Forty-year-old adventure park grows with times

The UFO is one of Waimarino Adventure Park's newest attractions. Photo / Supplied

Waimarino Adventure Park will celebrate its 40th anniversary as one of the Bay of Plenty's leading kayaking and tourism ventures this Labour Weekend.

The park, on the Wairoa River near Bethlehem, Tauranga, was established in the mid-1970s by Barry and Barbara Anderson, whose vision was to teach kayaking to people of all ages. Director Blair Anderson, who took over Waimarino with his wife Charlotte in 2003, said the park "is now a very different place".

Waimarino began with six kayaks and a small wooden shed and has grown to a multi-faceted venture with 160 kayaks and 30-plus staff, which provides after-school and holiday programmes and a riverside wedding facility.

"It's quite gratifying that we've had several generations of local people through Waimarino now," said Mr Anderson. "Some started by learning kayaking with my father Barry as kids and have now come back here to get married."

In the year ending June 2015, visitor numbers grew by 15 per cent on the previous year to more than 20,000 visitors. Waimarino kayak tours, run in both Tauranga and Rotorua, also grew, up 33 per cent increase to 3000 clients who came in search of a "soft adventure experience".

Mr Anderson said that factors in this business growth have included re-investment in facilities throughout the global financial crisis, and a booming international tourism market. Over the past year, he and marketing manager Sam Cameron have attended more than 20 trade shows and events throughout New Zealand, Australia and French Polynesia to promote the company.

The park's wedding venue, Waverly on Wairoa, was opened in 2012 and has hosted 38 weddings. Ms Cameron said the coming wedding season was shaping up to be another big one.

"And we're seeing a lot of businesses coming in to use our venue for their Christmas functions and other events," she said.

Tourism Bay of Plenty general manager Rhys Arrowsmith said it was great to see the family-owned business evolve over the years.

"As a leading export-ready business, Waimarino is a good example of where we can start taking paid tourism activities in the Bay of Plenty. We congratulate the Anderson family and look forward to further development and growth."