Atiamuri is a former Hydro village in the central North Island

North Island

The North Island is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, separated from the much less populous South Island by Cook Strait. The island is in area, making it the world's 14th-largest island...

 of New Zealand

New Zealand

New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...

. It lies alongside State Highway One about 45 km north of Taupo. It is bordered by the Waikato River

Waikato River

The Waikato River is the longest river in New Zealand. In the North Island, it runs for 425 kilometres from the eastern slopes of Mount Ruapehu, joining the Tongariro River system and emptying into Lake Taupo, New Zealand's largest lake. It drains Taupo at the lake's northeastern edge, creates the...

 and surrounded by pine plantations. Upper Atimauri, just north of the Waikato River, is a small community of lifestyle blocks, dairy farms and farm servicing businesses.

Mount Pohaturoa (520 m) is a distinctive rock outcrop that dominates the Atiamuri landscape. It overlooks Lake Atiamuri which was formed behind the hydroelectric

Hydroelectricity

Hydroelectricity is the term referring to electricity generated by hydropower; the production of electrical power through the use of the gravitational force of falling or flowing water. It is the most widely used form of renewable energy...

 Atiamuri Power Station

Atiamuri Power Station

Atiamuri Power Station is a hydroelectric power station on the Waikato River, in the North Island of New Zealand. It is the third of eight hydroelectric power stations on the Waikato River. The station can easily be seen from State Highway 1 between Taupo and Tokoroa.Atiamuri Power Station is ...

. This very visible rocky outcrop is significant in both Arawa

Arawa

In Māori tradition, Arawa was one of the great ocean-going, voyaging canoes that was used in the migrations that settled New Zealand.It was formed from a great tree in Rarotonga, a place "which lies on the other side of Hawaiki" . The canoe belonged to Tama-te-kapua, son of Houmai-tawhiti...

 and Ngati Raukawa

Ngati Raukawa

Ngāti Raukawa is a Māori iwi with traditional bases in the Waikato, Taupo and Manawatū/Horowhenua regions of New Zealand. In 2006, 29,418 Māori registered their affiliation with Ngāti Raukawa.- Early History :...

 history, having been a strategic observation post during inter-tribal conflicts.

Lake Atiamuri was formed by the Atiamuri hydroelectric power station after it was completed in 1958. The lake extends about 5 km upstream towards Taupo before meeting the Ohakuri

Ohakuri

Ohakuri is a dam and hydroelectric power station on the Waikato River, central North Island, New Zealand, midway between Taupo, Rotorua and Hamilton. Its dam is about 5 km upstream of the Atiamuri Dam....

 Hydro Dam. The area offers some great trout fishing.

Atiamuri Power Station

Atiamuri Power Station is a hydroelectric power station on the Waikato River

Waikato River

The Waikato River is the longest river in New Zealand. In the North Island, it runs for 425 kilometres from the eastern slopes of Mount Ruapehu, joining the Tongariro River system and emptying into Lake Taupo, New Zealand's largest lake. It drains Taupo at the lake's northeastern edge, creates the...

 owned by Mighty River Power. It has a total capacity of 84 MW and was first commissioned in 1958.