Clare Walker

After nearly nine years at Huka Lodge, Clare Walker knows the property from almost every angle. She arrived as a Guest Service Agent before moving through roles as Reservations Manager and Guest Services Manager to become Assistant Lodge Manager. Her time at Huka is part of a 20-year career in hospitality, but it is the variety of her current role that keeps her engaged. On any given day, Clare might welcome new arrivals, drive guests to the start of a hike, or step in to help the Housekeeping team with evening turndown. “I love that every day is different,” she says. For Clare, some of the best days are the busiest ones, when the entire lodge team comes together and everyone has a hand in shaping the guest experience.

When she has time to enjoy Taupō herself, Clare appreciates that the region can be as adventurous or as leisurely as you want it to be. There’s cruising Lake Taupō, hiking in Tongariro National Park, jet boating, and bungy jumping, but her own idea of a perfect afternoon is considerably quieter: a glass of wine, a good book, and a seat on the terrace. There is one local experience, however, that she thinks every guest should try. Fly fishing has been part of Huka Lodge’s identity since its beginnings as a fishing camp, and the Central Plateau remains renowned for the sport. For Clare, casting a line here is more than another way to spend a day. It connects today’s guests with the pastime that first brought travelers to this stretch of the Waikato nearly a century ago.