Two geologists who bought a Western Bay holiday park with no experience as the world was hit by Covid-19 have won their industry’s highest honour six years after the baptism of fire.

Athenree Hot Springs and Holiday Park was named 2026 Holiday Park Supreme Industry Award winner at the Holiday Parks New Zealand (HPNZ) Awards Dinner in Hamilton on July 30.

The park also claimed 2026 Medium Park of the Year at the event, which closed 2026’s three-day Holiday Parks NZ Conference & Expo.

Athenree Hot Springs and Holiday Park is owned by Peter Church and wife Belinda Rixon-Church and operated on Western Bay of Plenty District Council reserve land on Athenree Rd.

The couple were not new to being recognised at the annual HPNZ event – their park won the Spirit of Hospitality Award in 2022 and 2024 and were finalists in 2023 and 2025 – but the supreme award came as a shock.

“This one was quite a shock,” office manager Jackie Roach said.

“These guys were shocked because we were up against big parks.”

Visitors enjoy the warm water at Athenree Hot Springs and Holiday Park. Photo / Shaquille Coulter

“It is gratifying that the hard work gets recognised, it is rewarding for the team, and it is humbling because there’s so many people I know who’ve put their heart and soul in their own businesses … in a way I almost feel guilty we’ve stopped someone else from having this chance,” Church said.

Judges said it was Athenree’s manaakitanga (hospitality, kindness, generosity, and mutual care) that stood out.

“Holiday parks are founded in connection with others, and this park goes beyond that.”

Humility and manaakitanga is shown in spades as you arrive at the park. After a warm welcome, Church, Rixon-Church and Roach talked to Katikati News – all while answering phones, taking inquiries, instructing staff and greeting everyone.

“We’ve lived in Athenree since 2011, working as geologists for the mining company [at Waihi],” said Church, who met Rixon-Church while in Australia “at a job interview”.

Church said they swapped working in Australia for the Western Bay because they thought it was a good place to raise a family. “We were always keeping an eye out for opportunities to become self-employed.”

Athenree Hot Springs and Holiday Park owners Peter Church and Belinda Rixon-Church their classic Kiwi offering, mixed lolly bags for sale. Photo / Merle Cave

Church knew the former park owner, and the family purchased the business and were set to take over April 1, 2020. “Three days prior, the country went into lockdown,” Church said. “So yeah, bloody hell.”

Church panicked. “We thought we’d lost everything – because you didn’t know how deep the hole was going to be,” he said.

The couple kept working at the mine while the former owner kept staff on to run the park via the Wage Subsidy Scheme. Customers included international tourists and campervanners stranded in Level 4. “There was a little community here during lockdown.”

The handover was delayed to May 28, Church said, and the couple got the keys three days before Queen’s Birthday – the first long weekend since the nationwide lockdown lifted to Alert Level 2 restrictions, where Kiwis, except for Aucklanders, could travel.

What ensued was a baptism of fire. “We had no on-boarding, no training,” Church said.

“On the Saturday we had 170 people on-site,” Rixon-Church said.

“It was this tidal wave of people – everyone was free and they came. They were sick of being cooped up,” Church said. “They didn’t care [we weren’t trained] and we didn’t quite know what we were doing so it all just bumbled along and worked out.”

Church said the first few years were tough with Covid “but it gave us little opportunities to reset and evaluate what was working”.

“We’ve kept trying to lift the standard of what we offer.

“We doubled the number of cabins, reduced the number of campsites – because more people want covered sites now.”

Today the park has five self-contained units, seven cabins and about 100 campsites – which included 35 semi-permanent caravan sites.

Rixon-Church said they view their visitors as “kind of like family”.

“With semi-permanent on-site residents, they’ve come here with their kids and now bring their grandchildren.”

Visitors enjoy the warm water at Athenree Hot Springs and Holiday Park. Photo / Cassandra Sharp

Church said one motor-homing couple had booked nearly 400 nights since they’d owned the business.

“They just keep coming back. People like this spread the word about us.”

The award was more poignant with the family business up against corporates, which are increasingly taking over ownership of New Zealand’s holiday park market, which is more than 90% domestic travellers.

Church said competitors such as Top 10 have big brand recognition.

“We don’t. Outside of this community it’s really hard for Athenree to get known. So that was our commitment to people – to be the best that we can to try spread the word about us. We don’t want to lose our identity by joining franchise groups.”

The couple say their success is down to overcommitment but also “we’re a bit obsessive and we kept going and now we don’t know how not to”. “My boat hasn’t been on the water in years,” Church said.

The couple are on-site daily – but they say their “go-to third wheel” is Roach, who runs the office. “We couldn’t do it without her,” Rixon-Church said. “Jackie’s family owned the Bowentown holiday park and had it for 33 years.” The business is in her blood.

Church said park staff was 15 part-timers, which included managers, housekeepers, pool cleaners and seasonal university students, who’d made their business what it is today.

“The whole team is awesome – we are surrounded by really awesome people.”

Roach said Church and Rixon-Church were very supportive employers. “They are so good to their staff – they treat them more like family. If something happens, they go the extra mile.”

The couple approach customers the same way, Roach said.

“The number of times they’ve done something out of the box for a customer is incredible,” she said. “That’s probably why we’ve won this award is because people are acknowledging that.”

Church said the location helps too. “We’re in a privileged location and with the support we’ve had.”

More than 90% of Athenree Hot Springs and Holiday Park customers are domestric travellers. Photo / Cassandra Sharp

The couple ooze friendliness and community spirit. Rixon-Church was tearful as she recalled the recent death of one of their semi-permanent caravan site stayers.

She said they welcome all visitors with appreciation. “We often say to customers, ‘We are very grateful you have chosen to come here because you could go anywhere. Thank you for coming here – if you need anything let us know. We will look after you’.”

Rixon-Church said that after their first year they swapped investing in advertising with investing into their community.

“We give back that way.”

Education and wellness projects, local sports and recreation clubs and young scholars have all benefited, Church said.

The couple had also upgraded the park infrastructure, Church said. As a result he was called the ‘Janitor, Barista and CEO’.

Recent developments included installation of solar power to move towards a carbon neutral operation, relining the hot pools, refreshing amenities, reflooring buildings, adding cabins, kerbing, drainage, and rewiring the electrical supply into the park.

“A lot of money goes in the ground to keep things running,” Church said. “The unexciting things that people don’t see because with guest numbers increasing, we’ve had to upgrade the infrastructure to cope with demand.”

Visitors’ scrawlings on the shop wall hail back to 2020. Photo / Merle Cave

Church said pre-Covid the park attracted 800 people in winter and 18,000 people a year.

“In July we had 2400 – which is a three-fold increase from pre-Covid – and we’re pushing towards 30,000 people this year.”

For Church, staff were everything to the park’s reputation. “Nothing’s perfect here; it’s old school authentic Kiwi holidaying – that’s been the vision the whole way along.”

Different styles of parks appeal to different people, he said. “We’ve just decided classic Kiwi flavour is something that resonates and we’re committed to that.”

They don’t provide structured entertainment for families – instead they want visitors to enjoy making their own fun and memories.

“It’s un-plugged, off-your-device fun. We give you enough data to let your family know you’re alive. The rest of the time you have to switch off.”

“Visitors can come here and stay, go kayaking, go the beach, and they get to come home and float in the hot pools,” Rixon-Church said. “And they love it.”

Church said the big win won’t see the couple rest on their laurels.

“We’ve got plans for more to come … Watch this space.”