Waimarino Riverside

About this place

Waimarino Riverside is a licensed function and conference venue at 36 Taniwha Place, Bethlehem, on the banks of the Wairoa River about 10 to 15 minutes' drive from central Tauranga. It sits within the wider Waimarino site and looks out over the river towards the Kaimai Ranges — an out-of-town setting that is still close enough to the CBD for delegates staying in city hotels.

The venue

The events centre pairs an indoor function space with direct outdoor flow to the riverside grounds, so sessions, breaks and networking can move between the two. The venue is licensed and quotes a capacity of up to 150 guests. It is used for weddings, celebrations, corporate functions and conferences.

Spaces and set-ups are tailored to the event, ranging from small team meetings and strategy days through to larger corporate gatherings, presentations and networking functions. An in-house events team manages the detail on the day.

Food and beverage

Catering is offered through set menus, with buffet, family-style, BBQ and canapé formats available. The venue also maintains a list of preferred caterers and suppliers if a different approach is wanted. Being licensed, bar service can be run on site rather than organised separately.

Activities and incentives

The distinguishing feature for MICE buyers is the adjacent adventure operation. Waimarino has been a Tauranga kayaking and recreation destination since 1975, and the wider group marked 50 years in operation. Alongside the venue it runs kayaking — including glow-worm kayak tours on the river — and a range of structured corporate team-building options. That makes it unusual in the Bay of Plenty: a conference room and a genuine activity programme on the same site, which is exactly what incentive and team-offsite programmes need.

Suitability

Waimarino Riverside suits strategy days, team offsites, incentive groups, conferences and end-of-year functions for groups up to around 150, particularly where organisers want a natural setting, catering handled on site, and activities that do not require moving the group to a second location. There is no accommodation at the venue, so residential programmes would use Tauranga or Bethlehem hotels.