2011 Media releases

The Doobie Brothers and Little River Band, The Feelers, Batucada Sound Machine, the Katy Perry Tribute Show and many more make up the stunning line up of summer gigs this season in Taupō to complement the usual array of sporting and family entertainment events on offer.

Santa will be the very special guest at the final coffee morning for the year at Sierra Café, this Wednesday 21 December.

Taupō’s Unison Amphitheatre in Riverside Park will be rocking once again this New Year’s Eve for the free NYE Concert, featuring 10 piece original funk powerhouse Batucada Sound Machine (BSM) and popular covers band The Monroes, as well as a laser light show and a special video tribute to 2011.

Taupō District Council has re-appointed Rob Williams as its Chief Executive for another five year term.

Mayor Rick Cooper swore in nine adults and one child as citizens of New Zealand today at an official Citizenship Ceremony in the Council Chambers.

Taupō District Council’s popular Our Neighbourhood series of community events are back for the 2011/12 summer season. Taupō District residents are encouraged to find their nearest event and come along for a chance to meet their neighbours in a fun and free community get-together.

Taupō residents may have noticed lower water pressure than usual during the last couple of weeks. Strong winds have resulted in debris entering the intake screen and filters at the Lake Terrace Water Treatment Plant and Council are asking residents to check and clean household filters.

Taupō Motorsport Park will once again open its gates for the Driver Directions one-day driver training course on Wednesday 14 December to help learner drivers to gain more experience and driving time.

Three long-standing Justices of the Peace (JP), serving the Taupō District community for a combined total of 67 years, have retired from service. The three JPs were honoured by the Mayor at a formal morning tea on Thursday 17 November for their years of diligence and service to the community.

Rugby New Zealand 2011’s top brass visited Taupō District yesterday to thank the Mayor and Council staff for their support of the Rugby World Cup 2011 Tournament.

Mayor Rick Cooper and CEO Rob Williams will be at The Dam Café in Whakamaru this Wednesday 23 November from 7.30am to have a coffee and a chat with members of the Mangakino and Whakamaru communities.

Mayor Rick Cooper swore in 12 new citizens of New Zealand earlier this week at an official Citizenship Ceremony in the Council Chambers.

The Waikato River Trails Trust recently completed 100kms of walking and cycling trails along the banks of the Waikato River through the South Waikato District and the Taupō District at the township of Mangakino.

Taupo Airport has taken out the prestigious Regional Airport of the Year Award at the NZ Airports Association’s annual conference; highlighting a successful few years for the Airport including some major redevelopments and a more commercially orientated direction.

Mayor Rick Cooper and Council CEO Rob Williams will be joined by Council’s Urban Design Team at this month’s Coffee Morning. Join us at Sierra Café on Wednesday 16 November from 7.30am for a coffee and a chat.

‘Rakau’ (wood) is a vehicle of expression for artists Robbie Graham, Delani Brown & Eleazar Bramley of Taupō and Hawkes Bay artist Leanne Culy. History, time, nature, nostalgia and story telling is a synergy these artist share.

Taupō District Council’s 2010/11 Annual Report is now available and its balance sheet highlights stabilisation during a period of economic uncertainty

New Zealand Rock-Funk band Kora will headline a free concert in Taupō this Sunday 23 October as part of the town’s official RWC 2011 Licensed Fanzone. The Fanzone includes family activities and street entertainment from 2.00pm, prior to the live screening of the RWC 2011 Final match on the big screen at 9.00pm.

A mass group haka will take place on the Tongariro North Domain this Saturday 8 October at 5.30pm following the annual Te Hikuwai v Te Mataapuna (North v South) rugby match which is part of the inaugural Tuwharetoa Māori Sports and Expo. All are invited to participate and try to make this New Zealand’s largest group Haka ever!

Mayor Rick Cooper and CEO Rob Williams will be joined by members of the Turangi/Tongariro Community Board at Thyme for Food Cafe in Turangi’s town centre this Tuesday 11 October from 11.00am to have a coffee and a chat with members of the public.

From Saturday 1 October the rural fire season begins and anyone wanting to light an open fire in a rural area must have a fire permit from their local authority.

