Regional History

A brief look back in time

Taupo has an exciting and unique history in the thermal heartland of the North Island in New Zealand. 

Taupo and its legendary lake, is a unique New Zealand town whose birth started on the volcanic slopes, where western dead lands were swept by dust storms. This is a place rich and steeped in spiritual and cultural history in the coming of the Maori, and the struggle and endeavour of early European settlement. 

Lake Taupo began its dreamy watery beginnings with a volcanic eruption in 186AD.  This enormous eruption blew a 660 square metre hole in the earth sending ash into the atmosphere so high and so far, that the Chinese and Romans recorded these fiery red skies.

Tuwharetoa Maori arrived in the 13th Century being descendents from the Arawa, one of the great canoes from the great migration, and European settlement in 1830 began its early beginnings  with the arrival of Christianity, geologists, traders, and settlers.  In 1877 Taupo was surveyed into allotments and by the 1890's Taupo was flourishing, with sheep farming and an expanding business town.  With better road access and transport Taupo was starting to attract travellers and the town was forming.

During the 1900 the growth and economic development expanded with farming, forestry, geothermal potential, tourism and lifestyle, making Taupo the exceptional and distinctive business, events and holiday destination it is today.