Taupà Â, sometimes written Taupo, is a town located in the central North Island of New Zealand. It is situated on the edge of Lake Taupà Â, which is the largest freshwater lake in New Zealand. Taupà  was constituted as a borough in 1953. It has been the seat of Taupà  District Council since the council was formed in 1989.
Taupà  is the largest urban area of the Taupà  District, and the second-largest urban area in the Waikato region, behind Hamilton. It has a population of approximately Taupà  is known for its natural beauty, with the surrounding area offering a range of outdoor recreational activities such as hiking, fishing, skiing, and water sports. Visitors can also enjoy a variety of attractions, including the Wairakei Power Station, Huka Falls, and the Tongariro National Park.
The name Taupà  is from the MÃÂori language and is a shortened version of Taupà Â-nui-a-Tia. The longer name was first given to the cliff at PÃÂkàBay, on the eastern shore of the lake, and means the "great cloak of Tia". It was named for Tia, the MÃÂori explorer who discovered the lake. MÃÂori later applied the name to the lake itself. In 2019 the official name of the town was changed from Taupo to Taupà Â.
Although the English pronunciation "tow-po" (, NZE ) is widespread, it is often regarded as incorrect, and the MÃÂori pronunciation, "toe-paw" (, NZE ) is generally preferred in formal use.
Approximately 700 years ago, Maori settlement of the Lake Taupà  region occurred. Maori settled along the Waikato River, the lake shores and on forest edges. Europeans first visited Taupà  around 1839.
In 1868, an armed constabulary post was established in Taupà  in order to strengthen communication lines in the central North Island. A redoubt (or fort) was built by the armed constabulary in 1870 to guard a crossing of the Waikato river next to where it joined Lake Taupà Â. It was designed for up to 150 men although generally between 15 and 40 men were present during the early 1870s. This redoubt was located on the opposite bank to the NgÃÂti Tà «wharetoa pàat Nukuhau (now called Redoubt Street). A courthouse was built in 1881 close to the Armed Constabulary redoubt. In 1886, the armed constabulary were replace by a civil police force.
Hot water pools around Taupà  began to attract tourists to Taupà  in the late 1870s and early 1880s and hotels were developed to take advantage of this. In the 1890s, rainbow trout were introduced to Lake Taupà  and Taupà  became a popular town to stay and fish.
A road board was established in 1922 and it was made a borough in 1953.
The control gates bridge that spans the Waikato river and link the northern and southern suburbs of the Taupà  were completed in 1941. The bridge contains six control gates to adjust the flow of the Waikato River to the nine hydroelectric power stations down river of Taupo.
Taupà  grew quickly due to the development of the Wairakei geothermal power station, located 7km north of Taupà Â, which was commissioned in 1958 and completed in 1963. Also significant was expansion of the timber industry and farm development occurred between 1949 and 1953.
Farming in the region was initially unsuccessful with a wasting illness which affected sheep and cattle given the name "bush sickness". Scientific study of the soil identified that there was a Cobalt deficiency in the soil. Once the soil was fertilized, farming in the region was successful. Sheep numbers in the district increased to 138,600 with more than 20 sheep farms and 300 dairy farms established between 1947 and 1954.
The population of Taupà  was 753 people in 1945; 1,358 in 1951, later increasing to 2,849 people in 1956 and 5,251 people in 1961.
Further geothermal power stations were built surrounding Taupo including the Poihipi power station which was completed in 1997 and purchased by Contact Energy in 2000; Te Mihi, completed in 2014 and the Tauhara power station which was completed in 2024.
Taupà  is located on the northeastern shore of Lake Taupà Â, New Zealand's largest lake, which is itself in the caldera of the Taupà  Volcano. The Waikato River drains the lake and runs through the town, separating the CBD and the northern suburbs. The river flows over the Huka Falls, a short distance north of the town, Taupà  is a centre of volcanic and geothermal activity, and hot springs suitable for bathing are located at several places in the vicinity. The volcanic Mount Tauhara lies six kilometres (4 mi) to the east. Taupo is 153km south west of Hamilton; 80km south of Rotorua and 50km north of Turangi.
Somewhat to the northeast are significant hot springs. These springs contain extremophile micro-organisms that live in extremely hot environments.
The small but growing satellite town of Kinloch, where there is a golf course designed by Jack Nicklaus, is 20 kilometres west along the lake.
Taupà  suburbs include:
Taupà  has an oceanic climate (Cfb). The town is located inland, which results in the accumulation of dry air causing severe frost during winter. However snowfall in Taupà  is rare. The summer climate in Taupà  is mild with maximum average temperature reaching 23 degrees and a minimum average temperature of 10 degrees.
Taupà  is described by Statistics New Zealand as a medium urban area and covers , which stretches from Acacia Bay in the west to Centennial Park in the east and to Taupà  Airport in the south. The Taupà  urban area had an estimated population of as of with a population density of people per km<sup>2</sup>. It is the 26th-largest urban area in New Zealand, and the second-largest in the Waikato Region behind Hamilton.
Taupà  had a population of 25,374 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 1,752 people (7.4%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 4,251 people (20.1%) since the 2013 census. There were 12,429 males, 12,882 females, and 66 people of other genders in 9,711 dwellings. 2.4% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. The median age was 42.4 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 4,695 people (18.5%) aged under 15 years, 4,008 (15.8%) aged 15 to 29, 11,103 (43.8%) aged 30 to 64, and 5,571 (22.0%) aged 65 or older.
