"Activities in Opunake, its where its happening."

The Opunake Walkway is one of 11 walkways in the Taranaki/Wanganui region. It is 7 kms long and takes about 2 1/2 hours to complete. Start at the Opunake Lake boat ramp and head around the lake anti-clockwise before heading toward the Opunake Beach. It ends north of the town at the Te Namu Pa site beside the Opunake cemetary.
Mt Taranaki stands 2518 mtrs above sea level on the West Coast of the North Island of New Zealand. It has a symmetrical cone shape with a smaller cone protruding from its South western side called Fanthams Peak. It is surrounded by 33,534 hec of rainforests called Egmont National Park. It is the source for over 50 rivers and streams round Taranaki. The soil type is volcanic loam which is great for dairy farming. There are many walking/tramping tracks throughout the park catering for all fitnesses. The beautiful Dawson Falls is situated 14 kms from Kaponga up the Manaia Road. The Dawson Falls Mountain Lodge has splendid accommodation and food and is considered the perfect retreat for a weekend getaway.
Opunake Beach is one of the safest swimming beaches in New Zealand offering a great holiday spot for families. It is patrolled by surf life savers throughout the summer months. It offers great fishing spots and has a very popular motor camp which is busy throughout the summer holidays. There is a children's playground and paddling pool for the little ones. The beach has two massive headlands which provide shelter and protection from winter storms. Currently under construction, is an artifical surf reef which will provide excellent surf from the north side of the bay when completed.
Opunake Lake has two purposes, to produce electricity for the national grid and to provide a recreational sport for boating, water skiing, trout fishing, for walkers or just feed the ducks. In the summertime the lake is as busy as the nearby Opunake Beach and every weekend the sound of pleasure craft zooming around the lake can always be heard. The history of the lake goes back to the early 1900s, when it was first muted that electricity would be a necessity for the growing town and surrounding districts. A chunk of land beside the Waiaua river, which formed a natural basin, was considered suitable to store water from the river for the purpose of making electricity. This area once was the vegetable garden for the Armed Constabulary.
Surf Spots can be found down most roads that head to the sea along Surf Highway 45. The most popular and easy access is Opunake Beach, where an artificial reef is being constructed. Other popular spots along the coast are: Green Meadows, Arawhata Road, Dumps and Mungas, all these spots are within 10 mins of Opunake.
Opunake Community Baths Society Incorporated is the body that runs the Opunake swimming pool complex on Opunake High School grounds, for use by everyone in the Opunake and Coastal Taranaki area.  Foresight of earlier community members means we have a heated covered 25m pool plus three small pools in our complex.  This incorporated society runs the pools for all types of aquatic activities with a minimum of funding and many volunteer hours.  Our pool is usually open from the start of the school holidays between terms three and four until the end of term one holidays, funding permitted.  Public swimming times are usually 1-4pm on weekends and daily during school holidays.  There are many organised groups with bookings outside these times for example swimming club and surf lifesaving club, lessons for babies and preschoolers, early morning and night time lane swimmers, triathlon group at have-a-go and improver levels. These poles have recently been painted with a child-friendly theme of otters and other sea life animals. Thanks to Dennis Latimer and funding from Egmont Arts Council. For further information contact Committee members:  Judith 06 761 8052, Margy 06 761 8382, Susie 06 763 8460.  Pool phone during opening is 7617175. Top