A Land of Unrivalled Scenic Attractions.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIX, Issue 284, 1 December 1898, Page 10 (Supplement)

A Land of Unrivalled Scenic Attractions.

1 may be as well to say ai preface to this short ac count of the scenery o: Auckland Province tha its picturesque and re markuble features art not confined to the Hol Lakes Wonderland. Sec ondly (this for the benefit of most of the inhabitant; of Great ; Britain), the Tarawera eruption did not destroy the whole centre oJ thermal activity. What it did destroj was the pink and white terraces, •ii beautiful but small part of the sight.' of the district. THE HOT LAKES WONDERLAND forms the main attraction to tourists in Australasia. The Hon. W. P. Reeves, in his recently published book on New ■ Zealand, says:— 'Nowhere 'in the world, probably, are found healing-waters at once so powerful and ..so- various in their uses. Generations ago ! the Maori tribes knew something of their effects. Nov; invalids come from far and near in hundreds and thousands, and when the distractions and.appliances ot' the sanitary'stations equal those of the European spas invalids will come in tens of thousands, for the plateau is not only a health resort but a wonderland. Its geysers rank .with those of Iceland and the Yellow-stone.' Mr Keeves is a firm believer in the future of New Zealand's Hot Lakes. He visited most of the leading- spas of the Continent, last year, and the conclusion he came to after seeing the immense crowds frequenting these comparatively uninteresting places to take .the waters.-was that, when better known, ; Kotorua will become a,n immense tourist centre. Speaking to the present, writer, .Mr Keeves said: 71 would not like to say that in the-Hot Lakes the colony has an asset of greater value than her goldfields but that it is at least of equal value I have no hesitation in affirming/ During the season which extends from about October to the end of April, an express service affords rapid communication with Rotorua three times weekly. Towards the end of the train journey the lino passes up a steep incline, the magnificence of the bush on either side of which will surprise even those who are comparatively familiar with the luxuriant forest of the province. Emerging from this bush at the top of the rise a panoramic view of the township and lake unfolds itself. It would be a mistake to convey the impression that tße surroundings arc bright and pleasing-. Rotorua township itself is prettily laid out, and.the native village of Ohinemutu,.. on7the shores of the lake, and the-abruptly rising Mokoia Island..'are picturesque, and some mightj-say-beautiJ'ul in the ordinary sense in which the-word is applied; but the - surrounding country is, for the most part, covered with stunted manuka, the dull brown-tint of which is less pleasing to the eye than the

bright green of the bush. It is, however, a fitting setting for boiling water and seething mud holes commonly occurring through the district. The sights generally visited by : the tourist are the. Sanatorium, Sulphur Point Wakarewarewa, the Reserve, native village at Ohinemutu, Mokoia. Tikitere, Hamurana Spring, tour ot the lakes (Rotorua to Rotoiti and ■Rotoehu and' back), Rotoma, Waiotapu Valley, Wairoa, Lake larawera, Tarawera Mountain, and Lake Rotomahana; It is an extensive programme ; far too extensive for us to attempt here to enter jnto even a short description of the various sights; but it may be of interest to give some brief account of the general nature of the tourist attracWHAKAREWAREWA. ds the principal.centre of thermal activity -near Rotorua township. Here occur the famous geysers Wairoa, Pohutu, Waikite and Waikorohihi. -Although these .geysers, are..by no leans' regular" in their'action, and are susceptible to many influences, especially dry weather,'the visitor, it & spends any time at Wbakarewarewa, % generally.fortunate enough to pee one of-the-geysers play. The boiling water which ; internal convulsions force out in a great column attains in the case.of th'e.Jarger geysers a height of from 80 to 100 feet. Besides these rrevsers there are'numbers of springs 2nd boiling mud holes, while, round the ed°-e of this active area runs the Puarenga river, from the banks of which rise innumerable jets of steam, and into/• the ;cold..waters ■of which flow numerous boiling streams. Almost at any. time of the day the Maoris may be seen,cooking food in ; boiling'pools-or washing clothes; in. water of a lower .temperature. Near by there are generally natives bathing in what is known-as the .oil bath. Men women and' children bathe in tins Bomewhat. murky, pool together. .!( reouentl'y'is to'be'.seen a little baby but a few'months old kicking its legs on a ledge' at/the: edge of the pool over which'flows a few inches of. water, while its. mother is, enjoying her bath alongside. , When night is just coming on, and before darkness has quite closed m it ] is . something. of .an .. experience xto. . stand on' the bridge across the".: little ( river and contemplate the steam rising i

