Huge Central North Island truck stop hub (2024)

One of New Zealand's biggest truck-stop hubs, encompassing multiple large workshops, storage warehouses, a tyre servicing plant, driver accommodation, a diner-café, and vehicle washing yard – has been put on the market.

The Stag Park Truck Stop sits just a few hundred metres from the junction of the State Highway 1 bypass and the Napier-Taupo Highway on the outskirts of Taupo, in an area zoned for Industrial land use.

The 4.35ha site, featured in Bayleys' latest Total Property portfolio magazine, is predominantly operated by Truck Stops New Zealand Ltd, and contains about 4500sq m of buildings.

The Stag Park Truck Stop hub is used 24/7 by some of the biggest truck and trailer haulage units running on New Zealand's roads, as well as the 'B-trains' which feature two trailers linked together by a fifth wheel.

The central North Island Taupo location enables drivers for numerous big trucking firms to 'swap-in' and 'swap-out' of their driving roles - depending on how many hours they have been behind the wheel, and where they are heading.

In total, the Taupo truck stop site is occupied by 12 individual tenancies – including parcel and package delivery firms Courier Post, and Fastways; foodservice supplier Goodman Fielder, Neils Tyres, and Sonic Wash. Several of the tenants occupy more than one portion of the truck park. Combined, the tenancies generate annual rental income of $347,222 plus GST.

The freehold land and buildings at 140 Napier Rd are now being jointly marketed for sale by Jim McKinlay of Bayleys Tauranga and Gary Harwood of Bayleys Taupo, with tenders closing at 4pm on Thursday May 16.

"The sheer size of this Napier Rd hub means there are multiple development opportunities available to a new owner of the site," says McKinlay.

"As a major stop-over point in the heart of the North Island, Stag Park Truck Stop is a convenient low-cost operation base for multiple national carriers.

"While already operating successfully for several decades, the site contains considerable swathes of unused flat land – which have the potential to sustain more building infrastructure, more vehicle parking amenities, and a greater number of support service businesses.

"That potential includes the opportunity to add to the amenities used by existing tenants to support their growth. The site's strategic location so close to the intersection of two major motorways underpins its long-term viability as a truck-stop services hub."

McKinlay says the property is broken down into nine specific zones and business activity centres designated as:

Site One – has the 33-year-old warehousing facility leased to Truck Stops NZ Ltd for use as vehicle maintenance and repair workshops. Accessed by individual high-stud roller doors capable of admitting B-train trucks, the workshops include two engine and under-carriage inspection pits.

Site Two – is occupied by a fuel-stop canopy previously occupied by BP but currently vacant.

Site Three – features the truck stop restaurant serviced by a full commercial-grade kitchen, and accommodation block built 38-years ago with extensions in 1991. Adjacent to the dining room are 11 units with their own shower and toilet amenities.

Site Four - contains a standalone residential dwelling used as a manager's residence linked to the restaurant and accommodation units.

Site Five – has a medium-sized multi-purpose warehouse storage shed subdivided into three separate tenancies.

Site Six – encompasses a purpose-built truck-washing facility with high-pressure pumps and a water treatment plant comprising a pair of 9000-litre underground water storage tanks with water filtration equipment.

Site Seven – holds a substantial 1350sq m storage shed used to accommodate B-trains which can access the building through any of eight roller door entrances, and exiting onto a large concreted external turning bay.

Site Eight – is land occupied by Goodman Fielder which has built its own small goods reception and loading ramp facility. Goodman Fielder is currently in discussion with the site owner about rebuilding and expansion plans of its premises.

Site Nine – consists of the central truck parking space which is leased for both casual and long-term hire to a wide range of users.

Harwood says the Stag Park Truck Stop could interest an owner/operator such as a trucking firm looking for new Central North Island premises to operate from; or a trucking-services business looking for a high volume of customers regularly coming into its premises.

"Having the food and beverage and accommodation facilities on site means truckers can maximise the efficiency of their stopover in Taupo. While they take a break for a meal or sleep, the associated service facilities within Stag Park Truck Stop, can undertake maintenance or repairs to their vehicles without the need to technically withdraw their unit from productive 'time on the road'," Harwood says.

"Adding new vehicle servicing business tenants to those already operating on site would in turn cement Stag Park Truck Stop's long-standing reputation in the road logistics market – thereby further underpinning it's long term viability."