Bay of Plenty and McClaren Falls Park
New Zealand does autumn slightly different to the Northern Hemisphere. There are no native deciduous forests blazing across the hillsides. What we have instead is something perhaps more interesting: a patchwork of introduced European trees - planted over the last couple of centuries for shade and nostalgia - now growing wild and brilliant against landscapes that are unmistakably New Zealand. The result: a rewarding season for New Zealand photographers.
There are numerous amazing Autumn locations across New Zealand such as well-known Arrowtown; top on travellers list of must-sees. In the North Island, a lesser known but impressive seasonal colour location is the Bay of Plenty with McLaren Falls Park near Tauranga as its hidden gem - a lush 190-hectare lakeside reserve in the Lower Kaimai Range, Bay of Plenty. It’s a location that gives photographers’ a swath of photographic subjects – with the right mindset, and the right gear, the Bay of Plenty and McClaren Falls Park will provide you with Autumn captures you’ll be proud of, and pleased to take home.
New Zealand does autumn slightly different to the Northern Hemisphere. There are no native deciduous forests blazing across the hillsides. What we have instead is something perhaps more interesting: a patchwork of introduced European trees - planted over the last couple of centuries for shade and nostalgia - now growing wild and brilliant against landscapes that are unmistakably New Zealand. The result: a rewarding season for New Zealand photographers.
There are numerous amazing Autumn locations across New Zealand such as well-known Arrowtown; top on travellers list of must-sees. In the North Island, a lesser known but impressive seasonal colour location is the Bay of Plenty with McLaren Falls Park near Tauranga as its hidden gem - a lush 190-hectare lakeside reserve in the Lower Kaimai Range, Bay of Plenty. It’s a location that gives photographers’ a swath of photographic subjects – with the right mindset, and the right gear, the Bay of Plenty and McClaren Falls Park will provide you with Autumn captures you’ll be proud of, and pleased to take home.
HOW TO GET THERE from Tauranga or Hamilton
McCLaren Falls Park is located at 190 McLaren Falls Road, Omanawa, in the Lower Kaimais, Bay of Plenty. The park is open daily from 7:30am to 5:30pm in the Autumn. Free parking is available on-site, and there is a café at the entrance (note the café is sometimes closed on Mondays and Tuesdays)
From Tauranga (approximately 20 minutes, 24 km)
Head south out of Tauranga city centre either along State Highway 29 (toll road) toward The Crossing Shopping Centre or on Cameron Road to Barkes Corner then follow State Highway 29 in the direction of Hamilton. Follow SH29 north for approximately 7 kilometres through rolling farmland. Turn left onto McLaren Falls Road - the park entrance and car park will be on your right within a kilometre or two. The route is well signposted once you reach Omanawa Road.
From Hamilton (approximately 1 hour, 100 km)
Head east from Hamilton city centre on State Highway 1 toward Tirau, following the signs for Tauranga. Before Tirau, turn left onto State Highway 29 heading east toward Tauranga over the Kaimai Ranges - note that this is a winding mountain road, so allow extra travel time and take care in wet or foggy conditions. Once you descend into the Bay of Plenty on the eastern side of the range, watch for the McLaren Falls Road on your right about 20 minutes from the Kaimai summit. Turn into McClaren Falls Road and the park entrance will be on your right about 500m after crossing the single lane bridge over the Mangakarenorengo River..
If you are using a GPS or a mapping app, enter either "McLaren Falls Park, or the full address - 190 McLaren Falls Road- to avoid being routed into central Tauranga.
McCLaren Falls Park is located at 190 McLaren Falls Road, Omanawa, in the Lower Kaimais, Bay of Plenty. The park is open daily from 7:30am to 5:30pm in the Autumn. Free parking is available on-site, and there is a café at the entrance (note the café is sometimes closed on Mondays and Tuesdays)
From Tauranga (approximately 20 minutes, 24 km)
Head south out of Tauranga city centre either along State Highway 29 (toll road) toward The Crossing Shopping Centre or on Cameron Road to Barkes Corner then follow State Highway 29 in the direction of Hamilton. Follow SH29 north for approximately 7 kilometres through rolling farmland. Turn left onto McLaren Falls Road - the park entrance and car park will be on your right within a kilometre or two. The route is well signposted once you reach Omanawa Road.