from innumerable sources.. From the village comes the sound of , many . voices, speaking in accents always 7 liquid, and still further mellowed by s distance. Occasionally flitting through j the gathering darkness a figure looms . close enough for the eye to gather the . suggestions of outline. Sometimes ; the feeling comes that one is standing .on a bridge separating the land of the dead from that of the living, and the , figures now and then vaguely seen. . are but spirits of those who have passed to their rest. TIKITERE-TEIf MILES DISTANT. Here the.sights comprise some three of four immense cauldrons of boiling mud. These.have very appropriately received'such names as Hell's Gates, the, Devil's' Punchbowl, and the Inferno. In places the dirty, black mud, with the steam rising off its surface, bubbles away quietly, spluttering like a great pot filled with boiling jam. In others the mud boils as if possessed by sonic demon passion; and ever and anon, under the influence of immense force which shakes the ground on which the spectator stands like the wind' does a tree, masses of the thick black, mud rise.scyeral feet in the air to. fall back with a sickening thud. It is.with a feeling of relief that the average visitor gets well away from the 'narrow strips of ground which divide* these seething cauldrons and which seem- as if, they might subside at, any . moment, precipitating their human burden into the black treacherous mud, which it takes but little imagination to fancy leaping forward to engulf the more quickly its prey. A track about three-quarters of a mile in length, which runs through bush and fern, leads from the scene of the boiling.mud to a little lake, hidden away in a crater with the forest growing, down close to the edges- of the water. Its, colour is a blue, surpassing, in depth'the most perfect semitropical sky, and. those whose nerves have been shaken by the rude force of Nature's handiwork below must feel a restoration of confidence looking down on the unruffled and peaceful waters of the solitary lake. WAIOTAPU, HAMUKANA AND MOKOIA. At Waiotapu, some twentytwo miles from Rotorua, is a fine collection of coloured lakesblue and yellow and green. Here is to be seen' a terrace in process of formation, a constantly flowing stream from a large basin of boiling water, heavily, charged with silica, gradually depositing on the surface over which it flows an ever-increasing coating. Although Waiotapu has its steam holes' and its boiling mud, its beauties are of the quiet order. - This same remark applies to the Hamurana Springs. There is no place half so delightful in the district as this beautiful stream, which flows into the north-east end of. Lake Rotorua. Its source has ever been a matter of conjecture. It rises out o 17a cavern at the base of.a deep rock. With such force docs the water well up that it is impossible to dive far into its clear

depths, and coins thrown into it only manage to sink a few feet before they are lifted by the stream and deposited on the banks. There is no place about which so many interesting Maori legends deal as Mokoia Island, in Lake Rotorua. From the distance, although picturesque, the great mountainous island does not look inviting; but on landing it is found to be an exceedingly pretty and well cultivated spot. As for Rotorua itself, there is no need to enter into any description farther than to say that it is a remarkably pretty little town, the main interest of which centres about the Sanatorium, and the well-known efficacy of the various baths in alleviating and curing almost ail descriptions of rheumatic and skin complaints. WAIRAKEI AND TAUPO. Practically all the forms of activity forming the attractions at Rotorua are to be found at Wairakei, six miles from Lake Taupo. Those visiting the Hot Lakes district who care. to face the fifty miles coach ride will be amply repaid, for at Wairakei most of tlie sights are indisputably on,a finer scale than at Rotorua; the geysers play, more frequently and extending 'away from the edge of the Champagne 3?ool is an excellent example of a forming terrace. This pool is about fifty feet in diameter, always in a state of excited ebullition and is surrounded by rocks which set off-the wonderful activity of .the pool. At the Spa, near Taupo,-there are many varieties of hot water baths; here also is to be seen the Crow's Nest geyser;'one''of■'.the most remarkable of'its' kind.in the Lake country. . \. ' MOUNTAINEERZNG. . For those whose bent is mountaineering, Auckland presents three excelleiit'"subjects to conquer in Ruaipeliu, Tongariro, and Ngauruhoe. The latter is a volcano always giving '■ signs'' of activity, while Tongariro also' intermittently throws up scoria ' .and ash. lluapehu was always supposed to be i ri active, but sit'the time of Tara- : wera eruption it displayed some small signs of activity, and again' in i 89.. it" caused considerable alarm in, the minds 'of those in its ;.-vicinity. ;On March' i 0 of -■•that year:; an' immense .olumn of steam burst from, the summit "of the mountain, and m the

i afternoon, the column, which it was • .estimated, had extended to a height ; .of 5000 i'eet above the mountain summit, was plainly visible to vesselo passing, both on the east and west : coasts of the island. The outbreak however, passed without any further activity. OTHER HOT SPRINGS. Returning from the southern boundary of the pro vince and through Rotorua we conic to Okoroire, on'the Waihou River, where are a number of baths. The one most worthy of notice is known as the 'Fairy Bath.' It derives its name from the fact that the bank of ferns at its far side is inhabited by large numbers of glow worms, which give the bath at nig\ht a beautiful appearance. Along ' the banks of the Waihou River arc.many pretty nooks, and excellent trout fishing is an additional attraction in the vicinity of Okoroire. Auckland has still another favourite hot springs district demanding attention in Te Aroha. These springs have the advantage of being only

