The ‘secret’ lake-side town built by a prime minister, nicknamed ‘the Wanaka of the North’
Saturday, 13 June 2026
Each week, we bring you our favourite open homes to hit up in a town or suburb near you. This week, our focus is on Kinloch, on the shore of Taupō Moana, in the central North Island. Whether you’re eager to buy, or simply a perpetual property peruser, you’ll find an open home worth taking a peek at here each Saturday morning.
When the then-deputy PM Sir Keith Holyoake purchased a large block of land on the northern shores of Lake Taupō in 1953, there wasn’t much on it except scrub and flax. By the late 1950s, however, the wide river valley had been developed into a promising holiday spot; an affordable alternative to thriving, tourist-grabbing Taupō just 20km away.
They named it Kinloch, and Holyoake would go on to call the little collection of holiday homes and baches his “greatest achievement”.
The township stayed that way, a quiet little secret on the northern shores of Taupō Moana, right up until 2007, when local developers William Ormerod and Jean-Paul Pavlovic engaged legendary golfer Jack Nicklaus to design them an 18-hole golf course.
That’s when things really started to take off.
Now, the holiday town, which has a little over 1200 permanent residents, and which locals call the Wānaka of the North, has two golf courses.
'We've got the only signature Nicklaus course in New Zealand here, the international Kinloch Golf Club, and also the nine-hole as well,' says Bayleys real estate agent and Kinloch resident Helen Webb.
Hemmed in by the lake and two DOC reserves, the township is something of a sporting gateway. You can boat, hunt, hike and fish from here, all on the same day if you’ve got the energy for it. There’s a marina, and an award-winning general store that has “excellent fish and chips”.
'Kinloch is a relaxed little lakeside village,' says Webb. 'They call it the Wānaka of the North Island, really.
“We're the center of the North Island, it's a sporting Mecca. We do have a lot of triathlons, and there are cycle and walking tracks to all the bays from here, which are very popular. People come for the weekend just to do the biking.'
Soon, they’ll also have a new shopping village, which will give the town a centre. And it’s still just a short drive, if you compare it to travel times in the main centres, to Taupō.
'There are a lot more holiday home buyers here. It's a higher price range out this way,' says Webb.
'The market here has been in tandem with what's happening in town. Last month was slow. The month before that was pretty good. Kinloch does tend to march to the beat of its own drum.'
According to Realestate.co.nz, the area has had a “surge” in value lately, and is outpacing the wider Taupō area. The median house price is about $1,250,000 to $1,280,000.
A bit above that range, and a good example of the kind of home you can find up the valley from Kinloch, is 34 Hepina Heights. A five-bedroom, three-bathroom home on a whopping 4ha section, it could be possible to subdivide this place at some point.
The current owner runs a hunting and fishing guiding company from the large barn behind the house. He also used it at one point as a hangar, where he built a working replica Spitfire, so the only limits on what you could use this space for are your imagination and skills.
The house itself is shielded from the business end of the property by some judicious planting that gives the home a forest backdrop. The original home was updated by the current owner, who added a large sunroom and porch for entertaining, and to make the most of the views.
The five-bedroom, three-bathroom home runs on solar power, keeping running costs to a minimum.
With a CV of $1,925,000, the home is for sale by negotiation. The listing is with Flash Sandham for Bayleys Taupō.
Open home times: Sunday, June 14, and June 21, 12pm to 12.30pm.
Set one row of homes from the lake, the funky lakehouse at 6 Keitha Place is described as where “family dreams come true”. An upside-down house (beds downstairs, living space upstairs, to make the most of the view), you actually get two dwellings in one here.
Out behind the main house is a second garage or workshop with room for the boat and all your weekend toys, and an additional sleepout for an older teen or guests, or a rumpus room for the kids.
With a CV of $2,070,000, the home has an asking price of $2,800,000. The listing is with Helen and Rowan Webb for Bayleys.
Open home times: Sunday, June 14, 12pm to 12.30pm, and Sundays, June 21 and 28, 11am to 11.30am.
Closer to the township is the little mid-century bungalow/Lockwood-style home at 123 Kenrigg Rd. Compact and easy-care, the big draw here is the open-plan living and open ceilings, giving this 114m² home some mighty scale.
The freshly renovated home is a 15-minute walk to the beach and marina, and a two-minute walk to the new Kinloch shopping village. Perfect if you’re thinking of downsizing to something quiet and relaxed.
With a CV of $825,000, the vendors are seeking $890,000 for this well-placed home.
Open home times: Saturday, June 13, 1pm to 1.30pm.
Looking for something with a slightly more traditional look, but can’t make it this weekend? The Victorian-style bullnose verandah on the five-bedroom home at 69 Hitiri Rd is open next weekend and could be just the ticket.
The 267m² stone-clad home sits on a sprawling 5.88ha section, up above the town, with views across Whangamata Bay - the view of the lake is pretty epic from up there. Inside, the easy-care home could do with a little updating, but it is in a tidy, well-loved condition.
With a CV of $1,795,000, the vendors are seeking enquiries over $1,700,000 for this one-of-a-kind property. The listing is with Helen and Rowan Webb for Bayleys.
Open home times: Saturday, June 20, 1pm to 1.30pm.