Minister for the Environment, Nick Smith, has released the results of the annual Resource Management Act Survey of Local Authorities report which shows Taupō District Council (TDC) has processed all of its resource consents for the past financial year within the statutory timeframe.

Several sections of roads in and around Taupō district will have newly reduced speed limits starting this Saturday 1 October and drivers are asked to please be aware of the reduced speeds.

Outdoors and rock climbing enthusiasts from all over New Zealand will be flocking to the Edge Indoor Rockwall at the Taupō Events Centre this Saturday 1 October for the 2011 ReelRock Film Tour featuring the best extreme climbing films from around the globe.

Members of the South African rugby team paid a surprise visit to the RWC 2011 volunteer workforce centre in Taupō today, signing autographs and posing for photos, as a thank you for the many hours of hard work by the volunteers during the Tournament so far.

Taupō, Mangakino and Turangi libraries are implementing Kōtui, a new shared Library Management system. Kōtui is a national initiative that will link our district libraries to offer more selection for our community and provide a friendlier system for our librarians.

With the additional traffic on the roads for Rugby World Cup 2011 this September and October, Taupō District Council has rolled out a new road safety campaign aimed at stopping drivers from crossing the centre line.

Izardair, a new charter and scenic flights airline, has set up shop at Taupō Airport and promises a luxury charter service for its clients.

Mayor Rick Cooper and CEO Rob Williams will be joined by members of the RWC 2011 Project Team at Sierra Cafe this Wednesday 21 September from 7.30am for their regular coffee morning.

Due to public interest, the submission period for the proposed Taupō District Plan Changes 28-33 has been extended to the following Friday, 23 September 2011, giving interested parties more time to prepare submissions.

Two RWC 2011 teams hosted in Taupō will open some select training sessions to the public at Owen Delany Park; Wales tomorrow, Tuesday 13 September, from 2.00-4.00pm and South African on both Monday 19 and Monday 26 September from 10.00-11.30am

Punters can experience a free international rugby match at Tutemohuta Reserve in Waitahanui at 2.30pm this Monday, 12 September 2011, as a Welsh Provincial U15 side take on a Māori Invitational U15 side.

On the first day of RWC 2011, Mayor Rick Cooper swore in seven new citizens at a ceremony in the Council Chambers, all of whom are from RWC competing countries.

Taupō District Council invites Rugby fans to come together at the two official Rugby World Cup 2011 Fanzones in Taupō. Each venue will be showing RWC 2011 matches live with special themed nights at the Great Lake Centre hosted by King Country Rugby and our ex-pat communities which include activities, competitions and awesome prizes.

A new Rugby-themed billboard situated on the lakefront by local artist Donovan Bixley offers a bit of fun for passing tourists, locals and anyone who wants to see themselves in the big game.

The first Taupō town centre ‘wayfinding’ paperclip sculpture found its way onto Ferry Road yesterday, with a further 10 CliP sculptures to be installed this month.

Taupō District Council has appointed a new trustee to the Destination Great Lake Taupō (DGLT) board and a new Council Representative to the Enterprise Great Lake Taupō (EGLT) board after long standing Chairman, Seamus O’Sullivan, resigned in June 2011.

Taupō’s water main on Lake Terrace will be shut down on Monday 5 September until Tuesday 6 September for enabling works for the new building. Residents in Taupō township are asked to please conserve water on those days.

Past International President of ITC (POWERtalk International)and Taupō’s first Distinguished Communicator. Find out more when Friends of the Taupō Library host: An evening with Hilary Brown 'Laying my Ghosts in Indianapolis'

Contact Energy will continue to fund the AC Baths learn to swim programme, with the launch of the Contact Swim Well Taupō which will enable thousands of children to attend swim classes in the Taupō district.

With only weeks until Rugby World Cup 2011 kicks off, Taupō district has been inundated with football fever of a different kind. For over two weeks, Taupō’s Crown Park will play host to two junior New Zealand football tournaments and a training camp for the New Zealand Football Under 23 squad with the New Zealand Olympic Trial match next Saturday (3 September).

Deputy Mayor Mich'eal Downard and CEO Rob Williams will be at Sierra Cafe this Wednesday 17 August from 7.30am for their regular coffee morning.

