Katoa Lake Rotorua - City Lake front

As a locally owned New Zealand business we live, work and play in a precious place and we acknowledge that we have a responsibility to look after it, now and for future generations. Below are just some of the actions we have undertaken to improve the sustainability of our operation.

Our tours incorporate the most incredible cultural and historical knowledge of Rotorua and we constantly review this information, learning more as a team from the local Iwi and Trusts to expand the knowledge we pass on to our visitors.

We are privileged to have access to Mokoia Island, the heart of Rotorua. The small tours we run to the Island help contribute to the preservation of Mokoia, in the form of a percentage of every ticket sold. This Island not only is of huge cultural and historical significance to Rotorua but it also is home to several of New Zealand’s endangered bird species. We provide regular transport for volunteers over the Mokoia Island to check and maintain predator traps, ensuring the future of the Island’s wildlife.

All our Jet Boats are fueled with Force10 which is a high-performance 98 Octane fuel made with 10% ethanol. This means that 10% portion is made from plant or animal products that ‘grow again’ and doesn’t need to be pumped out of the ground as crude oil. Because it burns more efficiently and at lower temperatures, it provides extra octane and cleaner air, emitting up to 8% less carbon dioxide than regular fuels.

We recycle as much of our plant and materials as possible. All the waste oil from our boats and tow vehicles is collected and recycled with a local oil recycling company, as well as our batteries. All scrap metal from our boats and maintenance programme is either reused by us or recycled.

Katoa along with Infomotive and other local suppliers have spent the last few years pioneering the use of an XR6 Turbo engine in one of our Jet Boats. After considerable RnD, this engine has proven to be safe, efficient and reliable. This engine weighs 180kgs less than the previously used V8 engine and produces more power whilst using 25% less fuel. These engines are sourced locally out of crashed vehicles destined for scrap and we will be working in the next few years to introduce these engines to our entire boat fleet.

We are constantly working on ways to reduce our carbon footprint and work alongside Rotorua Sustainable Charter, Qualmark New Zealand, New Zealand Tourism Sustainability etc. to ensure we are doing our part for future generations.