From Hamilton (approximately 1 hour, 100 km)
Head east from Hamilton city centre on State Highway 1 toward Tirau, following the signs for Tauranga. Before Tirau, turn left onto State Highway 29 heading east toward Tauranga over the Kaimai Ranges - note that this is a winding mountain road, so allow extra travel time and take care in wet or foggy conditions. Once you descend into the Bay of Plenty on the eastern side of the range, watch for the McLaren Falls Road on your right about 20 minutes from the Kaimai summit. Turn into McClaren Falls Road and the park entrance will be on your right about 500m after crossing the single lane bridge over the Mangakarenorengo River..
If you are using a GPS or a mapping app, enter either "McLaren Falls Park, or the full address - 190 McLaren Falls Road- to avoid being routed into central Tauranga.
Map Source:Topomap New Zealand 2026
ACCOMODATION OPTIONS - Where to Stay When Visiting McLaren Falls Park
Whether you are planning a luxurious escape, a comfortable overnight stay, or a budget-friendly adventure, there is accommodation to suit every traveller within easy reach of McLaren Falls Park. Here is a selection across all price ranges.
Luxury Accommodation
Trinity Wharf Tauranga, Tauranga City
Tauranga's premier waterfront hotel sits right on the harbour in the city centre, approximately 25 minutes from the falls. Trinity Wharf offers a heated pool, gym, bar, and restaurant, with beautifully appointed rooms — some positioned directly over the water. It is a polished, full-service hotel that makes an excellent base for exploring the wider Bay of Plenty region.
Hotel on Devonport
A boutique hotel with an emphasis on style, service and comfort. Located in downtown Tauranga, all rooms have balconies and views of the inner city or upper harbour.
CitySide Hotel Tauranga, Tauranga CityA small boutique hotel in the heart of Tauranga's CBD, CitySide consistently earns outstanding reviews for its modern, well-appointed rooms, supremely comfortable beds, and warm, attentive service. Continental breakfast is available, and the hotel is a short stroll from the restaurants and cafés of Devonport Road and The Strand waterfront. About 25 minutes from McLaren Falls.
Mid-Range Accommodation
The Tauranga on the Waterfront, Tauranga City
Offering spacious, immaculately clean waterfront apartments with harbour views and private spa baths in selected units, The Tauranga on the Waterfront is a reliable and well-loved mid-range option. Guests regularly praise the friendly staff and excellent location.
Taiparoro House 1882, Tauranga City
For something with genuine character, Taiparoro House is a beautifully preserved Victorian heritage home operating as a bed and breakfast in central Tauranga. Spacious rooms, a cosy guest lounge, continental breakfast, and welcoming hosts make this a charming alternative to standard motel accommodation. Within easy walking distance of the Tauranga waterfront.
Budget Accommodation
McLaren Falls Park Campground, Omanawa
You simply cannot get closer to the action than camping right within the park itself. The McLaren Falls campground is well maintained, with good facilities, gas BBQs, and clean amenities. Guests have praised the peaceful atmosphere and the magical experience of spotting glow worms along the river after dark.
Top Flat Campsite, Omanawa
Just minutes from the falls, Top Flat is a simple and affordable campsite popular with locals for kayaking, paddleboarding, and swimming. Facilities are basic, but the natural setting is gorgeous and the price is hard to beat. Perfect for those who want a true outdoors experience right on the doorstep of McLaren Falls.
Apple Tree Backpackers, Otumoetai, Tauranga
A well-regarded hostel in a quiet residential suburb of Tauranga, Apple Tree Backpackers offers a clean, friendly atmosphere, a fully equipped communal kitchen, free bikes to borrow, and a relaxed outdoor vibe complete with hammocks and social spaces. A great option for solo travellers and backpackers, located approximately 25 minutes from McLaren Falls.
Whether you are planning a luxurious escape, a comfortable overnight stay, or a budget-friendly adventure, there is accommodation to suit every traveller within easy reach of McLaren Falls Park. Here is a selection across all price ranges.
Luxury Accommodation
Trinity Wharf Tauranga, Tauranga City
Tauranga's premier waterfront hotel sits right on the harbour in the city centre, approximately 25 minutes from the falls. Trinity Wharf offers a heated pool, gym, bar, and restaurant, with beautifully appointed rooms — some positioned directly over the water. It is a polished, full-service hotel that makes an excellent base for exploring the wider Bay of Plenty region.
Hotel on Devonport
A boutique hotel with an emphasis on style, service and comfort. Located in downtown Tauranga, all rooms have balconies and views of the inner city or upper harbour.
CitySide Hotel Tauranga, Tauranga CityA small boutique hotel in the heart of Tauranga's CBD, CitySide consistently earns outstanding reviews for its modern, well-appointed rooms, supremely comfortable beds, and warm, attentive service. Continental breakfast is available, and the hotel is a short stroll from the restaurants and cafés of Devonport Road and The Strand waterfront. About 25 minutes from McLaren Falls.