Taupō District Council has notified a series of Plan Changes to the Taupō District Plan which propose new areas of land for industrial growth and aim to help encourage revitalisation and redevelopment of the Taupō Town Centre.

Met Service is warning of a strong possibility of severe snow and cold weather over the weekend and early part of next week to rival the storm and cold outbreak experienced in the region two weeks ago.

Taupō District Council has requested Two Degrees Mobile Ltd (2degrees) engage with the community before considering landowner approval for a cell phone tower on Tamatea Water Reservoir site.

Schools in the Taupō district are getting into Rugby World Cup 2011 mode with the Taupō Schools Multimedia Competition and the release of the RWC 2011 Activity Books. Schools will also have the opportunity to meet the teams at public training sessions in September.

Council is seeking expressions of interest for commercial land on Broadlands Road. The expressions of interest for the land start on Monday 1st August and close on Friday 2nd September.

The indoor and outdoor leisure pool, private pools and hydroslides at the AC Baths will be closed for four days from Monday 8 August to Thursday 11 August for maintenance.

Taupō District Council’s Environmental Services staff based at Gillespie Plaza in the CBD are moving back to the main council office on the corner of Lake Terrace and Rifle Range Road in the next two weeks as council no longer require the additional office space.

Sir Colin ‘Pinetree’ Meads thanked Taupō Mayor Rick Cooper for the Council’s support of King Country Rugby Union (KCRU) yesterday morning with a mounted King Country jersey.

Despite a frost and a low of minus 3, hundreds of locals crowded the Tongariro North Domain this morning to witness the excitement of the Rugby World Cup 2011 Roadshow.

Destination Great Lake Taupō (DGLT) are seeking a new member to join the governance board after long standing Chairman, Seamus O’Sullivan, resigned last month.

Mayor Rick Cooper and CEO Rob Williams will be at Sierra Cafe this Wednesday 20 July from 7.30am for their regular coffee morning.

Taupō District Council have adopted the Annual Plan 2011-12 with a proposed annual rate increase for the average residential property of 3.7% and have also adopted the amendment to its Long Term Council Community Plan 2009-2019 (LTCCP).

From 1 August, Taupō District Council will present funding and service options for a community debate as part of its Long Term Plan (LTP 2012-2022) process. Council will do this to demonstrate good financial management and transparency so that the community can debate their preferences and inform the development of the Council’s draft LTP.

The Rugby World Cup 2011 (RWC 2011) Roadshow is touring New Zealand throughout July and will be at the Tongariro North Domain in Taupō on 18 July for one morning only. TV ONE’s Tamati Coffey will be hosting the event, and will be joined locally by Sir Colin Meads and NZ Master Chef finalist Traceylee Hooton.

In a bid to prevent alcohol related crashes Timeless Taupo, with the support of Taupō Safe District, has teamed up with Taupo Taxis, Grantley’s Liquor Merchants and Students Against Drunk Driving (SADD) to promote responsible drinking.

Taupō Civil Defence has had no reports of damage from an earthquake centred 30kms west of Taupō this afternoon.

From 1 August, the Taupō District Council will present funding and service options for a community debate as part of its Long Term Plan (LTP 2012-2022) process

Keep New Zealand Beautiful and Taupō District Council have teamed up to put an end to cigarette butt litter in the Taupō district, launching the ‘No Ifs, Butts or Maybes’ campaign on Wednesday 29 June.

Taupō Motorsport Park will once again open its gates for the Driver Directions one-day driver training course on Tuesday 19 July, aimed at helping learner drivers to gain more experience and driving time.

Taupō Museum and Taupō Library are to host “Rowley Habib Week – Jack of all trades, master of them all” as part of Matariki 2011 celebrations June 21st to 24th

AC Baths are celebrating the re-opening of their hydroslide tower with a free hydroslide day this Saturday 18 June.

