Can I go to... Tūtira Regional Park in Hawke’s Bay

Lake Tūtira is a stunning spot north of Napier, and its campgrounds are now open for the summer holidays. Photo / Paul Taylor

Did you know? You can return to Hawke’s Bay’s Tūtira Regional Park this summer, and you can even swim in the lake.

After 11 months of uncertainty following Cyclone Gabrielle, Hawke’s Bay Regional Council announced the flood-damaged location’s re-opening on Thursday, just in time for the summer camping season.

And despite it having a penchant for hosting algal blooms, the water of Lake Tūtira has been through a run of tests before Christmas that suggest it is safe for a dip.

But it’s not all positive - if you’re looking to tackle one of the many surrounding walks, you may be out of luck.

The park, which is just under an hour’s drive away from Napier, hosts both a free Department of Conservation campsite and the paid HBRC campsite by the lake, with both ready to accept visitors, according to their respective websites.

HBRC park planner Bart Leslie said collaboration between numerous partners, paired with finally being able to access some of the more challenging cyclone-affected areas, meant the park was ready for summer crowds.

“The campground was damaged, and we’ve needed to repair park assets such as toilets and tracks to get it back up and running,” he said.

“We’ve worked hard alongside a number of our partners - Maungaharuru Tangitū Trust, DoC, Heritage Services HB, Habitat Biodiversity and Pest Management Ltd, and local Blue McMillan - to repair park assets and re-establish road access into the main entry, repair toilet facilities, reinstate hand-washing water, fences, running water, and picnic areas.“

Many of the surrounding walking tracks remain closed due to slips, which are scheduled to be remedied in 2024 as budgeting allows.

“Recent wet weather and sodden ground conditions have delayed further track repair work,” Leslie said.

At this stage, the Table Mountain Track is the only track open for walkers.

“Once the ground has dried out following the warmer months, we hope to get stuck into further track repairs in the area. In the meantime, each track will be clearly signposted advising of these closures.”

The lake, which is a popular site for swimming, fishing and kayaking, has also been certified as safe to swim by Lawa (Land, Air, Water Aotearoa) standards.

HBRC said water quality in Lake Tūtira was tested weekly during the swimming season and monthly throughout the year.

Visitors should still be on the lookout for bright green algal blooms when temperatures are warmer, as they can can have an impact on human health.

The HBRC campsite will be available for short-term camping within the park in a flat, fenced, tree-lined paddock area that is suitable for tents, campervans and caravans.

You’d best bring some of your own water though, as the water available at the campground is for hand-washing only.

Hawke’s Bay Today is running a series of articles called “Can I go to...” to help people decide whether they should go to popular summer spots after the cyclone. If you have a place you would like to be featured, email us at news@hbtoday.co.nz.