Tongariro National Trout Centre

Man those trout are big!!!! I have never really been much of a fish person, I like to eat them but never taken much time to look at them I was pretty impressed with these trout!

We stopped in to check out the trout centre after hearing great things about the place and we were not disappointed. After checking out the huge trout out front then headed in via the museum and aquarium to have a look around.
Their was some pretty cool displays inside all about trout fishing and how the breed the trout, definitely a lot to read and take in the kids were so excited to go see the fish we did not get a lot of time to check it all out.
The aquarium was pretty cool the kids loved the giant gold fish and the eels ewwwwwww. Checking out all the tanks and reading up on the fish the kids loved it, and we impressed how well presented the place was.

Back outside you can walk along a big loop track through some beautiful bush checking out the wee streams full of trout feeding them along the way, their is even one spot where you can view them from a glass window.
Dad kept throwing food over the top and we watched them swim for it, the kids thought it was awesome !!

We went past the fishing pond where you can pay for the kids to have a fish and catch a trout, they even cook it for you in a smoker so you can eat it fresh !!
We walked right around to the track along the Tongariro river to find the Kiwi Guardian post and we checked out the wild trout in the river !! their colours were amazing !! It was incredible to see them in the wild just playing around a log.

Then we looped back around past the rearing ponds where you can see the small trout been raised, next to that is the Whio enclosure where they raise Juvenal Whio to prepare them to head back to the wild.
It was a very nice enclosure, they did not have an Whio when we were their. The lovely team at the park were getting it ready for their next lot of Whio due to arrive later that afternoon. The staff excitedly talked to the kids about the birds and told us to make sure we came back to check them out, it would have been really neat to see them arrive if we had of had the time to stay and watch.
Then it was back out again to the front of the park, we would have spent the best part of an hour exploring around the park and checking everything out.

If you were to let your kids do the fishing I would suggest doing the fishing first and then checking the park out while they fillet and smoke your fish for you. That way you can finish your visit off with a nice bit of smoked trout for lunch ! you could easily spend half a day here with some nice spots to sit and have a bite to eat as well.
All in all we think the Tongariro National Trout Center is a great place to stop at especially if you have a long trip like us, its very well kept and very informative for all ages. I was surprisingly fascinated by these amazing fish and impressed with how much information was available here.

I think the whole family can enjoy this place.