Decorative bunting displaying the flags of all 20 nations competing in Rugby World Cup 2011 is now available to purchase, and is an easy and inexpensive way for communities, businesses and schools to show their support for the largest sporting event in our nation’s history

Mayor Rick Cooper will be unavoidably absent from this months coffee morning, so CEO Rob Williams has invited Taupō District Council’s most Senior Managers to attend at Sierra Cafe, Wednesday 15 June from 7.30am

Minister for the Environment, Nick Smith was in Taupō yesterday (31 May) for the re-launch of the Love NZ recycling bin project, which will see an additional 30 glass and plastic recycling bins placed in public spaces around the Taupō district

If you notice Turangi’s three blue gateway signs disappear next week don’t be alarmed. The fabricated steel signs are about to get a fresh coat of paint and a new look, and should be returned in a few weeks

This Sunday head down to Taupo Primary School between 10am and 2pm for the Taupo Safe District Community Safety Day featuring live safety demonstrations, puppet shows, and plenty of fun for the whole family

Farmers intending to move stock on public roads, especially dairy farmers this forthcoming ‘gypsy week’, are encouraged to get in touch with Taupō District Council and obtain a permit; enabling council staff to monitor movements and ensure safe practices are being met.

A clever new online service request system is revolutionising the way people request services from their council. ‘Fix My Street’ uses an interactive mapping system to pinpoint issues like broken street lights, graffiti removal, or litter, and is also available as a smart phone application

Taupo Youth Fest, 20–29 May, is a series of events held every second year for young people and includes music, art, dancing, and more. Held in conjunction with National Youth Week, this year’s events were organised by a group of young people from various Taupō youth organisations

The completion of three half marathons is no easy task, especially done in winter and in only three months. But organisers of the ‘63.3’ in the beautiful Great Lake Taupō are looking forward to even more runners taking up the challenge in 2011

Mayor Rick Cooper and Council CEO Rob Williams will be joined by Taupō District Council Urban Designer Chris Bailey at this Wednesday’s coffee morning at Sierra Café from 7.30am

Civil Defence are advising people to stay alert following a heavy rain warning issued by Metservice this morning for the Central North Island and Bay of Plenty area that could cause surface flooding

Taupō District Council has appointed Nick Reader as the new District Events Manager to facilitate and enable growth in the event industry throughout the District

Health and Safety ‘guru’ Paul Jarvie will be one of many industry experts speaking at a free health and safety seminar in Taupo on May 10 at Owen Delany Park, which is ideal for small businesses and contractors

A new brochure, to be launched this Thursday 5 May, is designed to make it easier for people who have a mobility issue to get around and enjoy what our district has to offer

Residents on River Road no longer need to boil their drinking water, following clear test results for the water supply in the area.

Civil Defence are advising all Taupō district residents to remain alert, as strong winds are not expected to ease until at least Sunday

Negotiations will soon be underway with Waikato/Bay of Plenty after SPARC’s High Performance Board selected the region as the preferred tenderer to develop a national cycling centre of excellence

For this Wednesday’s morning at Sierra Café, Mayor Rick Cooper and Council CEO Rob Williams will be joined by Taupō District Council staff to answer any questions you might have about this years draft Annual Plan

Taupō Motorsport Park will once again open its gates for the Driver Directions one-day driver training course on Tuesday 19 April, aimed at helping learner drivers to gain more experience and driving time

Taupō district libraries are asking people to choose their favourite books as part of a People’s Choice competition throughout April, in which you can win an $80 book voucher to buy even more books

Taupō District Council have granted a new 10 year lease to the Taupō Tennis Club to continue at its current location on the Tongariro North Domain

Council has adopted a change to the reserve management plan for Reid’s Farm which allows the free camping season to be extended for the 2011 winter season

Taupo District Council have adopted the draft Annual Plan 2011-12 with a proposed annual rate increase for the average residential property of 3.4% (not including the increase in GST)

Councillor Keith Crate QSM, Taupo’s representative on the new ‘super-region team’ of Waikato/Bay of Plenty/Taupo working to secure the Cycling Centre of Excellence, is very positive after hearing the proposal given to the Selection Panel made up of SPARC and BikeNZ representatives

The outdoor 25m pool at the AC Baths will be closed for maintenance from 4 to 30 April, although the indoor 25m pool will be open as usual

Mayor Rick Cooper swore in thirteen new Kiwi’s at an official citizenship ceremony yesterday (21 March), although many of them have lived in Taupō for many years

