Parked at Reid's Farm. It's a Lake Taupo Council Reserve

where freedom parking and camping is permitted.

I found a spot by the river and facing the willow trees.

 My chair and a glass of cool white wine waiting for me...

And a place to eat dinner watching the water glide past.

The river is the mighty Waikato, the longest river in New Zealand.
 It runs for 425 kilometers  through the North Island. 
It rises in the eastern slopes of Mt Ruapehu, joins the Tongariro 
River system and empties into Lake Taupo, New Zealand's largest 
lake. It then flows from Lake Taupo, north, to the east 
coast at Port Waikato... For 425 km!

 It was  nice place to park. I stayed two nights as a friend arrived.

 It got very crowded. It was a  long holiday weekend...

 And everybody had escaped the cities... Or so it seemed!

 I would go back... It's just off SH 1, 3 km north of Taupo town...

But not when it's so busy.