Taking the whole family on vacation can be an expensive and sometimes fraught exercise. When legs need to be stretched and the purse needs to be tightened it’s useful to have a contingency plan.
Several Rotorua Tourist Attractions are Located on Paradise Valley Road
The Ngongotaha Trout Hatchery is roughly a 20-minute drive from Rotorua CBD. While the most direct way to get there is to head north along the main highway, a pleasant diversion is to leave the highway at the Lake Rd/Fairy Springs Rd intersection, head west along Clayton Road and then exit into Paradise Valley Rd, a picturesque route that winds around the base of Mt Ngongotaha.
Although narrow and winding, Paradise Valley Rd is well maintained and offers a peaceful drive through rural countryside. There are several attractions along the route including the Rotorua Raceway and particularly Paradise Valley Springs, an immaculately maintained wildlife park featuring African lions, wild trout, freshwater springs and New Zealand bird and animal life.
Horse trekking, rhododendron gardens and the Ngongotaha Stream, renowned by anglers worldwide, are other features of Paradise Valley Road. Accommodation is available in the form of several bed and breakfast establishments, fishing lodges and cottages.
Ngongotaha Trout Hatchery, Paradise Valley Road, Rotorua New Zealand
Almost the whole circumference of the route is circled before reaching the entrance to the Ngongotaha Trout Hatchery at 1130 Paradise Valley Road. Without stops, driving time from the CBD is about 20-25 minutes. Tourism is not the core business of the hatchery so signage is modest. The hatchery is operated by the Eastern Region of Fish and Game New Zealand and is open most days of the year from 9:00am – 4:30pm.
Hatching and releasing trout to provide new stock for trout fishing in New Zealand are the prime concerns of the Trout Hatchery. In the hatchery building visitors may observe trout from newly hatched to six months when they’re released into open ponds and holding tanks in the grounds. While a conducted visit needs to be arranged beforehand (and there will likely be a fee for this) there is usually someone available who will be able to answer general questions.
The grounds are spacious and well-maintained with an especially pretty streamside walk. This walking track is not suitable for wheelchairs, and pushchairs will need to be lifted in some places, but otherwise it is an undemanding stroll for all fitness levels. Wild trout can often be seen darting through the clear waters of this stream which is fed from a freshwater spring on the slopes of Mt Ngongotaha.
There is ample room in the grounds for a ball game, and tables and chairs are available for picnics. Hazards are presented by the open water ponds and children must be watched at all times. Keep an eye on the Ngongotaha Trout Hatchery web page for details of children’s fishing days which are held several times throughout the year. Ngongotaha Trout Hatchery, Rotorua, New Zealand: ph 64+7 357-5501; fax 64+7 357-5503; info@erfgc.co.nz..
Lyn Rasmussen - Lyn is a New Zealander who lives in the centre of New Zealand's Volcanic Wonderland. She has been recognised for her writing across ...
