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New Zealand > Waikato
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Putararu
By Jessica Lloyd
This is the sister town of Tokoroa, and the two are often lumped in
together. This town is covered in large detailed murals, and the mosaics on
the footpath give it a very unique and colourful flavour. The art isn’t
pointless either, all of it tells a story or depicts life in the area.
Putararu is also the source for over 70% of New Zealands bottled spring
water, including popular brand Pump. This cute little place is right on the
tourist route from Waitomo to Rotorua, which keeps it busy.
Things to do in Putaruru
Outdoors rules here. Take your pick. There are loads of walks, water sports,
horse riding and trout fishing. The national woodturning exhibition is held
here, known as TurNZ. This exhibition produces some very beautiful woodwork,
and is worth stopping in for. There is an annual Spring into Summer
Festival, which includes sporting and cultural events over a three week
period. In February, Tatou Tatou is held, New Zealand’s largest mixed team
touch rugby tournament. The huge waterpark is also a fun interlude, with
over 5000 native plants on the grounds and very interesting pools and
displays. There are loads of great fishing spots, with over 20 rivers within
a 20km radius of the town.
Getting There
This town is in between Tokoroa and Tirau, on State Highway 1. It is very close to Lake
Arapuni on the Waikato River. About a one hour drive from
Hamilton and 50 minutes from
Rotorua and 55 mins from Taupo.
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