About The District

At the heart of New Zealand’s North Island, just a two hour drive south from Auckland, lies the Waipa District, home to 42,500 residents and 1467 square kilometres of lush pasture, forests, iconic mountains and world-renowned hydro lakes, including the home of rowing in New Zealand, Lake Karapiro.

In 1978 Lake Karapiro hosted a hugely successful Rowing World Championships, and we are proud and delighted to again be welcoming the world to our District in 2010.  The Domain may look a little different as Waipa District Council has invested $15 million into facility upgrades, a new community and events centre and associated infrastructure, but you can be assured the warm welcome and fantastic atmosphere and competition remain.

Rowing plays a big part in everyday life in the Waipa District.  Every year thousands of rowers and spectators flock to Lake Karapiro, a stunning example of a flat water course with embankments for easy viewing.  All levels are catered for, from our elite national squad at the recently completed High Performance Centre, to secondary school (the Maadi Cup, Australasia’s premier secondary school rowing competition, is hosted at Lake Karapiro every second year), to corporate groups and casual weekend rowers.

Lake Karapiro also hosts annual waka ama events, high-octane hydroplane racing, water skiing, kayaking, sailing, triathlons and yachting. 

Waipa District is central to many other attractions: within an hour’s travel you will find surf beaches, glow worm caves, bustling cities and snow activities.  There is also an international airport serving the Waikato Region and nearby Hamilton City.  The District has two main towns, Cambridge and Te Awamutu, plus the rural villages of Kihikihi, Pirongia, Ohaupo and Karapiro. 

Cambridge, located just 6km from Lake Karapiro, has a population of 13,000. It is a boutique tree-lined town that is home to many elite rowers as well as being one of the strongholds of the equine industry in New Zealand, boasting 16 Melbourne Cup winners and some of the finest and most successful studs in the country.  It is a haven for artists with antique shops, art galleries, and local crafts that vary from porcelain to blacksmithing – great for a browse! Cambridge’s sister city relationship with Le Quesnoy in France provides the focus for the Armistice Day celebrations each year.

Te Awamutu, an easy 25 minute drive from the lake, has 12,000 residents, and is a thriving service town to the surrounding high quality dairy farms.  Residents continue to be proud of their most famous sons, music legends Neil and Tim Finn of Split Enz and Crowded House fame.  It also has some of the finest rose gardens in the country, and to celebrate this a Rose and Cultural festival is held each year in November.  If bushwalks are your keeping-fit or winding-down preference, Pirongia Forest Park, Yarndley’s Bush and Mt Kakepuku are all just minutes away from the town centre, and the local rivers and streams provide quality fishing spots.

Enjoy off-water action as well? Kihikihi Domain hosts international polo, eventing and speedway meetings, top netball and basketball fixtures are played at the Te Awamutu Events Centre, and there is horse racing at the Cambridge, Te Awamutu and Pirongia Raceways.

While rowing is immensely popular, sports and recreation in general are a way of life in the Waipa District. Clubs including rugby, soccer, cricket, BMX, motorcross, golf, lawn bowls, athletics, cycling and racquet sports are available, along with multi-use sports grounds, public hard courts and hundreds of hectares of parks.

Waipa District is an environmental mecca, with fine examples of peat lakes (16), native bush and wetlands.  Of particular significance is Maungatautari Mountain which through the dedication and commitment of a community trust and the backing of local and central government, has been transformed into an ecological island with the completion of  a 47km pest proof fence and the eradication of all mammalian pests.  It is now a haven for a wide range of threatened species including kiwi, takahe and tuatara, with dedicated walking tracks and viewing platforms for all to enjoy.

High quality soils, plentiful rainfall and a temperate climate have shaped an economy based on agriculture, but also to a lesser extent horticulture.  Dairying is a major activity, but there are significant numbers of beef cattle, sheep and deer.  Asparagus, blueberries and strawberries are grown in large volumes, and there are three award winning vineyards – Judge Valley, Mystery Creek and Viligrad.  With such high quality ingredients available, finding a restaurant for a superb meal and accompanying vintage is easy.

This strong rural focus also draws over 100,000 people each year to the annual New Zealand National Agricultural Fieldays in June, the largest agricultural event in the southern hemisphere held at the Mystery Creek Events Centre.  This week-long event showcases the best of agricultural products, services, achievements and technologies, bringing in millions of dollars to the local economy and visitors from around the world.

Waipa District is steeped in history, much of which was pivotal in shaping the New Zealand we see today.  The natural richness of the environment and the proximity of the Waipa and Waikato Rivers meant the District was attractive to early settlers, both Maori and European.  Our museums tell the stories of these settlers, and the early conflicts that arose, and showcase cultural treasures such as the Tainui taonga Uenuku, as well as modern day icons. 

Waipa District offers the traditions and values of rural New Zealand with a rich complement of international migrants in recent generations.  This is reflected in the character and warmth of the main towns and outlying settlements.  Whether you are basing yourself here or stopping for a visit, you can be assured of a warm welcome, and all the facilities you would expect from a city set in a stunning rural landscape.

Waipa - the great place to live, work and play!