120 miles south of Auckland, and the little town of Te Aroha, nestling .at the foot of the great mountain from which it takes its name and en the banks of a pretty, winding, willow fringed river, is a favourite resort. The establishing of a Government Sanatorium here this year will go a great way towards increasing Ihe popularity of an already favourite place. There are mineral springs in several other parts of the province, tho curative powers of -which have attained., a local celebrity, but the; only others towards the development of which any thing has, been done are these at Waiwera. Waiwera is: situated on the coast just 20 miles north of Auckland, and the large hotel.es-tablished-there makes it a favourite resort in .summer time, for. besides its hot springs Waiwera has. many scenic attractions and conveniences which add to its ;popularity.; ..--, a There are yet other hot aud mineral springs in the province, including niercurial hot springs at; Ohaewai, in the Bay of Islands district, which

, have been for many years held in the . highest esteem by Maoris for their , efficacy in curing skin diseases. • THE RIVER SCENERY. The. other-three distinctive classes of scenery' of the province are its -seascapes; its luxuriant bush, interspersed with tinkling streams aud .miniature water falls; and the beauties of its only important river, the .Waikato. .Those who have only seen this river as it glides past Hamilton or Ngaruawahia in eddying currents ■ between its willow-draped banks, must -find, it hard to imagine the •vicissitudes of its upper reaches. At .one place its breadth is confined between walls of rock not a stone's .throw apart. Through this the stream .boils afid 'rushes in seething foam, and is churned into a mass of froth and spray till, liberated, it is precipitated over .what is known as the Huka Pall into a tree fringed pool below. The ' impression of power that the water conveys as it. tears down the narrow.declivity to its leap over the

fall is magnificent; and that it has impressed more than simply the envious,is evident firm the fact thai several schemes have been formulated for the utilisation of this waste force. in : this ( part of its course there are "several cataracts, and the river is altogether very different in character from the peaceful stream flowing through, the lower Waikato, In almost all its phases, however, it is .beautiful. » THE BEAUTY OF THE SEABOARD. ' The sea is one of the great influences that moulds the life and character of the Auckland people. There Ls no. district, of like area in the world with such a length of coast line, j,On the east it is indented by such! magnificent harbours as that of W'hungaroa, with its wealth of beautiful -scenery; the Bay of Islands, with its hundred isles; Whangarei and;" Mahurangi with their natural beauty; ( and the Waitemata, the ideal harbour for boating, fishing, and picnicking. On the,west, the charm, of the coast dues not depend so much on I .. . 1 , .4 ' I

beautiful harbours as upon the stormtossed sea piling itself up in huge breakers on a rock bound- coast. Such pictures as are there to. be seen are worth going far to view. When the sea puts on its grand aspect few people can appreciate its magnificence from the deck of a steamer— they require some such spot as the west, coast to take in the beauty of Byron's words: Roll on, thou deep and dark blue ocean, roll, Ten thousand fleets sweep over thee in vain. WEST COAST SCENERY. It is not necessary to go far from Auckland to become acquainted with the beauty of Auckland's bush or west coast scenery. Some twenty miles from the city, after passing through some of the most magnificent bush of the province, one conies out on the coast. The West Coasts of the Auckland Peninsula present many contrasts to the shores of the Hauraki Gulf. The • great differentiating factor is the sea,

which in the one case is generally as smooth as the . proverbial mill-pond, while on the West Coasts it is rare, even in calm weather, not to find a heavy swell rolling in on the land: In the worst of storms the Hauraki Gulf lies comparatively sheltered by islands andheadlands;;but nothing intervenes to check the force of the'cataract seas that sweep -'wind-driven from;the Atistralian continent, a thousand miles away, and break on the cliffs of'the West Coast. Not. merely, "do* these storms constitute one of the most distinctive : features of the coast/" but they-are responsible for tlie contrasts which the scenery presents to. the quiet wooded bays of' the Hauraki Gulf." Bombarded for centuries "by wind and sea the whole coast-line tells of the -treatment which 'it has 'been subjected, to. The cliffs .are high and perpendicular, and while 'in;'some places the waves have eaten into" the softer strata, so as. to form fantastic eaves.'in' Others high rocky pinnacled islands, standing amid the surf, testify to their own endurance and the'encroachment of the sea..-On the hill-