People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 77.6% European (PÃÂkehÃÂ); 25.6% MÃÂori; 3.8% Pasifika; 7.8% Asian; 0.9% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 2.7% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 97.2%, MÃÂori by 5.7%, Samoan by 0.5%, and other languages by 8.8%. No language could be spoken by 1.8% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.5%. The percentage of people born overseas was 20.1, compared with 28.8% nationally.
Religious affiliations were 30.7% Christian, 1.8% Hindu, 0.3% Islam, 2.6% MÃÂori religious beliefs, 0.7% Buddhist, 0.4% New Age, 0.1% Jewish, and 1.4% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 54.7%, and 7.5% of people did not answer the census question.
Of those at least 15 years old, 3,846 (18.6%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 11,934 (57.7%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 4,908 (23.7%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $41,500, compared with $41,500 nationally. 2,112 people (10.2%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was 10,380 (50.2%) full-time, 2,964 (14.3%) part-time, and 429 (2.1%) unemployed.
Taupà  is a tourist centre, particularly in the summer, as it offers panoramic views over the lake and to the volcanic mountains of Tongariro National Park to the south. It offers a number of tourist activities including sky diving, jetboating, parasailing, and bungy jumping. Craters of the Moon is a geothermal valley where it is possible to see bubbling mud and steam released from underground geothermal activity.
Taupà  services a number of surrounding plantation pine forests including the large Kaingaroa Forest and related industry. A large sawmill is sited approximated 3 km to the north east of the town on Centennial Drive.
Taupà  is surrounded by seven geothermal power stations including the historic Wairakei geothermal power station a few kilometres north of the town.
Taupà  has a McDonald's with a decommissioned Douglas DC-3 attached to the store. The fast food outlet has seating inside the plane's structure.
The Taupà  district council provides local government services for Taupà Â. Taupà  is part of the Taupà  electorate and the current member of parliament (as of 2023) is Louise Upston.
The Taupà  museum is located in the centre of the town on Story Place. It has displays including about the NgÃÂti Tà «wharetoa, a Wharenui (MÃÂori Meeting House) which was carved locally between 1927 and 1928, a moa skeleton and a caravan filled with local memorabilia from the late 1950s and early 1960s. There are also displays about volcanos and art galleries.
Regular sporting events in Taupà  include Ironman New Zealand, the Lake Taupà  Cycle Challenge and the Great Lake Relay (established in 1995). The Lake Taupà  Cycle Challenge has about 5,000 riders. The Oxfam Trailwalker has been held in Taupà  several times. In 2006 Taupà  was also the location of the off-road motorcycle event FIM International Six Day Enduro.
The International Mountain Bicycling Association has designated the mountain biking trails at Bike Taupà  as a silver-level IMBA Ride Center. Ride Centers are the IMBA's strongest endorsement of a trail experience.
Owen Delany park is a multi-purpose sports ground in Taupà Â. It has a capacity of 30,000 people and includes six sports fields; Cricket â four grass cricket blocks and six artificial wickets; a 400 metre athletic track; ten netball courts and a velodrome.
Taupà  is home to the Taupo Golf Club which has two courses: the Tauhara golf course and the Centennial course. Other golf courses located near Taupà  include Wairakei Golf + Sanctuary, the Kinloch Club Golf Course and the Reporoa Golf Club.
Taupà  is home to the Taupo International Motorsport Park. It has a full international-standard racing circuit.
The AC Baths is a swimming pool complex located at 26 AC Baths Avenue. Facilities include two 25-metre lane pools, an outdoor leisure pool with two toddler areas, a sauna, two hydroslides and four private thermal mineral pools.
Taupà  has four high schools: Tauhara College, Taupo-nui-a-Tia College, MÃÂori immersion Te Kura Kaupapa MÃÂori o Whakarewa i Te Reo ki Tuwharetoa and state integrated Lake Taupo Christian School. It also has Wairakei, St Patrick's, Waipahihi, Hilltop, Mount View, Taupà  and Tauhara primary schools, and Taupo Intermediate School.
Taupà  is served by State Highway 1 and State Highway 5, and is on the Thermal Explorer Highway touring route. All three highways run concurrently along the Eastern Taupà  Arterial, which was built in 2010.
Taupà  is one of the few large towns in New Zealand that have never had a link to the national rail network, although there have been proposals in the past.
Taupà  Airport is located south of the township. Scheduled services to Auckland and Wellington operate from the airport.
Taupà  first received a public electricity supply in 1952, with the commissioning of the Hinemaiaia A hydroelectric power station south of the town. The town was connected to the national grid in 1958, coinciding with the commissioning of Wairakei geothermal power station north of the town. Today, Unison Networks owns and operates the electricity distribution network in Taupà Â.
Natural gas arrived in Taupà  in 1987. First Gas operates the gas distribution network in the town.
Taupà Â's fresh water supply is drawn from Lake Taupà Â. Prior to 2013, there were two separate fresh water systems serving the town: the Lake Terrace system serving the town north of Napier Road, and the Rainbow Point system serving the southern suburbs. In 2013, the Lake Terrace treatment plant was upgraded and the two systems were amalgamated. Acacia Bay has its own dedicated fresh water system.
The local newspaper Taupà  Times was owned by Stuff. On Stuff websites the last Taupà  Times was on 28 June 2024, though Taupà  & Tà «rangi News is now published independently, following a buyout by its editor and a further change of ownership in January 2025. There is also a local radio station. Digitisation of the Taupà  Times from 1952 was undertaken in a partnership between The Preserving Local History and Educational Trust and Taupà  Museum and Art Gallery.
Taupà  is twinned with: