Camp opening activates outdoor rec at Huntly lake

The opening of a campground and a commercial nursery at the restored Lake Kimihia are key milestones in the mission to rehabilitate the former Huntly East Mine site as a public outdoor-recreation reserve.

The project is driven by the Kimihia Lakes Community Charitable Trust set up by Murray and Jennifer Allen to realise their vision of a Rahui Pookeka version of both Lake Karapiro and Hamilton’s Lake Rotoroa.

The Karioi Projects Fund was established at Momentum Waikato in 2020 by the Huntly Karioi Outdoor Trust, to help fund the Kimihia redevelopment, and we also provide advisory and operational support.

Kimihia Project Coordinator Charlie Young says food truck nights started happening on site in July 2026, routinely opening the gates to the public for the first time.

“That’s been very well received by the community,” says Charlie.

“Comments we hear are that people can’t believe ‘this is happening for us in Huntly’, as there hasn’t been such a space here for families to visit, it’s got nature and water, and it’s safe and there’s parking!”

Huntly Karioi Outdoor Trust spokesperson Bryan Morris says, “Momentum came in very strongly for us”.

“The Kimihia vision is getting close to being realised, its finally happening. We’re rapt that we’ve been able to work with Momentum, who have looked after what we’ve raised cash-wise.

“The goal of the Huntly Karioi Outdoor Trust has always been to give kids a break from the classroom and out learning in the wilds, so that’s why we got involved with Kimihia,” says Bryan.

The new era gets underway over the summer, with the site coming to life as the campground provides a base for trail-walking, waka ama and other outdoor recreation and training.

It is being operated by local firm Waterside Projects Ltd, which has also taken on running the on-site nursery as a commercial undertaking, meaning paid jobs at both.

“They’ve brought in the first 13,000 plants and are offering a platform for our ‘Kimihia Maara Kai’ nursery training program, so young people are in there getting training,” says Charlie.

“Waterside Projects are aligned with all our trust’s values and programmes, so it’s great to  have such an entity to collaborate with. The project is energising local businesses, everybody leverages off each other.

“The things we wanted to have in place have now happened, jobs, recreation, community, everything is coming to fruition.”

The Karioi Projects Fund and a parallel Karioi fund at Momentum have helped fund the creation of both the campground and the nursery. Momentum also introduced the Kimihia project to other funders, with WEL Energy Trust, Lottery Community Fund, Trust Waikato, Genesis, Internals Affairs’ Community Organisations Grants Scheme, the Sargood Bequest Fund, Waikato District Council’s Blueprint Fund, Lion Foundation and Sky City having all since coming on board.

Charlie says there is more to come.

“We’re looking to expand the facilities in line with our master plan’s goals. Classroom and accommodation cabins are what we’re striving for next, and generally we’re going to build up the resilience of the site with more services.”

You find out more and donate to the Karioi Projects Fund at momentumwaikato.nz/karioiprojectsfund.