Mid-Range Accommodation
The Tauranga on the Waterfront, Tauranga City
Offering spacious, immaculately clean waterfront apartments with harbour views and private spa baths in selected units, The Tauranga on the Waterfront is a reliable and well-loved mid-range option. Guests regularly praise the friendly staff and excellent location.
Taiparoro House 1882, Tauranga City
For something with genuine character, Taiparoro House is a beautifully preserved Victorian heritage home operating as a bed and breakfast in central Tauranga. Spacious rooms, a cosy guest lounge, continental breakfast, and welcoming hosts make this a charming alternative to standard motel accommodation. Within easy walking distance of the Tauranga waterfront.
Budget Accommodation
McLaren Falls Park Campground, Omanawa
You simply cannot get closer to the action than camping right within the park itself. The McLaren Falls campground is well maintained, with good facilities, gas BBQs, and clean amenities. Guests have praised the peaceful atmosphere and the magical experience of spotting glow worms along the river after dark.
Top Flat Campsite, Omanawa
Just minutes from the falls, Top Flat is a simple and affordable campsite popular with locals for kayaking, paddleboarding, and swimming. Facilities are basic, but the natural setting is gorgeous and the price is hard to beat. Perfect for those who want a true outdoors experience right on the doorstep of McLaren Falls.
Apple Tree Backpackers, Otumoetai, Tauranga
A well-regarded hostel in a quiet residential suburb of Tauranga, Apple Tree Backpackers offers a clean, friendly atmosphere, a fully equipped communal kitchen, free bikes to borrow, and a relaxed outdoor vibe complete with hammocks and social spaces. A great option for solo travellers and backpackers, located approximately 25 minutes from McLaren Falls.
GOLDEN CHARM
31mm, f/10, 1/25th sec, ISO 100 |
|
AUTUMN PHOTOGRAPHY – Mindset and planning
Autumn is a slow transformation running roughly from late March through May in New Zealand - and something is worth photographing at every stage of it.
Light and Weather: Adaptability Over Perfection
New Zealand autumn weather is famously variable - four seasons in a day, as the saying goes - and building your shooting approach around one ideal set of conditions means going home disappointed more often than not. A more useful framework: cultivate attentiveness and adaptability.
On overcast days, soft, directionless light is a gift for close-up and intimate work. Colours are saturated and shadow-free. This is when the forest floor at McLarens Falls really shines - the ferns, the mossy logs, the texture of bark in the gorge. You don't need dramatic skies to make strong images.
On bright, clear days - pay close attention to how light moves through the landscape across the day. The warm late-afternoon glow across the lake and surrounds - Don't pack up just because the sky isn't putting on a show.
After rain, look immediately for still conditions. Wet leaves, dark bark, and glistening stone all have a richness and depth that dry conditions rarely match. At McLarens Falls, the waterfall itself flows more powerfully after rain - a long exposure in this state can be beautiful.
Autumn is a slow transformation running roughly from late March through May in New Zealand - and something is worth photographing at every stage of it.
Light and Weather: Adaptability Over Perfection
New Zealand autumn weather is famously variable - four seasons in a day, as the saying goes - and building your shooting approach around one ideal set of conditions means going home disappointed more often than not. A more useful framework: cultivate attentiveness and adaptability.
On overcast days, soft, directionless light is a gift for close-up and intimate work. Colours are saturated and shadow-free. This is when the forest floor at McLarens Falls really shines - the ferns, the mossy logs, the texture of bark in the gorge. You don't need dramatic skies to make strong images.
On bright, clear days - pay close attention to how light moves through the landscape across the day. The warm late-afternoon glow across the lake and surrounds - Don't pack up just because the sky isn't putting on a show.
After rain, look immediately for still conditions. Wet leaves, dark bark, and glistening stone all have a richness and depth that dry conditions rarely match. At McLarens Falls, the waterfall itself flows more powerfully after rain - a long exposure in this state can be beautiful.
PLANNING YOUR VISIT — Weather, Light, Locations and & Crowds
- Keep an eye on the weather if you're wanting to photograph in fine conditions - autumn weather is notoriously changeable in the Bay of Plenty and fine weather can turn to rain in minutes. And don't forget conditions after rainfall can be attractive, so keep your options open and your attention on the weather forecasts.
- Morning and mid-late afternoon light is best as McClaren Falls as the golden light at each end of the day casts across the lake and surrounds. Again keep options open as cloudy days and mid day sunshine can provide other options for great images especially under the thick autumn canopy of Cherry Bay and on the bush covered McClaren's Falls Track that is found deep in the park.
- Locations in the park for autumn photography are endless - of note are the trees at Cherry Bay headland - found past the cafe and Marshalls Animal Farm near the carpark to McClaren's Falls AND on the track that runs around the lake edge looking back over the lake toward Cherry Bay headland near the bridge - you'll find fantastic reflections here on a calm day.
- McClaren Falls Park, unlike many other popular New Zealand destinations, is rarely overcrowded - however, a mid-week visit will provide the best opportunities to capture images without the movement of people amongst the autumn trees. Early mornings and late afternoon are also a favourite times to avoid undue build up of people in the park.
CAMERA SETTINGS for Autumn Photography
Getting the right settings dialled in before you're standing in perfect light saves the shots that matter most. Here's a practical guide:
Landscapes and wide scenes:
Aperture: f/8–f/11 for maximum depth of field and sharpness across the frame.
Getting the right settings dialled in before you're standing in perfect light saves the shots that matter most. Here's a practical guide:
Landscapes and wide scenes:
Aperture: f/8–f/11 for maximum depth of field and sharpness across the frame.
- ISO: 100–200 to keep colours clean and noise-free.
- Shutter speed: whatever the light demands, use a tripod for anything below 1/60 sec.
- White balance: set to "Cloudy" or "Shade" to warm up the golden tones rather than letting auto WB neutralise them.
- Aperture: f/11–f/16 to extend exposure time without overexposing
- ISO: 100
- Shutter speed: 0.5 sec - 2 seconds for silky water movement; use a tripod and remote shutter release.
- Consider a circular polarizing (CPL) lens filter, and a 3-stop or 6-stop ND filter if conditions are too bright for a long exposure.
- Aperture: f/2.8–f/5.6 for a shallow depth of field that isolates your subject against soft background colour.
- ISO: 200–400 as needed.
- Shutter speed: fast enough to freeze any movement from breeze; 1/400 sec or above should be safe.
- A macro or short telephoto lens (90–105mm) gives beautiful compression and subject separation.
- Aperture: f/8–f/11 to keep both near and far elements sharp
- Use a CPL filter to control reflections — rotate it to find the sweet spot between removing glare and enhancing the colour reflection you want
- Shoot from low to the water surface; a tripod that extends low, or simply getting prone, makes a significant difference to the quality of reflection compositions
- Expose for the highlights in the warm light, not the shadows - autumn colour overexposed loses all its saturation
- Use exposure compensation of -1/3 to -2/3 stop to protect the richness of gold and red tones
- Shoot in RAW to preserve recovery latitude in post-processing
|
|
Look Past the Headline Trees
New Zealand's autumn palette is almost entirely the product of introduced species, which means it's worth learning what you're actually looking at. The most photogenic trees are often not the most obvious ones.
At McLarens Falls, lakeside trees and autumn reflections are magical, however, don’t forget to explore the tree collection beyond the immediate lakeside. The park's botanical diversity means you'll encounter species you might not recognise - some turning earlier, some later, some in unexpected colours. And venture up the track to McClaren’s Falls themselves as falling leaves in unusual places can reveal a multitude of creative possibilities.
The same logic applies to the smaller scenes at your feet: fallen leaves arranged on mossy stone, the pattern of light filtering through a nearly-bare canopy onto the track below, the geometry of a single back-lit leaf against dark water. These images require nothing more than slowing down and looking for the composition opportunities.
New Zealand's autumn palette is almost entirely the product of introduced species, which means it's worth learning what you're actually looking at. The most photogenic trees are often not the most obvious ones.
At McLarens Falls, lakeside trees and autumn reflections are magical, however, don’t forget to explore the tree collection beyond the immediate lakeside. The park's botanical diversity means you'll encounter species you might not recognise - some turning earlier, some later, some in unexpected colours. And venture up the track to McClaren’s Falls themselves as falling leaves in unusual places can reveal a multitude of creative possibilities.
The same logic applies to the smaller scenes at your feet: fallen leaves arranged on mossy stone, the pattern of light filtering through a nearly-bare canopy onto the track below, the geometry of a single back-lit leaf against dark water. These images require nothing more than slowing down and looking for the composition opportunities.
|
|
Inspired by the experience?
Bring these memories into your home or office space by purchasing a canvas or fine art print from my Online Print Store
Bring these memories into your home or office space by purchasing a canvas or fine art print from my Online Print Store
More Blogs
|
|
|