The early hours of June 10, 1886 have had an enduring impact on Rotorua and the nation's tourism industry.
As a South Islander, the most rewarding and poignant part of my trip to Rotorua was taking stock of the legacy of the Tarawera eruption. (It was a welcome contrast to the
onslaught of aftershocks in Canterbury!)
New Zealand's greatest natural disaster destroyed the village of Te Wairoa, which was not only a harmonious Maori/Pakeha settlement, but the staging post for visitors to the famed Pink and White Terraces.
Tarawera's destruction of the terraces and the village unceremoniously annihilated the birthplace of New Zealand tourism.
Just 12km away from Rotorua, the Buried Village of Te Wairoa and its excavations deliver a fascinating insight into this horrific disaster. The area also includes a gorgeous short forest walk which climaxes with the cascading beauty of Te Wairoa Falls. A short drive up the road delivers a broad vista across Tarawera's brooding lake and mountain.
After the 1886 eruption, many of the surviving villagers were taken in by whanau at Whakarewarewa, which evolved as the prime showcase of New Zealand's geothermal wonders at the turn of the 20th century. The living thermal village is a treasure, as are the delicious corncobs cooked in the hangi!
To complete the Tarawera legacy trifecta, head to the Rotorua Museum, housed in the sumptuous neo-Tudor building in Government Gardens. Built in 1908 as a Victorian spa retreat, the museum will take you on an enlightening expedition to the earth's explosive core. Don't miss the 20-minute film that grippingly conveys the Tarawera eruption.
