KEY POINTS:
The family of a twin boy who drowned after falling into a stream while riding his bike had gone to the Athenree camping ground to choose their perfect holiday location six weeks ago.
When they selected an idyllic spot, nestled in the bend of the gently sweeping Waiau
Stream, there was no way they could know of the tragedy which would befall them just three days into their Christmas holiday.
Now, instead of celebrating New Year under the large ponga trees surrounding their tent site, the family will be planning a funeral for a 6-year-old boy called Josh.
The boy was riding his BMX down a gravel path while holding a Star Wars lightsaber when he is believed to have lost control and flipped down a small bank.
Sergeant Steve Hindmarsh said Josh landed in the rocky riverbed, which is a short drop from the bank and just metres away from where his family had chosen to pitch their tent.
When his twin brother found him soon after the accident Josh was lying face down in the knee-deep water with head injuries. His BMX and lightsaber were lying next to him in the water.
Todd Vallender, who owns the Athenree Lavender Holiday Park with his parents, said the twins were "brilliant kids" - well behaved and polite.
Mr Vallender's mother said she first heard of the tragedy when one of the campers came running up to the office area about 4.30pm on Boxing Day.
"She just said that there was a little boy that they thought had drowned in the river."
A fellow camper, who had young children of his own, helped Josh's mother and her partner pull his limp body from the river.
They immediately started CPR and mouth-to-mouth. Police and ambulance officers arrived soon after.
Waihi Beach Senior Constable Jim Campbell said police arrived to find Josh lying on the bank but there was nothing that could be done to save him.
Mr Campbell said there was nothing to indicate the accident was anything but a tragedy which happened at an awful time of year.
Mr Vallender said the distraught family, who lived in nearby Katikati, packed up and left the camping ground that night but some relatives had returned yesterday morning to visit the site.
When the Herald visited yesterday, there was little to indicate that such a tragedy had occurred less than 24 hours before, but a glance at the river revealed a toy dinosaur which had been left sitting on a partially submerged rock.
Next to the toy someone had scribbled the word "Josh", while another rock had the words "Josh 2007" on it.
Mr Vallender said there were no plans to fence off the stream, a popular attraction for children who gather throughout the year to feed the many eels, fish and ducks that live there.
