Boat Shed Bay | Private Jetty, Lake Tarawera Views

Summary:

Step off the jetty and swim in Lake Tarawera. Tie your boat to the shared private jetty. Watch Mount Tarawera turn gold at sunset from the dining table. Boat Shed Bay is a four-bedroom lakefront home sleeping ten, with 180° views across the lake, a private jetty, gas fire, Starlink WiFi, and direct lake access. Twenty minutes from Rotorua, it's the kind of place you'll want to book again before you've even left.



The Space:

Step through the glass doors and the view stops you — 180° of Lake Tarawera, nothing between you and the water but the deck rail. That's the first thing guests notice at Boat Shed Bay, and it doesn't get old.



The home spans two levels and sleeps ten across four bedrooms. Upstairs, the master bedroom has a king bed and bedroom two has a queen bed. Downstairs, bedroom three has two sets of bunks and bedroom four has a queen bed combining to give families or two travelling couples their own separate areas. Two well-appointed bathrooms serve the house — the main bathroom upstairs with shower and toilet and a second bathroom downstairs.



The kitchen, dining, and living area span the full width of the upper floor, all facing the water. The kitchen is fully equipped for group cooking with gas hob, dishwasher & coffee machine. The dining table seats eight with an uninterrupted view of the lake — and when the evening cools, the gas fire in the dining room is where everyone ends up. The lounge opens onto the deck, with a wall-mounted Smart TV running on Starlink so streaming is reliable and fast.



Outside, a BBQ is set up on the deck for long summer evenings. A bush-lined path leads from the property down to your own private jetty which is shared with the neighbours — swim off the end, cast a line for trout, or leave the boat tied up and use it as your base for the week. Lake Tarawera is one of the clearest in the region. The bush wraps around three sides of the property, giving Boat Shed Bay a private, tucked-away feel that is hard to find this close to Rotorua. A laundry with washer and dryer is available downstairs also.



Guest Access:

You have exclusive use of the full property: both levels of the home, the deck, the BBQ, the bush path, and the shared private jetty. The garage is reserved for the owner's belongings and is not accessible during your stay. Self check-in is via key safe — full access details are sent before arrival.



The Neighborhood:

Lake Tarawera sits 20 minutes southeast of Rotorua and operates at a different pace entirely. The lake community is small and unhurried — neighbours leave boats at jetties, the water is calm in the morning, and evenings are genuinely quiet.



From the property: the Boat Shed Bay Boat Ramp is a short drive (100m) for launching your own vessel. Hot Water Beach is a 15-minute boat trip across the lake — guests dig their own natural thermal spa in the sand, a bucket-list experience found nowhere else in New Zealand. The Buried Village of Te Wairoa, preserved from the 1886 eruption of Mount Tarawera, is worth an hour of anyone's time and is just a short drive away.



Back in Rotorua, the full Bay of Plenty offering is within reach: Wai Ariki Hot Springs and Spa, the Redwoods Whakarewarewa Forest for mountain biking and walking, Polynesian Spa on the Rotorua lakefront, and the geothermal parks of Wai-O-Tapu and Waimangu. The city has plenty of cafes, restaurants, and supermarkets for stocking up before heading back to the lake.



Getting Around:

A car is essential at Boat Shed Bay. The property is approximately 20 minutes from Rotorua CBD and around 25 minutes from Rotorua Airport. Off-street parking is available on-site and trailer parking is available on the roadside grass area next to the garage. Once you're settled at the lake, most of the best local activities are on the water — bring a kayak, hire one locally, or launch from Boat Shed Bay if you're trailering a boat. The nearest shops are in Rotorua; there is no dairy or petrol station at the lake, so stock up before you arrive.



Other Things to Note:

Our jetty - each jetty is privately owned and generally shared by two properties. To find our jetty, head down the bush path and turn right when you get to the lake. Ours is the third jetty with the small ramp and long white bumpers on the side of the jetty. If you are tying your boat up there, please use the south side of the jetty (the one furtherest away from the house).



Interaction with Guests:

We'll be available by message, phone call, or email during your stay. We can also pop around for personal assistance if needed.