Adventure Magazine Issue 220

HOMEGROWN
CENTRAL PLATEAU
Kayaking the Kuratau River
Image compliments of Visit Ruapehu
Water, water everwhere: and most of it you can drink
When we normally write about water
adventure a lot of it is sea based
and salty. The Central Plateau boast
numerous rivers and lakes, the most wellknown
being Lake Taupo. Lake Taupo a
surface area of 616 square kilometres,
is the largest lake by surface area in
New Zealand, and the second largest
in Oceania (after Lake Murray in Papua
New Guinea).
With that amount of aquatic room to
move there is a lot to do. One activity that
gets a lot of coverage is sea kayaking
to visit the water based Maori carvings.
The first question you ask is how did
it get there? The answer is when
traditional marae-taught carver Matahi
Brightwell paddled past a rock alcove
on Lake Taupo in 1976, he had a vision
of a tattooed face. His grandmother, Te
Huatahi Susie Gilbert of Ngati Rauhoto,
Ngati Tuwharetoa, Ngati Maiotaki and
Ngati Whakaue, had asked the young
carver to create a likeness of her ancestor
Ngatoroirangi on a totara tree to create
a permanent connection for her family to
the land. When Matahi arrived in Taupo
there was no totara tree to carve so he
journeyed onto the lake for inspiration.
The rock alcove at Mine Bay became the
canvas for one of the most extraordinary
contemporary artworks New Zealand has
ever seen. Sculpted over the course of
four years and completed in 1980,
There are a range of guided sea kayaking
trip around Taupo some offer longer
trips and kayak hire so you can go solo.
Paddleboarding has also become popular
in recently years and these are also
available for tours or hire.
If you would prefer not to go under your
own steam, there are several charter
yacht companies offering day tours and
overnight options both skippered and
unskippered vessels.
Moving away from the lake the Central
Plateau offers some of the most
significant rivers in New Zealand, some
to cruise and some to play in. Both the
Whanaganui and Waikato have been
used for centuries as a way of getting
around the country now they are used for
paddle canoe cruises. Companies offer a
gambit of options in terms of length and
numbers.
The Whanganui River has been dedicated
as one of New Zealand’s ‘great walks’ –
or should be a great float?
The Waikato river also offer a range of
guided tours the most common around
the Taupo area both one and half day
tours some of which visit some of the
local attraction like the Bungee, Huka falls
etc.
Where there are flowing rivers and
some elevation you will find white water
kayaking – the Central Plateau is a
kayaker’s playground.
The most well-known waterfall would be
Huka Falls which produces breath-taking
power and only extreme adventure gurus
have run it (and its illegal). Below these
falls Aratiatia Rapids which rise with
awesome fury when the control gates
are opened, and this creates a great
spectacle. Its important be aware of when
these food gates are open as people have
been caught unaware. Ngawaapurua
Rapids, downstream from the Aratiatia
Dam, provide real Whitewater sport. A
huge breaking wave dominates the rapids
and a strong back-eddy facilitates reruns.
You can play here for hours -
locally call Full James. The is also
a doc camp site here so it has a
strong community feel.
Another river that rises out of the
sparkling snowfields, rock-strewn
slopes and windswept tussock
plains is one of New Zealand’s
most famous recreational river
systems. The Tongariro; is the
main river flowing into Lake Taupo.
It is both a renowned rainbow trout
fishery and a mecca for rafting and
kayaking enthusiasts. The most
popular run is a 3-hour, Grade 3,
full-on rafting experience through
60 rapids on the Lower Tongariro.
The put in is at the Poutu water
intake on the Waikato Falls Road
and the takeout is on the true left
bank of the Red Hut Pool.
Often forgotten the Whakapapa
River this is the major tributary of
the Whanganui and offers good
Grade 3 – 4 rapids after heavy
rainfall. The put in is the Rangipo
Hydro Scheme intake structure off
S.H.47. Experience is needed to
negotiate the tight chutes between
boulders and some rapids may
need to be portaged. The takeout
is below Owhango on S.H.4 before
the river joins the Whanganui.
Another little gem is the Mangakino
Stream, which flows into Lake
Maraetai south east of Mangakino
township. Put in at the Sandels
Road bridge after heavy rain and
ride some bouncy Grade 3 rapids
down to the lake.
This is just a small collection of
what is available in the region
Basically if there is any sort of
rafting operation in the area there
will be good kayaking – stick to
your limitations.
Viewing the Mine Bay Maori Rock Carvings on Lake Taupo
Image compliments of Sail Barbary
Canoeing the Whanganui River
Image compliments of Visit Ruapehu
Lastly a phenomenon that has grown
in popularity because of tourism is jet
boating the most famous being the
Huka jet. Which is a white knuckle
tour for a close up look at the bottom
of the Huka Falls, flying over shallow
water, spins and turn like a natural
roller coaster ride. Jet boat tour
operators are now available on most
of the major rivers.
Jetboating the Whanganui River
Image compliments of Visit Ruapehu
Water is the basis of so many
activities in the Central plateau
region. The natural central free flow
out to the edges of the region create a
playground that offers an experience,
an activity, a sport, a recreation –
something for everyone.
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