. Okato .

Okato has all the elements of a New Zealand rural community with sporting facilities (rugby grounds, bowling club, squash courts, tennis courts and swimming pool), Coastal Taranaki School, a police station, and a volunteer fire brigade.

Okato was also notable as the home of Okato Cheese which was manufactured by the Okato Co-operative Dairy Company. This manufacturing site closed some years after merging with Egmont Co-operative Dairy.

Activities in the Okato area include the Stony River walkway which affords a number of locations from which to take photos of Taranaki Maunga (Mount Taranaki/Egmont)

History

Okato is a town and rural service centre 26 km south-west of New Plymouth on State Highway 45. Ōkato is one of the three surviving northern taranaki military settlements established in the 1860s (along with Urenui and Lepperton).

The Stony River (Hangatahua), which arises in the Ahukawakawa Swamp in Taranaki Maunga (Mount Taranaki/Egmont) National Park, flows past the western side of Ōkato. Blue Rātā Reserve on the banks of the river is home to a unique variety of northern rātā (Metrosideros robusta) which begins its life as a true tree. Usually northern rātā starts out as an epiphyte in the canopy of a host tree which it eventually overshadows.

Statistics

 Okato is situated about 25 minutes' drive around the coast from New Plymouth on State Highway 45. Oakura is 12 km to the north-east, and Warea is 9 km to the south-west. The place offers popular rocky surfing spots around coastal beaches.

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Population

Population was 561 in the 2013 Census, an increase of 30 from 2006. 606 in 2018.

Weather

Average temperature 13°C
Average rainfall 1720mm

Okato Coastal School small

Coastal Taranaki School

High School & Primary

http://www.coastaltaranaki.school.nz/

Coastal Taranaki School is a coeducational composite (years 1-15) school with a decile rating of 7 and a roll of 297. The school was formed in 2005 from the merger of Newall School, Okato Primary School, Okato College and Warea School. It was initially called Okato Area School but changed its name.

Kumara Patch

Kumara Patch

http://www.wannasurf.com/spot/Australia_Pacific/New_Zealand/New_Zealand_NI/West_Coast_Taranaki/Kumera_Patch/comment/index.html?wdaction=lib.WDPageComment.show&page=3

An absolute prime left hander. Access via the end of Kaihihi road. Its about a 30 min walk / 15 min jog south to the patch.

What should greet you is a peeling left hander breaking over sand / shingle courtesy of the nearby river mouth. The Patch offers limited protection in SW winds swell which only further increases it's stock to travelling surfers. A real gem of the region.

Fishing trout

Trout Fishing

Experience the peace and thrill of hunting for trout in the beautiful Taranaki region.

 Our guide will take you on a high quality sight fishing experience that includes spotting trout, picking the right fly and choosing the right cast to give you the best chance of hooking and hopefully landing the trout - all while enjoying the quiet of our largely untouched landscape.

The region has more than 40 small to medium sized trout streams that flow from their source on Mt Taranaki and provide excellent fishing for predominantly good sized brown trout. There are also several lakes that offer a range of angling opportunities for rainbow trout, brown trout and perch.

Price commence from $225 per person.                                    

Guiding is available for a maximum of 2 people at a time.

Please contact us for further information