The Taupō Civil Defence Welfare group welcomes all evacuees from Christchurch to the district, but reminds them they need to get in touch with Community Link to in order to receive further assistance

A one-day motorcycle training course is being offered at Taupō Motorsport Park on Tuesday 22 March, suited to new and intermediate riders and those returning to motorcycling after a long break

Taupō’s South African and Irish ex-pat communities served up traditional South African dishes, and Irish brown bread at the 6 months to go picnic on Saturday at the Unison Amphitheatre to an appreciative crowd

Councillors have approved the draft Taupo Town Centre and Industrial Plan Changes and given staff the go ahead to get the community’s initial feedback

The Environment Court have upheld Taupo District Council’s decision to grant a resource consent at Bonshaw Park

Taupo’s bid to house the cycling centre of excellence has been unsuccessful however all is not lost

Mayor Rick Cooper and Council CEO Rob Williams will be joined by new Towncentre Taupō General Manager, and series two Masterchef NZ contestant Traceylee Hooton for this Wednesday’s ‘Coffee with Rick and Rob’ morning at Sierra Café

Mayor Rick Cooper says news that the Hilton Lake Taupō Hotel has taken out the Asia Pacific Connie Award is a testament that Taupō businesses are at the top of their game

A Taupo Events Centre staff member has once again won the regional Youth Award in the annual OSCAR awards, recognising afterschool and holiday programme excellence

Taupō’s ex-pat South African, Irish and Welsh communities are hosting a picnic this Saturday in celebration of six months to go until Rugby World Cup 2011 kicks off in New Zealand, and all are welcome to join the fun

Taupo Museum was bustling with visitors over the summer due to the popular All Black photographic exhibit “Hard on the Heels”, helping to set record numbers

Taupō District Council and Ironman NZ will continue with their winning combination for the next five years

The Taupō town bus route will undergo a temporary change this Saturday 5 March, as some roads will be closed for Ironman

At 12:51pm tomorrow (Tuesday 1st March) a nationwide two-minute silence will be held to remember the victims of the Christchurch earthquake last Tuesday

Social services in Taupō have coordinated a response to the Christchurch earthquake, making temporary accommodation and counselling available to any evacuees that come to Taupō

Councillors have approved the draft rural design guidelines for consultation and have given staff the go ahead to get the communities feedback on the document

Mayor Rick Cooper once again led the keen pack of cyclists around the Tongariro Domain as they celebrated ‘Go by Bike Day’

A very experienced Emergency response team are on their way from Taupō to Christchurch to help out with the rescue efforts

Fresh back from their whirlwind tour of Wales and Ireland, Deputy Mayor of Taupō Mich’eal Downard and King Country Rugby CEO David Trewavas talk about their trip with Sir Colin Meads, talking to media and promoting the Taupō district

Year Six and older students at Mountview Primary School are gaining valuable cycling and road safety skills due to a new Cycle Skills course

In an unprecedented move, an invitation by Welsh Rugby Manager Alan Phillips will see Taupō promoted at the first of the RBS Six Nations match at the Millennium Stadium in February

Enterprise Lake Taupō, Taupō District Council and Occam Consulting are providing the opportunity for local companies interested in doing business with the Chinese, to attend a workshop to get ideas on how to create business opportunities in this swiftly developing country

The Great Lake Taupō Cultural Festival; a two-day multi-cultural event at the Unison Amphitheatre this Waitangi weekend, will be a haven of delicious ethnic foods and locally produced wines according to organisers

Council have adopted the final chapter of the Taupō Urban and Commercial Structure Plan

CEO Rob Williams believes his progressive new structure will allow Taupō District Council to deliver the services that its council and communities require, while trimming costs and reducing red tape

Taupō is planning to celebrate this year’s Waitangi Weekend in spectacular style with The Great Lake Taupō Cultural Festival; a two-day multi-cultural event at the Unison Amphitheatre on 5 and 6 February which includes live music, ethnic food stalls, arts and crafts, and live cultural performances

Following up on the success of the motorcycle skills training days held at Taupō Motorsport Park late last year, a returning riders session is being held in early February

Taupō Police are positive about the impact of the zero tolerance to violence campaign – banned from one, banned from them all’ and say intoxication and violence levels are down this summer from previous years

Time is running out to give Council your views on the review of speed limits

Taupō has been a hive of activity so far this summer with people everywhere, hotels and motels with no vacancy signs up and retailers, bars and cafes trading steadily

On Saturday 22 January, 10am - 1pm at Omori Store, the public will get the opportunity to chat with council staff and discuss proposed growth options for the southern lakeshore settlements.

