The Tourist Resorts of the Colony

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXXVII, Issue 25, 22 December 1906, Page 8

The Tourist Resorts of the Colony

BY

MARAMA

SECOND SERIES—No. IV

TAUPO TO ROTORUA AND SIGHTS AT ROTORUA. Each morning during the summer season coaches and motor-cars leave both Taupo and Rotorua to run the fifty-six mile journey. These connect with the coach from Napier, as well as with the steamer across Lake Taupo from Tokaanu, and the single fare is 25/. For some distance after leaving Taupo the road runs along close to the Waikato River, of which some lovely glimpses can be obtained. The river is left after about twenty-two miles of the journey has been covered, and a few miles further on a halt is called at Waiotapu Accommodation House for luncheon. An hour is given in which to see the sights at Waiotapu, but in this time these can only be skimmed, so that many persons prefer remaining here until the next day, and then proceeding on to Rotorua by way of the great Waimangu Geyser, and across Lakes Rotomahana and Tarawera. This enables a visit to be paid to the prison camp, where some thousands of acres are bring planted with English trees. The principal sights are within five minutes’ walk of the hotel, and include some very line sulphur terraces, boiling mud volcanoes and geysers, varicoloured pools, some exceedingly pretty terrace formations, very fine alum < litis, curiously-formed sulphur beds. the Primrose Falls, the Blue Lake, Champagne Pool, the Beehive, the Paddlewheel. the Devil’s Bridge and a num l>er of blow holes. About a quarter of a mile on the way to Rotorua, and right alongside the main road, is an enormous mud volcano, the sides of which are

gradually being built up until they * have reached a height of fifteen feet, lhe coaches stop here in order to allow passengers to climb up the step ladder provided, and view this phenomenon from above. Ihe overflow drops into a boiling stream which runs along by the road for some miles. Rounding a turn in the hills a splendid view oi Lake Rotorua and the township is to be got from a distance of about six miles, the white formation, surrounded as the town is with steaming geysers and boiling springs, the vapour from which assists to give the whole place a most uncanny appearance. Just as the town is entered, Whakarewarewa is passed on the right hand, and in another mile the centre of the town is reached. Rotorua is exceedingly well provided with good hotels and first-class accommoda-

tion houses, the tariffs of which are reasonable. The town is provided with a high-pressure water supply, and is electrically lighted throughout. A day can lie comfortably spent in inspecting the Spa grounds, in which there are several steam-holes besides a number of baths which are used for curative pur poses, and in wandering round the plac ■ generally seeing the many sights of interest. The arrangements made for doing the various sights and round trips are most complete. When the tourist arrives at Rotorua he is waited upon by the agents of the various motor, coach and launch services, and his wishes are ascertained as to what he would prefer to do the next day. The various trips

are laid before him, and he selects that which appears to suit him best. From this out there is no further worry. The necessary arrangements are all made by these emissaries who make up parties, and the following morning the conveyance comes round and the tourist is driven to the launch or steamer, as the case may be, and luncheons are put up by the hotels and boardinghouses. Competent guides accompany- each party, making the trips much more interesting, and, to crown all, the charges are reasonable in the extreme. Those who wish to see the thermal wonders can take a ’bus to Whakarewarewa, a distance of a little over a mile, and here they are shown over the sights by’ Maori guides, the fee being the modest one of one shilling. Of course, the principal attraction is the great Wairoa Geyser, which is

soap d occasionally in order to make it play, and a very line sight it is, throwing columns of steam to a great height. Crossing the bridge from the main road, the picturesque Maori village is passed through, with its warm pools, in which tl>e Native children spend the greater portion of the day, diving for coppers thrown in by the pakeha visitors. Close by is the whare occupied by Maggie and Bella, the two well-known Maori belles, who act as guides, and in which there is a very fine collection of Maori curios, etc. Close by is the great boiling pool Parekohuru, which for many years was used by the Natives for cooking their food, but which is now tapu, on account of a prominent Maori chief having been