sides facing the ocean the vegetation is wind-cropped and stunted, and for half a mile inland the salt spray from the ocean lies like a thin-" veil of gauze over the landscape. In parts the sand from the beach has been driven by the

vyinds for a considerable distance inland, but in others luxuriant bushclad hills and gullies meet the eye. Of recent years some of the bays and beaches on the West, Coast north of

the. Manukau. have.become favourite summer resorts for campers out-from the city. Piha is the best known of these7and.it is a representative of the finest scenery on the coast. It is an

ideal locality for a temporary seaside residence. There is a fine beach, , a beautiful wooded bay, magnificent cliffs, and a barrier of rocky islands and a peninsula shut in a delightful little cove which is dry at low tide. To see the rising tide pouring over the rock barrier from the outsideocean/especially when there is a swell on,'is a wonderful oight. 'Te Hau' Cove, Karekare, North Manukau Heads, and the Waitakerei Lakes are some of the other points of interest on this coast. .The streams which find their way into the, ocean at this part of the North. Island are as a- rule insignificant. After leaving the Manukau there is no river or haven till the Kaipara is reached, and, again, between that and the North Cape, Hokianga is the only important, one might say the. only harbour. South .of the Manukau _ the coast is a little more indented, the Waikato river, Whaingaroa and Kawhia harbours forming the chief inlets. The City of Auckland is separated from the-Westr'Coast by^the Waitakerei;. range of hills.- These, though- not very'high, are densely wooded, the forest containing-a good deal of kauri and other " valuable timber. ' A considerable quantity of this has been cut down, but the Government wisely set apart reservations, and four thousand acres have been vested in the city as a domain. The bush in this part is typical of Northern New Zealand. Tree ferns, nikau palms, ratas, kauris, hinaus, manukaus, tanikaus, and other trees mingle in luxuriant profusion, while creepers and parasites, and the wealth of fern for which New Zealand is -famous are -everywhere, around, above and beneath. Here are the Waitakerei'and Nihbtapu Falls, scenes of countless picaies; The.*-* .first named is the la^^-^water^Sfr^-:'"^1 tlie" two, and in the estimation of many the most picturesque. Over a precipice about 150 feet high the little Waitakerei river throws itself, the water breaking into a thin spray before it reaches the basin below. The fall is not perhaps a very imposiri°one in the summer season when it ii usually visited, but it. is singularly graceful, and the surroundings are very beautiful. From the northern slopes of the Waitakerei hills a fine panor-

amic. view, is obtained' of Auckland city and the country round about. , v ; , THE WAITOMO CAVES. When tlie fact-that. Auckland province is very largely volcanic-is taken into account it seems hattoral to expect the. existence of, eaves. These there are; and even close to Auckland"there exist a considerable number of caves, those-at the Three ,Kings being par' ticularly well known. There is? however, only one well-known series of ■caves with- any pretensions to natural beauty, these were discovered some years ago in the vicinity of Oterohanga, and it is from this station on' the Cambridge line that a start isl made for the Waitomo caves. Thecaves are situated in country of a 1 broken , nature. Down a valley be- ' tween two high hills meanders a small stream. Turning sharply to the left /'*£ tei u S Mv If r §'c cav et,n in the side ot the hill—the entrance to the Waitomo caves. The entrance of the cavern is fringed with beautiful ferns and through it the visitor is ferried ma little canoe to a .landing-place some,- thirty yards' in. From the roof of. the entrance chamber depend immense stalactites. Once inside the tour is made on foot and the visitor passes throxigk a% variety of chambers to which the stalactites' and stalagmites, in ever varying forms and 'arrangement lend an irresistible, charm. It would, be impossible for us to draw even, a faint .picture in j words of ■ the Grand; Cavern, the Organ, Loft, the Fairy Grotto, and Glow Worm Cave, even; had we ,the space at our disposal Suffice, it to say , that, the Waitomo caves, now but comparatively little known and visited, will certainly become one day a sight which the average tourist will not fail to see It would be impossible: to give any account of- the; scenic, beauties and tourist attractions of Auckland which could claim to be in any way thorouS ; mside a .volume of several hundred pages,; Here we luive simply .attempt, ed to indicate, something-of the beau ties, ■, not .to., describe., th em. -Ill^stvations,. also., so. admirable with reo-arr to "buildings and persons, fail, tod Justice, to beautiful scenery, but thi also give an indication which : we,f/ even in conjunction with the let press fails to-do justice to the wet variety and beauty of the .scenes Auckland Province.