The 2011 'Our Neighbourhood' events series kicks off Friday 14 January at Brice Street Reserve in Taupō from 5pm till 7pm before heading to Turangi on Saturday for the SPCA ‘Dogs R Fun’ day from 11am at Taupahi Reserve.

Taupō district council is urging everyone out on the water this summer to be sensible and be alert to the dangers

Council are calling on those who have been impacted by flooding in the past, to help with a study to reduce the risks of flooding in the future

An official Chinese delegation from Taupō’s sister city Suzhou is in Taupō to explore business and tourism opportunities

All Blacks coach Graham Henry, Sir Colin Meads, and Keith Quinn were just some of the special guests who joined Peter Bush at Taupō Museum on Friday night to celebrate the opening of his All Blacks photo exhibition Hard on the Heels

With the recent rain fall around the district providing damper conditions, the Taupo district area fire ban has been lifted

Taupō bars are working together to keep Taupō a safe place and demonstrate their commitment to ‘zero tolerance to violence’

Taupō district residents and visitors are getting a very clear message during this festive season that drinking and driving don’t mix

Hot, dry summer days have seen water use skyrocket and water shortages are now becoming a reality in the Taupo District with Council stressing everyone must start conserving water right now

Even with the last two months being extremely wet with above average rainfall in the central north island, construction work on the ETA has continued, bringing a completed road ever closer

Council officers are asking people in Turangi, Tokaanu and all the southern lakeshore settlements to send them their visions, values and views on the future of these areas as part of the Turangi & Southern Lakeshore Settlements Structure Plan

A section of Centennial Drive will be temporarily closed on Monday 24 May and Tuesday 25 May 2010 to allow final construction of ramp realignments

Council CEO Rob Williams will be joined by the East Taupo Arterial Project Manager Ron Boyle and a representative from contractor Fulton Hogan for this Wednesday’s coffee morning at Sierra Café

Construction of the Crown Road connector road is now underway with completion expected in October 2010 in conjunction with the completion of the East Taupo Arterial (ETA)

Taupo District Council is finalising amended designs of three roundabouts on the East Taupo Arterial (ETA) to ensure they meet the very latest NZ Transport Agency’s safety and service requirements for state highways.

The month of April was a month of achievements as three key milestones were reached in construction of the East Taupo Arterial (ETA)

Six accredited examiners from the World Health Organisation (WHO) visited Taupo last Wednesday (21 April) to judge the district’s application to become an ‘International Safe District’, saying that the districts application was one of the best they had seen

Residents and holidaymakers in Turangi, Omori, Kuratau and Motuoapa have been giving council planners feedback on the new Turangi and Southern Lakeshore Settlements Structure Plan

A major milestone was achieved on the 16km East Taupo Arterial with the successful lift of the new Waikato River network arch bridge into its final position last week

Previous year’s Ironman volunteers Claire Wakeling and Richard Hine achieved their dream on Saturday, finishing the 2010 Bonita Ironman, Claire in a time of 12.12.23 and Richard in 11.58.38

Proposed new transport authority rules to accommodate larger sized trucks and heavier loads, which is due to go before cabinet this year, is raising questions about current design specifications in Taupo

Taupo district Deputy Mayor Don Ormsby officially opened the new Ashwood Septage Facility on Friday last week, exclaiming it was his first ‘stink’ job to do as deputy mayor

Council has notified decisions on Plan Changes 24 and 25 Landscape and Natural Values to the Taupo District Plan after considering an extensive range of public submissions.

