Lake Okareka
  • Home
    • LŌCA Committee
    • Lake Ōkāreka History
    • Contact
  • Environmental Groups
    • Landcare >
      • Possum & Rat Traps
      • Contact
    • Tikitapu Pest Control
    • Mistletoe Project >
      • Ōkāreka Mistletoe Walk
  • Tennis Club
    • Contact
  • Fishing Club
    • Lake Ōkāreka
    • Contact
  • Preschool
  • Fire Brigade
  • Campsites
  • Walking Tracks
    • Eastern Walkway
    • Tarawera Trail
    • Western Okataina
    • Tikitapu Scenic Reserve
    • Whakarewarewa Forest
  • Community Newsletters
  • Neighbourhood Support
  • Okareka Civil Defence
    • Ōkāreka Resident Registry
    • Okataina Volcanic Geology

SUMMER 2015 REPORT FROM DOC CAMP

25/3/2015

0 Comments

 
The DOC camp and day picnic beach has had a very busy summer, because we have had such a brilliant summer, this year. Lots of families from all over New Zealand - as well as Rotorua and Lake Okareka - came to stay at the camp especially during the January school holidays. This was great to see as that was what the camp was designed for. These kiwi families often stayed for several nights, along with many tourists who usually only stay one or maybe two nights. 

And there were many day visitors at the beach, many of them coming to use the water ski access lane or go to the jumping off rock! There were also many people with kayaks and stand up paddle boards. Many of these people stayed until the evening on the warm, calm evenings we experienced this summer, and had barbeque dinners before returning to their homes.

All of these people visiting the camp and day picnic beach area has kept the LOCA camp volunteers very busy, keeping the toilets, the camp and beach areas clean and tidy, checking in campers and talking to all the visitors. For January 2015 this work amounted to over 180 hours of volunteer time. This reflects an outstanding commitment to help maintain this community asset. 

The feedback from the campers has been great with many commenting to us about how beautiful the site is and about how clean and tidy the area is kept. People, both New Zealanders and overseas tourists are coming to stay here now on word-of-mouth recommendations from friends and family who have already visited. And there are many repeat visitors for all sorts of reasons. The LOCA volunteers can be very proud of their efforts - and the profits from the camp operations made by LOCA will be going back into conservation activities around Lake Okareka such as the esplanade strip trapping programme (see Mike Vincent's report on page 19) to help protect the dab chicks and other wetland birds and also into the new Lake Okareka walking track. 

Feedback coming in from other communities is that many are extremely envious of the opportunity that Lake Okareka has taken up with working with Department of Conservation in managing this camp site and with Rotorua District Council with managing overnight parking at Boyes beach. It means that money is coming into the area from outside and is being used for the benefit of the community and the environment.

We would really welcome more local people becoming involved with helping to manage the DOC camp and also Boyes beach. There are no doubt about it times when it does get very busy, but it is also very rewarding, interesting and at times a lot of fun meeting and interacting with the visitors.

Please contact Sandra Goodwin 362 8865 if you would like to help.
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Picture

    Archives

    July 2020
    December 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    November 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    November 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.