Te Kiri o Moehau Partnership acquired the park in June 2024, with big plans to develop the site.
The popular prawn growing and fishing aspect would continue under the new ownership, along with other novelty attractions such as paddle boats, water canons, and the riverside restaurant.
The new partnership is a collaboration between Tupu Angitu, the commercial arm of the Lake Taupō Forest Trust, and NETCOR 2, an arm of Wairakei Terraces & Thermal Health Spa.
Tupu Angitu chief executive Olivia Poulsen said the new pools were under construction and would include two main pools – a family pool and a toddlers pool – plus a slide into a separate pool at the top of the terraced development, which is adjacent to the Waikato River, about two kilometres downstream of Huka Falls.
A dedicated stand-up paddle board and row-boat pond at Huka Prawn Park.
It would be on a slightly larger scale than the nearby Wairakei Terraces, which is an adults-only pool complex, and the family focus of the new pools would complement that development.
Poulsen said the new pools could be open by February next year.
Te Kiri o Moehau is the historic name given to the land encompassing the park and was bordered by the Wairakei Stream, still flowing at the northern end, and Te Kiri o Hinekai stream that once flowed at the southern end.
A high priority for the partnership was the reinstatement of Te Kiri o Hinekai stream to its original mouth, as closely as possible, given the significant changes to the wider landscape since the days the steam was free flowing into the Waikato River.
“Restoring the mana and returning the mauri to Te Kiri o Hinekai has been a driving force,” the new owners said in a joint statement.
“The new partnership’s aspiration is to revitalise Huka Prawn Park into a premier destination that combines tourism, education, health and wellbeing, with downstream opportunities in employment, and family-friendly activities with a deep appreciation for the Taiao (natural world).”
Eliana Bond and Mackenna January splashing around in the geothermally heated foot baths at Huka Prawn Park.
Jim Hill said the vision was to create an “environmentally sensitive and culturally engaging” tourism experience that honoured the site’s history.
“We are dedicated to preserving the unique charm of this iconic attraction while introducing culture and exciting new offerings that will give our visitors and manuhiri an unforgettable experience.”
Poulsen said staff had been working on improving the existing broodstock while waiting for the new stock to arrive.
Fishing resumed for a short period over the school holidays this month, for the first time in several years.
In a statement on its website, the park said the new geothermal heating system was operating, and combined with a series of successful larval runs over the past six to nine months, it had observed good survival and growth rates among a decent number of prawns.
Ben and Beau Coffin pitting themselves against the water gauntlet at Huka Prawn Park.
“As a result, we now have an outdoor pond nicely stocked with prawns of various sizes, ready to trial fishing once again.
“While we proceed with caution until we receive the new breeding stock and initiate the corresponding breeding plan, this week [October 5-6] will provide an opportunity to review the behaviours and challenges associated with prawn fishing, allowing us to assess the possibility of reintroducing it on a seasonal schedule.”
Poulsen said there were more “nibbles” than prawns caught, but that was the nature of fishing for prawns.
She said consideration was being given to experimenting with other aquaculture species at the site, but not on a commercial scale.
The land on which the prawn park, neighbouring Huka Falls Jet and the nearby site of the former Lake Taupō Aqua Park is all Crown-owned, with long-term leases in place.
The Huka Prawn Park secured a 35-year deal with Contact Energy’s neighbouring Wairakei Geothermal Power Station last year for access to vast amounts of hot water that would otherwise go to waste.
Huka Prawn Park's previous owner Richard Klein shows off the geothermal heat system that was installed at the venue last year. Photo / Dan Hutchinson
Poulsen said that energy would be used to heat the pools, unlike the Wairakei Terraces which were fed by a natural hot water stream rich in silica.
The heat exchange system could heat the equivalent of about 30,000 spa pools to a temperature of 38C.
The park has been a popular place for locals and tourists for the past 30 years and features paddle boats, hot pools to soak the feet, walks along the Waikato River and the opportunity to fish for prawns.
Klein told the Taupō & Tūrangi Herald in May last year that it was a tough time when the prawn population started dwindling in early 2019.
“About a year before Covid, we started having prawn issues and then Covid bit in and turned everything on its head and upside down and we have been clawing our way back since then.
“Our backbone is prawns and so to have issues with prawns, you would think you have broken your back at the end of the day.”
Klein said last year the park had also renewed its water take and discharge consents for another 35 years, further cementing the future of the operation.
“These significant milestones and the new heat exchange system means we are another step closer to restocking our ponds with prawns and ramping up our breeding programme to achieve our end goal of having the ever-popular prawn fishing back.”
He said the new heating system meant the Huka Prawn Park team could start working on ideas for the use of the surplus hot water.
