Rotorua
Rotorua is a thermal city in the centre of New Zealand's North Island.
Geothermal History
New Zealand was the last significant country in the world to be settled by humans. Broken off from Gondwanaland millions of years ago, it remained pristine – with only birdlife, no mammals (except a bat), no snakes or any other nasty creatures until it was eventually settled by migrating Polynesian people probably 1000 years ago. Although New Zealand is the size of the United Kingdom or Japan by land area, there are still only 4.5 million people in New Zealand – and around 3 million tourists annually.
The country lies between 34 degrees south and 45 degrees south and is renowned for the natural splendour of its two islands: sub tropical beaches in the North, and alpine backbone in the south, and everywhere rainforest and mountains.
Placed on the Pacific Ring of Fire, New Zealand is also celebrated for its geothermal activity, and has a number of active volcanoes. The Pacific Ring of Fire describes an area where earthquakes and volcanoes continually change the shape of the land and Pacific Ocean floor. The Pacific Ring of Fire is home to 75% of the world’s active and dormant volcanoes – 452 of them.
Volcanic Activity
New Zealand’s active volcanoes include three high peaks in the centre of the North Island – and one very unstable offshore island nearby. The area is known as the Taupo Volcanic zone. This area is highly active, and very volatile. In the centre of this region is a small, tourist city called Rotorua which is the home of Polynesian Spa.
In this volcanic country of ours, molten crustal material or magma has melted to the surface to form volcanoes. Rain has fallen over hundreds of thousands of years and found its way down under the earth, several kilometres. There it has been heated by the shallow magma and surrounding rock. The heated rainwater, under great pressure, has been forced upwards, dissolving mineral salts and gases on its way to the surface. It ends up as hot pools scattered all around New Zealand. There are many mineral hot springs throughout the country.
Rotorua's Geothermal Properties
When you visit Rotorua, the thermal experience is everywhere. It steams up from the pavements; there are geysers fields, mud pools, fumaroles and hot springs all over the city. New Zealand’s indigenous people are the Maori. They named the city Rotorua - or Roto (for lake) and Rua meaning two.
Maori History
There is a Maori legend on how an early Maori explorer climbed one of the central area’s mountains. At its snowy peak, he nearly died – so he called on the gods to give him fire. The fire gods travelled underwater across the Pacific to bring the explorer volcanic and thermal fire, leaving it in every place they surfaced.
To the indigenous people – the Maori, the geothermal area is spiritually significant. The Maori people consider themselves guardians of the resource. Every one of the hot mineral springs that bubble up in Rotorua is known and named by Maori.
The geothermal resource itself is known as “Waiariki”, itself a term of high honour. It means literally “water of the gods” although it is interpreted as “hot spring”. These waters are also regarded by Maori as treasures – again there’s a word for it “Taonga”.
Polynesian Spa is located in central Rotorua overlooking Lake Rotorua. Polynesian Spa houses different mineral pools filled with acidic or alkaline water that flows from the two mineral hot springs of the area. Take a dip at Polynesian Spa to experience the unique geothermal properties of this area.
Climate
Rotorua enjoys a pleasant climate; plenty of sun shine in summer with crisp, clear days in winter. Rotorua averages more than 2000 sunshine hours and just over 140cm of rain annually.
Temperatures:
- Summer (Dec – Feb): Daytime 21 – 29ºC
- Autumn (Mar – May): Daytime 15 – 26ºC
- Winter (Jun – Aug): Daytime 9 – 16ºC
- Spring (Sep – Nov): Daytime 13 – 21ºC
To find out what the weather is like in Rotorua right now, visit the New Zealand MetService website.
Suggested Itinerary
Rotorua is a city packed with things do - you could stay a week and not become bored.
Try luging at Skyline for fun with the family, or immerse yourself in culture at Te Puia. Travel the North Island on the Thermal Explorer Highway from Auckland through to Hawke's Bay to take in sights, sounds and culture of New Zealand.