scalded to death in its waters. But a stone's throw away is the boiling crater Korotiotio, which supplies the oil bath and a good many of the Native washing pools. Situated upon a plateau above is the Brain-pot Geyser, which looks for all the world like the upper portion of a human skull with the top cut off. It stands upon a platform of decomposing geyserite, and there is a quaint Maori legend connect d with it, which the guides tell in their own peculiar manner. Another large geyser is VVaikorohihi, and between it and the river below is the great Pohutu Geyser, which is fed by Te Horo, a reservoir of boiling water about twenty feet in diameter. The water is constantly rising and falling, and as it boils furiously it gives off dense clouds of steam. Close to Pohutu, and on the river bank, is th - Kereru Geyser, which plays intermittently, and under the water of the stream is the Torpedo Geyser, which keeps up a series of detonations and eruptions. Not far off' is the platform and cone of the Waikiti Geyser, which at one time was considered to be the best of its kind in the district, but which now has lapsed into silence. Higher tip the bank of th ■ river is the Papakura or Giant's Cauldron, a crater which never ceases to boil in the most tierce manner, while all around are vari-coloured hot

and mud pools and paint pots. Cross ing the stream by a light footbridge, the visitor is introduc d to some exceedingly fine mud volcanoes, and in a ti-tree reserve not far away is the Arika-kapa-kapa Lake and hot bath, celebrated for its curative properties. Rising behind Whakarewarewa is a very tine monument erected to the memory of a Maori chief, who was instrumental in saving many lives at Wairoa at the time of the great Tarawera eruption. Just outside Whaka. is a large Maori runanga house, handsomely carved without ami within. This is in private hands, and a fee of 1/ has to be paid for inspection. There is also a large hall here, in which, on certain evenings of the week, hakas and poi dances are given by a bevy of dusky maidens. About half a mile from the town o. Rotorua, and situated upon the edge of the lake, is the old Maori village of Ohinemutu, which is simply one mass of boiling springs, geysers, and mud holes, some of which emit noises positively- uncanny. Here the Maoris nre to be seen at any time either boiling their kumaras in the pools, or cooking their meats in the steam ovens, made

by boxing in tbe escaping steam from the various vent holes. There are fine hot baths connected with the local hostelry, and scores of pools in which the Maori wahines are engaged in their Washing, while the picanninies bask in the shallower ones. Here is Tama-te-Kapua, the largest carved meeting house in New Zealand, and it was in this building that the Maori prophetess harangued large assemblages of her countrymen only a few weeks ago. The old Native Church, in which services are regularly l»eld, is also worth inspec tion, with its quaint graveyard and inscriptions. It is here that the natives erected their Kieinori.il to the late Queen Victoria, which is a very tine piece of Maori carving. Just below the church, and some little distance out in the lake, the tops of the posts of the old pa. which sank with nearly ail its population many years ago. can be seen, some of them still rearing their heads above the water.. The Kurow Reserve lies between Rotorua and Ohinemutu, and this is one mass of boiling pools, many of which are bidden in the ti-tree scrub with which the ground is covered. The whole face of the reserve appears to be covered with steam, and it is scarcely safe for a visitor to go through without a guide, as the ground is very treacherous, and several people have had their legs badly scalded through the thin crust breaking and letting them through. The Fairy Spring is situated about three miles from Roto rua on the way to Mount Ngongotaha, and is a very pretty sight. The spring wells up in a lovely nook surrounded by willows at. the head of the creek, and in the beautifully clear water are to be seen probabli the largest number of trout which could be found in any reservoir of the same size in any part of the .world. To view this sight the natives elmrge a toll of sixpence. Driving on for another five miles, the road leads to the top of Ngongotaha, about 2500 ft in height. From here a magnificent panoramic view van. be obtained of Takes Rotorua and Rotoiti, Mokoia Island, Rotorua, and surroundings. backed by Mount Tarawera with its vast extinct

crater, which played such havoc when it last became active Mokoia Island, which is famous for its connection with the legend of Tutanekai and Hinemoa. lies but four miles from the shore of Lake Rotomaha na and launches ply there frequently, carrying passengers at one shilling per head, while the native toll to land on the island is six-

pence. There is a very picturesque native kainga here, and the guides point out many places of interest connected with the old Maori wars. A nice four-mile drive is that to Bainbridge's monument, the charge for which is 2s (id. This monument was erected to the memory of an English tourist who lost hrs life when the Wairoa village was buried by lava at the time of the Tarawera eruption. There are several other short walks and drives to places of interest close to Rotorua, but the more distant sights and the various round trips I shall leave until the next article. In the Sanatorium grounds there are very fine bowling, tennis courts and croquet lawns, and afternoon tea can be obtained at the Kiosk. The baths in the grounds include the Priest’s bath, the Rachel public and private baths, the Postmaster, sulphur vapour, inml baths, the Duchess swimming bath, the Blue swimming bath. the. ladies’ swimming pavilion, and the Aix massage and douche, and several kinds of electric haths.