building, Torphin Cres, are five statues 1.8m x 1.4m each. The sculptures were created by Rolly Munro in 1989 and made from pinus radiata.

SOUTH WAIKATO

Dunham’s Point
Situated on Ongaroto Rd Whakamaru are three council reserves: Dunham’s Point, Dunham’s Creek and Snowsill Reserve – all within close proximity of one another. Two new Waikato River trails have been added to these reserves.

Jim Barnett Reserve, Te Waotu
This 16ha reserve offers a choice of walks with tracks that vary from easy walking (main track) to back country (tramway and return, Totara Loop). While the main track is accessible to wheelchairs there are rough areas that may prove difficult without support persons.
Walking times are all based on one way walking: main track 40 minutes, Totara Loop 15 minutes.

Jones’ Landing
An ever popular spot for water sports and family picnics located on the eastern side of Lake Arapuni. Facilities at Jones’ Landing include toilets, changing rooms, camping, children’s play area and boat ramp.

Kiwi Walks
Don’t lose sight of regular physical activity over the Christmas season – remember the “push play” campaign – 30 minutes of physical activity is all you need.
For a change of scenery try out one of the district’s Kiwi Walks. These walks are up to an hour long, you set the pace and enjoy the views. Kiwi Walks are located in Arapuni, Putaruru, Tirau, Tokoroa.
www.sportwaikato.org.nz

Lichfield Stone Building and Water Tower
As you travel between Putaruru and Tokoroa on SH 1 two significant monuments to early South Waikato life are clearly visible. At Lichfield is a store built from locally quarried Ngutawera stone and a brick water tower constructed in 1886 to service the railway.

Te Waihou Walkway (Whites Road)
Enjoy and experience the wonders of this renowned walkway, including a visit to the internationally acclaimed Blue Spring. The walkway is a distance of 4.7kms with an average walking time of 11⁄2 hours (3 hours for the return journey).
The terrain varies from easy walking to back country trekking with stile crossings. In some areas the track has been benched and steps constructed through the gorge area.
Trout can be seen in the crystal clear Te Waihou Stream from many spots along the walkway.

Trout Fishing
The many lakes, rivers and streams throughout the South Waikato provide a varied choice of trout fishing locations.

Waikato River Trail
This walking and mountain biking track is planned to extend from Karapiro in the north to Atiamuri in the south of the district and eventually to Taupo. It follows the Waikato River. There are currently four walking and/or biking sections in operation at Arapuni, Whakamaru and Atiamuri. Check the website for the latest walking maps and conditions.
www.waikatorivertrail.com

PUTARURU
www.putaruru.co.nz

Heritage Trail
The Te Waotu - Arapuni Heritage Trail is a driving trail approximately 50kms in total. The trail consists of six sites and links the unique heritage resources of two areas of the South Waikato. To enjoy the trail fully it is suggested you allow 2-21⁄2 hours, which includes a short stop at each site and a stroll through the Jim Barnett Reserve. Trail brochures are available from the Putaruru Information Centre, SH 1, phone 883 7284.

Mosaic Pavement Art Trail
Take a stroll around Putaruru’s central business area and enjoy the trail of mosaic pavement tiles inserted into the footpaths.
Large mosaic tile murals enhance the trail in Kensington and Arapuni Sts.

Putaruru Timber Museum
Located on SH 1 just south of Putaruru township and featuring the history of Central North Island timber milling and logging.
Attractively set in 1.5ha of park like grounds with easy walking from building to building, the original and replica buildings house displays and there is also a café, church, public toilets, picnic area and children’s playground.
The main reception building contains beautiful native wood turning exhibits and items for purchase.

Putaruru Water Park
Soak your feet in the water pools and take a walk around those awesome racing cars – a blast from the past.

The HOP Wall
Just north of the roundabout on SH 1 is the “Hands On Putaruru” (HOP) Wall, a millennium project – more than 1.5 tonnes of clay, 1,277 individually made tiles and a touch of artistic impression.

TIRAU
www.tirauinfo.co.nz

Early New Zealand Museum
Rotorua Rd, 3kms from Tirau. Open 9am - 5pm. 12,000 square feet houses collectables and memorabilia. Ideal for adults and teaching children. Shop displays nearly a million exhibits. Must do must see!

Footpath Gallery
A walking trail of award winning artworks and old historic photographs attached to local business houses.

Tirau Township
Tirau is a vibrant town boasting a large variety of unique shops, popular with both tourists and passing motorists. Located within the South Waikato district Tirau is close to Putaruru, Tokoroa, Matamata and Cambridge and less than an hour’s drive from Hamilton, Rotorua, Tauranga and the popular beach resort of Mount Maunganui. Auckland is only a two hour drive away.
There is a wide range of eating places and the township of Tirau is open seven days a week and the majority of shops open from 9am to 5pm.
Tirau is very well known for its corrugated creations as an icon for a lot of its shop owners. It has been a remarkable transformation for this small rural town which has now evolved from being a place where traffic passed through, to a vibrant, popular destination in its own right.
Tirau also has many historic buildings dating back to 1877. The Tirau i-SITE Visitor Centre will have more information.

Tirau Village Green
A new adventure playground with bandstand, barbecue and picnic tables.

ARAPUNI
www.mountainrivernz.com

Arapuni Hydro Lake, Dam and Swing Bridge
Arapuni is 16kms west of Putaruru en route to Waitomo. The hydroelectric power station and dam were among the first to be built on the Waikato River.
The swing bridge, suspended 54m above the power station, is 152m long and has a slope of 8m. It can be accessed from Arapuni Village and was erected in 1925 to enable access for power station employees. Not for the faint hearted, those who venture on are rewarded with views of the scenic gorge.

Waikato River Trail
The first two sections of this 100kms Waikato River Trail is open now from Arapuni swing bridge to the Arapuni dam (10 minutes) and from the Arapuni dam to Jones’ Landing at the southern end of Lake Arapuni (45 minutes).
The trail will eventually link all the way to Atiamuri along the Waikato River. The trail features beautiful lookouts and interesting trails carved naturally into the landscape.

MANGAKINO
www.mangakino.net.nz

Nestled on the shores of beautiful Lake Maraetai is the village of Mangakino.
Just off SH 32, Mangakino’s central North Island location makes it the perfect base for a holiday that suits all tastes.
With Mt Ruapehu ski fields just one hour’s drive south, tranquil Pureora Forest with its ancient stand of rimu and kahikatea trees and the landmark majestic totara trees less than 30 minutes away, you’ll find an activity to fill every day.
Whether you prefer trout fishing, hunting, kayaking, horse trekking, rock climbing, golf, water skiing, swimming or just sitting back and enjoying the scenery, Mangakino boasts it all.
Stop off at nearby Whakamaru dam and village for a family picnic or enjoy a walk along the Waikato River Trail.

Awhina Wilderness Experience
Guided walking tours of Mt Titiraupenga. For bookings and accommodation phone 882 8382.

Daphne’s Historical Archive
A treasure trove of Mangakino district history. Phone 372 8227.

The Paddleboat Company
Explores Lake Maraetai. For bookings phone 882 8826 or 0-27-418 3930.