On the shores of Lake Rotomahana the Pink and White Terraces were a taonga of the local iwi.
Regarded by many as the eighth wonder of the world, it really isn't hard to see why when we look at photos and artist depictions.
They were the thermal treasures of the hot lakes district and the very reason people from all over the world intrepidly ventured to this part of the world . The terraces were formed over 600 years by geothermally heated, silica rich residue called sinter. Water that originated from steaming geysers cascaded down from terrace to terrace. The highly mineralized water left thick silica deposits that cooled and crystalized forming giant staircases that enclosed large pools of siliceous clear water.
The White terraces (Te Tarata) described by one visitor as being “ grand enough to serve as the steps to heaven’ covered approximately 2.8 hectares, was 280 m wide at lake edge and 30m high.
The Pink terraces (Otukapuarangi) were smaller but were prefered for bathing as they has smoother smaller pools. The Pink Terrace was tinted with tones of salmon, rose, pink – this came from the ferric oxides in the mineral dense water.
While the terraces were an integral stop in the "tour of the colonies", many artists also visited the terraces to paint and photograph one of natures finest masterpieces, many staying weeks and some even stayed months. Artists would need to negotiate special fees with the iwi if they were to stay longer than a day. Charles Blomfield was one of the most highly regarded terrace artists and stayed over 6 weeks.
Other Prominent Artists and Photographers include:
The terraces vanished without a trace after the 1886 eruption of Mount Tarawera however over the last couple of decades pieces of the terraces have been found as well as the geothermal system that created them.
Today you can follow in the footsteps of New Zealand's first tourists, and uncover the stories of the Pink and White Terraces and the Tarawera eruption. A full day tour includes return transport from Rotorua, guided walk at Waimangu Volcanic Valley, boat cruises of Lakes Rotomahana and Tarawera and the Buried Village. Find out more at https://www.waimangu.co.nz/experiences/round-trip
