Ohaupo: TreeChurch, Fieldays and Local History

Ohaupo offers several distinct reasons to stay: the living garden architecture of TreeChurch and Gardens, Fieldays at the Mystery Creek Events Centre, and the architectural history of Ōhaupō Memorial Hall. The themes range from a seasonal garden visit to a major event venue and a distinctive community building. If you are looking for a hotel in Ohaupo, it helps to first decide what the main focus of your trip will be.

TreeChurch and Gardens: Living Architecture in the Hill Country

The TreeChurch in Ohaupo is a church made from living trees, set in a garden. TreeChurch and Gardens covers three hectares in the rolling farmland of Ohaupo in Waikato; at its centre is a living chapel. The garden landscape and architecture made from living trees shape the character of the site. The New Zealand Gardens Trust rated TreeChurch and Gardens a five-star garden of national significance.

The gardens are open from October to May for tours, visitors and photo shoots. If you are planning a visit, you can take this seasonal period into account when choosing when to travel. A garden visit therefore calls for different planning from a trip to a specific event.

Fieldays and Events at Mystery Creek

Fieldays takes place at the Mystery Creek Events Centre in Ōhaupō. The centre is a large, multipurpose venue for indoor and outdoor events of every size and type. It is set on a 114-hectare site in a natural setting and is two minutes from Hamilton Airport.

At the 58th Fieldays, visitors could explore hundreds of exhibitors, live demonstrations and interactive experiences covering agricultural technology, products, services and the rural economy. This edition offers a concrete insight into the event’s broad range of topics. Fieldays has several food courts, as well as extensive free parking on Mystery Creek Road and Airport Road. Check the dates of the relevant edition of Fieldays when planning your trip.

At the Mystery Creek Events Centre, the Heritage Village provides a historic outdoor setting for day events of all sizes. It adds a venue with historic character to the site's facilities.

Local History on Great South Road

Ōhaupō Memorial Hall on Great South Road is a distinctive community building, built in 1923. The concrete and stucco hall has a characteristic Dutch gabled roof. As a social gathering place, it hosted film screenings, sports groups, concerts and community meetings. Alongside its living garden architecture, Ohaupo also has a building with a clear role in community life.

Further Context in the Waipa District

In the wider destination of the Waipa District, its own nature and history themes add to the picture of Ohaupo. Maungatautari Ecological Island Reserve is the largest ecological “island” on mainland New Zealand. A 47-kilometre predator-proof fence surrounds Maungatautari and encloses 3,400 hectares of Mount Maungatautari.

Founded in 1935, Te Awamutu Museum tells the story of the history, society, culture and development of the Waipā District. At Lake Ngā Roto, there is a 5.9-kilometre loop track open to walkers, runners and cyclists. As track conditions can change seasonally, check them before setting out.

Discover more destinations: Te Awamutu, Cambridge, Karapiro, Te Miro, Pirongia.

Return to the main travel overview: Waipa District.