Last updated November 2026
The Te Arawa explorer Ihenga found so many shags on this stretch of Lake Rotorua that he named it for them: “ka horohia te wai e te Kawau”, the waters here have been overwhelmed by the kawau.
Today Waikawau / Hannahs Bay Reserve is a Rotorua Lakes Council reserve on the lakeshore just behind Rotorua Airport. Its beach is used for swimming and windsurfing and gives easy access for water skiing and jet skis.
On land there is a mobility playground, electric barbecues, a horse bridle trail, dog exercise areas and large open spaces, and a wheelchair-accessible walkway leads through the Otauira wetlands. The vehicle gates open at 8am and close at 8.30pm all year.
Practical Information
- Location
- Shore of Lake Rotorua, just behind Rotorua Airport, Hannahs Bay
- Managed by
- Rotorua Lakes Council
- Opening hours
- Main vehicle gates open 8am to 8.30pm, all year
- Dogs
- Dog exercise area (off lead under control), excluding the part west of the North-Eastern drain, playgrounds, barbecue areas and the Rotorua Pony Club area during organised events
- Facilities
- Mobility playground, public toilets, electric barbecues on a timer, wheelchair-accessible wetland walkway, horse bridle trail
- Camping
- No overnight parking or camping
- Status
- Rotorua Lakes Council: Lake Rotorua reserves page
About Waikawau / Hannahs Bay Reserve
Rotorua Lakes Council lists the reserve among its Lake Rotorua reserves, on what it calls the largest lake in the district and the most productive trout fishery in New Zealand. It sits on the lakeshore just behind the airport, where a swimming beach meets open spaces, play areas and wetland.
The reserve carries two names. Waikawau comes from Ihenga, the Te Arawa explorer who named many of the district’s landmarks, and recalls the shags he found here. The council’s dog rules use the shorter Hannahs Bay Reserve.
The facilities are spread across the open spaces: a mobility playground, public toilets, electric barbecues on a timer and plenty of room for informal recreation, which the council lists as “large open spaces for recreational activities”.
Otauira Wetlands
The wetlands are one of the reserve’s main features. A wheelchair-accessible walkway runs through them, and Rotorua Lakes Council works with iwi, the Waikawau/Hannahs Bay Reserve Committee and Tatau Pounamu Eastside Collective, with support from the wider eastside community, to protect and enhance them.
On the Water and on Horseback
The council describes the beach as used for swimming and windsurfing, with easy access for water skiers and jet skis. Check the water and the weather on the day before you go in.
A horse bridle trail runs through the reserve, and the Rotorua Pony Club uses part of it for events: the council’s dog rules exclude the pony club’s event area while an organised event is in progress.
Dogs at Hannahs Bay
Rotorua Lakes Council lists Hannahs Bay Reserve as a dog exercise area, where dogs can be off lead as long as you can control them as if they were on one.
The exercise area does not include the part of the reserve west of the North-Eastern drain, any playground or barbecue area, or the pony club’s area during an organised event. Elsewhere in public places, the council’s rule is a lead of two metres or less.
Where to Learn More
Rotorua Lakes Council: Lake Rotorua reserves: Waikawau/Hannahs Bay Reserve’s facilities, gate hours and the Otauira wetlands.
Rotorua Lakes Council: Dog exercise areas: where dogs can be off lead at Hannahs Bay Reserve and the exclusions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Hannahs Bay Reserve?
On the shore of Lake Rotorua, just behind Rotorua Airport.
What does Waikawau mean?
The name comes from the Te Arawa explorer Ihenga, who found large numbers of shags (kawau) here and said “ka horohia te wai e te Kawau”.
When are the gates open?
The main vehicle gates are open from 8am to 8.30pm all year.
Can I swim at Hannahs Bay?
The council says the beach is used for swimming and windsurfing. Check conditions on the day.
Is there a playground?
Yes, a mobility playground, plus public toilets and electric barbecues on a timer.
Can I take my dog?
Yes. It is a council dog exercise area, but not west of the North-Eastern drain, in playgrounds or barbecue areas, or in the pony club area during events.
Can I camp or park overnight?
No. The council says there is no overnight parking or camping at the reserve.
Is the wetland walkway accessible?
Yes. The council lists a wheelchair-accessible walkway through the Otauira wetlands.
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