Taupo District Council is trialling two solar-powered self compacting rubbish bins that automatically compact rubbish

Taupo District Council today announces that the new masterplanned garden suburb it plans to create to provide around 2,200 new homes in Taupo will be called Tauhara Ridge

The last Our Neighbourhood event for the series is also the only event to be held by the Lake, and is scheduled for this Friday afternoon at Wharewaka Point starting at 5pm

The new bridge being built over the Waikato River as part of the 16km East Taupo Arterial took another step towards its final form on Tuesday [16 February 2010]

Last week Taupo District Councillors gave the ‘green light’ to its officers to begin developing a Structure Plan for parts of the Turangi-Tongariro Ward.

ETA Project Manager Ron Boyle says it is fantastic that Broadlands Road has been opened well ahead of schedule

The competition winners from last month’s Our Neighbourhood event shared a life-changing experience as they jumped out of a plane last week, and organisers hope more neighbours will be brought together at this Friday’s event at Lakewood Reserve, Nukuhau

The district-wide information sessions and Taupo open days for the Draft Taupo Urban Commercial and Industrial Structure Plan have been successfully completed, but there is still time to have a look at the footprint of proposed building on the domain

Motorists are advised to expect delays north of Taupo at the Wairakei SH1/SH5 intersection

The construction of the East Taupo Arterial reached a significant milestone on Tuesday 26 Jan with the successful launch of the base of the Waikato River Network Arch Bridge across the water onto temporary piles

Council officers will be travelling around the district with information on the Taupo Urban Commercial and Industrial Structure Plan before returning to hold a number of open days in Taupo town.

The NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) advises that road resurfacing works will be carried out on several sections of State Highway 1 in the Taupo District over the next three weeks

The Taupo District Council ‘Our Neighbourhood’ events held at Parkdale Reserve in Richmond Heights on Friday afternoon, and at Taupahi Reserve in Turangi on Saturday were a huge success according to organisers

Taupo is progressing toward gaining accreditation from the World Health Organization (WHO) as an ‘International Safe Community’

The second Our Neighbourhood event for this summer is scheduled to be held at the Parkdale Reserve in Richmond Heights next Friday 15 Jan, and Taupo District Council hope for a huge turnout

Centennial Drive, which was closed on Monday to allow bridge beams to be put in place on the new ETA route, was re-opened this morning (Tuesday 22 December) two days ahead of schedule.

Planned changes to fine tune the Taupo District Plan have been approved by Council. Plan Change 26: Code of Practice Alignment and Plan Change 27: Minor Amendments are now out for public submission.

Taupo District Council want to know what your favourite natural space or reserve is, for a chance to go in the draw to pick your own prize.

Councillor Christine McElwee has this morning resigned her position as Deputy Mayor of the Taupo District, but will continue her role as a Councillor for the district

In mid-January 2010, Broadlands Road will be temporarily closed to allow contractors to complete road widening and re-alignment work as part of the East Taupo Arterial construction

NZTA have put up an extra $3.8 million to fund the use of ‘foam bitumen’, a longer lasting road surface, for the East Taupo Arterial

Taupo District Council today announces the development of a new garden suburb in Taupo that will provide around 2200 new homes, a wide range of living styles and housing types and benefit Taupo district ratepayers and community for generations to come.

The first in the continued Our Neighbourhood event series held at Mere Rd Reserve on Friday evening was a ‘cracker’ according to organisers

Reid's Farm, the recreation reserve on Huka Falls Road popular with informal holiday campers, has been added to the list of places where the possession and consumption of liquor is banned during the New Year period

Next years Annual Plan consultation will include a statement of proposal to change the way destination marketing is delivered in the Taupo District

Good local knowledge, civic minded, mature, non-confrontational, and a common sense attitude are the prerequisites sought for people to become Taupo Community Ambassadors

For the second year running, the men of Taupo’s Rural Fire Force have bared almost everything in a calendar to raise money for fire fighting equipment

First time drivers need a minimum of 120 hours behind the wheel before hitting roads alone, according to NZTA

The Mere Rd Reserve ‘Our Neighbourhood’ event scheduled for last Friday has been postponed due to bad weather, and will be held this Friday 11 December from 5pm

Councillor Bernhard Chrustowski, a long time dedicated cyclist, has accepted the job of being the champion for walking and cycling in the Taupo District

Businesses across Taupo District that discharge waste water into the Council sewers are reminded that they have until 5pm on Friday 11th December to make submissions on Council's draft Trade Waste Bylaw

