mountain range
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Oceania > New Zealand > North Island > Central North Island

The Central North Island region of New Zealand features the Lake Taupo area and the mountain volcanoes of Tongariro National Park, all situated on a volcanic plateau in the middle of the North Island. The lake, famed for its trout fishing and boating, fills the caldera of one of the largest super-volcanoes in the world, in a still active geological region.

A sailing school on Lake Taupo, with volcanoes behind

Cities

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Map
Map of Central North Island
  • 1 National Park Village – the closest town to Tongariro NP.
  • 2 Ohakune – home of the "World's Largest Carrot".
  • 3 Raetihi – has great views of Tongariro's volcanoes.
  • 4 Taupo – home to the only McDonald's where you can dine inside a former plane.
  • 5 Turangi – small riverside town.

Other destinations

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Understand

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The southern end of the Taupo Volcanic Zone is in the central North Island. From there it extends northwards through Rotorua and out beyond White Island in the Bay of Plenty. About 26,000 years ago, Lake Taupo was a volcano that erupted in an enormous explosion that ejected about 800 cubic kilometres of material and spread it over the central North Island, forming the Volcanic Plateau. The resulting hole in the ground became Lake Taupo after it filled with water draining off the surrounding hills. It last erupted about 1,800 years ago.

Today, Lake Taupo feeds the Waikato River with the water to run eight hydroelectric power stations.

Get in

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Taupo Airport is 8 km south of Taupo town centre and has scheduled flights from Auckland and Wellington.

InterCity is a national coach company.

The Northern Explorer train passes through on its way to Auckland (northbound train) and Wellington (southbound train), stopping at National Park Village and Ohakune.

Get around

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The scenery is the main sight in this region, but there are some indoor attractions.

  • 1 Ohakune Railway Museum, Ohakune. A small volunteer-run exhibition, with a slightly random collection of railway equipment.
  • 2 National Army Museum, Waiouru (about 30km east of Ohakune), +64 6 387-6911. 9AM-4:30PM daily, closed Dec 25.
  • 3 Lake Taupo Museum and Art Gallery, Taupo, +64 7 376 0414. A small museum, containing exhibits on the Maori, volcanic and early European history of Taupo. The "Ora" garden which won the 2004 Chelsea Flower Show can be seen in a specially created outside area.

Drink

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Go next

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This region travel guide to Central North Island is an outline and may need more content. It has a template, but there is not enough information present. If there are Cities and Other destinations listed, they may not all be at usable status or there may not be a valid regional structure and a "Get in" section describing all of the typical ways to get here. Please plunge forward and help it grow!