Located on the shore of Lake Taupo in the centre of the North Island of New Zealand, the Taupo Region has a population of 24,700 (June 2018). In 1953, Taupo was officially constituted as a borough, but from 1989 it has been administered by the Taupo District Council, the district including both Taupo itself and the surrounding areas. Despite this, it is occasionally referred to as a city.

The name Taupo, by which the town is commonly known, is the shortened version of its full name, Taupō-nui-a-Tia. Literally translated from Māori language, Taupō-nui-a-Tia means "The great cloak of Tia", where Tia is the name of the discoverer of the lake.

The major industries providing employment in the Taupo District are Geothermal Energy, Forestry & Wood Processing, Agriculture, Tourism and Events.

Geothermal energy was first harnessed to generate power at the Wairakei Power Station in 1958, the first power station of its kind (wet steam) in the world. The Taupo District has seen a rapid growth in geothermal power generation as it is totally renewable and has the lowest cost base of energy production.

Forestry and Wood Processing continue to be a major industry in Taupo. As the Taupo region is situated within the Central North Island Forestry Zone (CNI Forests), it accounts for a third of the total forestry plantations in New Zealand.

Dairy Farming is becoming increasingly popular and successful in the Taupo District. With the launch of a new milk processing company, Miraka, and the joint venture between Miraka and Shangahi PengXin to process UHT milk the dairy industry in Taupo has received a boost which in turn has created valuable jobs.

Taupo has become increasingly popular as a venue for major sporting and other events, increasingly of an international nature. The town's compact size, clean environment, central location and supportive council and community have been cited as the reasons for this. Major events in Taupo include:

Annual events
Ironman New Zealand
Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge
Great Lake Relay
Mizuno Half Marathon
Taupo Half Ironman
Mighty River Power Sailing Regatta
Erupt Lake Taupo Events*
North Island Cross Country Championship

To see more current events visit our What's On page by clicking here.

Enterprise Great Lake Taupo is the economic development agency for the Taupo District. Its role is to bring about economic development of new businesses and support existing businesses to grow, to provide employment and opportunities for the district. Visit the Enterprise Great Lake Taupo website for more information.