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McLaren Falls Road, off State Highway 29, lower Kaimais

About 20 minutes north of Tauranga is one of the region’s finest parks. It offers idyllic, grassy lakeside picnic spots, interesting short walks and trout fishing. The council-run park is located on Lake McLaren and its hydro dam, which feeds the small Ruahihi Power Station downstream on the Wairoa River. McLaren Falls Park covers 170 hectares and boasts a picturesque lake, with lots of spots to cast a line (licence required), native bush and exotic trees. The park is known for its bird life, including kiwi and robins, and grazing sheep.

The most popular walk is a 15-minute return loop track to McLaren Falls, a waterfall set in native bush. Another walk up to the ridge above the park takes 30 minutes, and it’s an hour to walk around Lake McLaren on a well sign-posted path. The park is open daily 8am—7.30pm in summer (5.30pm in winter). The park’s family-friendly attractions include Marshall’s Animal Park, off a side road from inside the park. Here there are bison, ponies, eels, and various other animals that children can see and feed.

Open Wed & Thurs, weekends in summer, weekdays 10am—pm, longer at the weekends (tel 543-3734).