A series of events organised by Taupo District Council are giving people the chance to meet their neighbours in a fun and friendly atmosphere at nearby reserves

Taupo residents and visitors will be getting a blunt reminder over the next few weeks that drinking and driving don’t mix

The inaugural Radio Network and Taupo District Council ‘Choice As’ business awards culminated last night with an awards and recognition evening for the winning businesses

The draft Taupo Urban Commercial and Industrial Structure Plan has been approved for consultation by Taupo District Council with a comprehensive consultation process to get underway in early December

The AC Baths’ Aquatic Programmes Team won the inaugural New Zealand Water Safety Awareness Award for its Swim for Life and Lake Taupo Water Safety programmes

In mid-December a small section of Centennial Drive will be temporarily closed to allow a 220 tonne crane to lift the concrete bridge beams into place for the new Centennial Drive bridge

Taupo District Councillors and other officials gathered yesterday morning to mark the official opening of the new Taupo District Animal Management Centre on Centennial Drive

The Great Lake Centre has once again been recognised as a quality venue by being licensed to use the Qualmark – New Zealand tourism’s official quality mark

Taupo’s iconic Superloo celebrated its four millionth visitor yesterday. Mayor Rick Cooper presented the lucky loo-goer with a special prize pack full of vouchers and gifts donated by local retailers

A temporary new two-lane road is now in use to allow traffic to flow around the section of the Napier-Taupo Highway where the ETA construction is underway

Students from schools around the region took part in this year’s first inter-regional school cycle skills contest in Taupo

The public of Taupo is being urged to get involved and have their say on the Draft Taupo Urban Commercial and Industrial Structure Plan

A group of 18 Kanak women, visiting from Noumea, exchanged arts and crafts techniques with local art groups at Wairakei Terraces on Thursday last week

Taupo District Council Communications Manager says claims from an unknown source about conflicts of interest regarding elected members is disappointing given the effort made to ensure these transactions are open and transparent

Hilltop School have shown their support for the environment by joining the national ‘Paper 4 Trees’ campaign, and won a recent competition for their efforts

Mayor Rick Cooper and Council CEO Rob Williams will be at Sierra Café for a coffee and a chat with the public on Wednesday 18 November

Mayor Rick Cooper formally recognised the recipients of the Mayoral Civic Awards at an official ceremony held in the Council Chambers on Wednesday night

Taupo Mayor Rick Cooper is excited at what is thought to be the remnants of a family of ancient Moa on the ETA highway which is currently being constructed on the outskirts of Taupo

Taupo Mayor Rick Cooper is pleased that the NZ Transport Agency have approved funding to enable a connector road in the Crown Road area to address the loss of access due to the construction of the ETA

Taupo Intermediate School signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Collège Jean Mariotti of Nouméa to become ‘sister-schools’

Taupo District Council has recently purchased a defibrilltor for the Taupo Public Library, as part of a plan to have these life-saving devices strategically placed in and around the CBD

A free seminar focusing on workplace and community health and safety will be held at Owen Delany Park on Tuesday 10 November from 9.00am

Professor Doug Sellman delivered a challenging and informative lecture at the Suncourt Conference Centre in Taupo on Tuesday night on the topic “Ten things the alcohol industry won’t tell you about alcohol”

Taupo District Council has adopted a new strategy which will see Council owned venues managed with an increased customer service focus

East Taupo Arterial (ETA) progress is full steam ahead with the first of 14 welded steel ‘I-girders’ lifted into place over the Contact Energy steam fields

Taupo District Council adopted amendments to the Dog Control Bylaw today, allowing a new dog exercise area for Turangi, while continuing to ban dogs from the Turangi Shopping Mall

Taupo Mayor Rick Cooper joined with Booster Rooster, emergency services crews, and NZV8 driver Mark Pedersen to promote the safety belt message to the kids of Taupo Primary School in an unofficial NZ first safety belt record

Taupo Public Library held the final school holiday programme for the year earlier this month, attracting high numbers of children

Taupo District Council’s Annual Report is now available. Its balance sheet presents a very healthy picture, reflecting a growing district investing in its infrastructure.