- Partnership agreement with the Rotorua Lakes Council to monitor/manage the Boyes Beach public reserve for overnight camping.
- LOCA is responsible for collecting and banking all camping fees and the money is to go towards funding community based projects located within the Lake Okareka catchment.
- RLC to provide maintenance, repairs and upgrades to supporting infrastructure as per Council's Long Term Plan i.e. toilets, BBQ, fences, playground and general reserve maintenance.
- 10% of funds collected may be used to assist in the operation of the Tarawera Road Transfer Station.
- Agreement commenced Sept 2014 for 10 years and subject to review every 5 years (2019, 2024).
Department of Conservation Campground
- Partnership agreement with DOC to efficiently manage the day to day running of the Lake Okareka Campground as detailed in the contract with the Director General.
- LOCA responsible for the collection of fees and deposited into the DOC bank account. Each month LOCA invoices DOC for 90% of the fees.
- LOCA has responsibility to manage and pay for some maintenance including toilet cleaning etc as detailed in the contract.
- Funds collected from this contract to go towards maintaining and enhancing environmental projects in the Lake Okareka catchment as agreed with DOC.
- The initial project agreed to was the completion of the Lake Okareka Community Walking Track. Agreement commenced December 2012 and is subject to review every 5 years (2017, 2022).
Department of Conservation Lake Okareka Community Walking Track
- Partnership agreement with DOC, Landcare Okareka, RLC, BOPRC, Iwi and other affected party’s to complete a walking track from Boyes Beach to the outlet. This track is part of DOC’s vision to have a series of connected walking tracks around the district lakes Tikitapu, Tarawera, Okataina and Okareka.
- There are five stages to the Lake Okareka track and the second of these from Boyes Beach to the DOC Camp Ground is now in place. The contract for this project was finalized in October 2014 with a review every 5 years (2019, 2024)
NB - The camp grounds and the walking track are managed by LOCA with volunteers from LOCA, Landcare Okareka and the Okareka and Rotorua communities.
Geoff Palmer, February 2017