Last updated November 2026
Where Roberts Street meets the lake, a group of carved and steel pou marks the spot where Taupō’s town centre opens onto Lake Taupō. Te Ātea, whose name means “space”, is a public gathering place on the Tapuaeharuru lakefront, made as a meeting place for locals and visitors alike.
At its centre stands a large carved tōtara pou by the master carver Delani Brown of Ngāti Tūwharetoa, with four timber pou around it and thirteen steel pou for the waterways that flow into the lake.
Mauri stones, purpose-made paving and lighting complete the space, which Taupō District Council built as part of its town centre transformation. It is open on the public lakefront and free to visit.
Practical Information
- Location
- Roberts Street, on the Taupō lakefront
- Entry
- Free; public lakefront space
- Managed by
- Taupō District Council
- Status
- Check Taupō District Council’s website before you go.
About Te Ātea
Te Ātea grew out of the Taupō Town Centre Transformation, a Taupō District Council project that reshaped the town centre and its lakefront. The council said that heritage and culture would be built into the design of the new public spaces, telling the stories of the Taupō district to locals and visitors.
The council calls Te Ātea a crucial part of the project and describes it as a community space that connects people to the whenua, the lake and those stories.
The wider lakefront area around it is named Tapuaeharuru. The design of Te Ātea draws on the values and associations of Ngāti Tūwharetoa as mana whenua. Taupō District Council commissioned it, and two local artists, master carver Delani Brown and Kingi Pitiroi, contributed to its mana whenua features.
The carved pou and the other mana whenua features were unveiled and blessed in March 2023. The dawn blessing was carried out by Tauhara Hikuwai hapū, represented by kaumātua Napa Otimi and Manu Blake, with Sir Tumu te Heuheu among those present, and the town centre project was officially opened by Prime Minister Chris Hipkins.
Later that year Te Ātea was a finalist for the Kiwis’ Choice Award in the Keep New Zealand Beautiful Awards.
The Pou
The largest pou, at the centre of the space, was carved by Delani Brown from tōtara. Brown is a Ngāti Tūwharetoa master carver.
Four outer timber pou, also designed by Delani Brown, stand for the four directions and the four elements. Thirteen stainless steel pou represent the main rivers and waterways that flow into Lake Taupō.
Visiting Te Ātea
Te Ātea is a pedestrian-friendly space on the lakefront beside Roberts Street. It is a cultural space built with mana whenua, so treat the pou with respect.
Where to Learn More
Love Taupō: Te Ātea – Tapuaeharuru: the regional tourism organisation’s page on the pou and their meaning.
Taupō District Council: Lake front development: the council’s account of the lakefront project and its blessing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Te Ātea?
On the Taupō lakefront at Roberts Street.
What does Te Ātea mean?
Te Ātea means “space”. Taupō District Council describes it as a community space that connects locals and visitors to the whenua, the lake and the stories of the district, and Love Taupō calls it a meeting place for all.
Who carved the main pou?
Master carver Delani Brown of Ngāti Tūwharetoa, who carved it from tōtara.
What do the steel pou represent?
The thirteen stainless steel pou represent the main rivers and waterways flowing into Lake Taupō.
What do the four outer pou represent?
The four directions and the four elements.
When was Te Ātea opened?
The pou were unveiled and blessed in March 2023, with a dawn blessing by Tauhara Hikuwai hapū.
Does it cost anything to visit?
No. Te Ātea is part of the public lakefront.
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