Geothermal sinkhole closes main road into Rotorua’s Whakarewarewa Village

A geothermal sinkhole has shut Wāhiao Drive, Rotorua, closing the main road into Whakarewarewa Village and stopping tours for almost a week.

Whakarewarewa Living Māori Village general manager Tanya Robinson said the “large hole” opened last Sunday, cutting off all vehicle and pedestrian access.

“It’s been a hard week for us,” Robinson said. Tours had to be suspended to keep residents and visitors safe.

She said staff had worked with Rotorua Lakes Council and, with its support, an alternative walkway will open tomorrow morning to welcome manuhiri (visitors) back into the village.

Robinson described the overall support as “fantastic” in helping the business get back on its feet.

The entrance to Whakarewarewa Village has been blocked this week after a large hole appeared on the road into the village. Photo / Annabel Reid

“We really appreciate the support of the landowners whose land we’ll be crossing, and their support for the people in the village, their whānau and visitors.”

She said the incident was a reminder of Rotorua’s geothermal landscape.

“This is one of the things that we all across the city work with when we live in a geothermal environment.”

The large hole opened last Sunday and led to the cancellation of tours. Photo / Aukaha News

A Rotorua Lakes Council spokesperson said it was working with representatives of Whakarewarewa Village, and GNS was also called to the site on Sunday.

“An initial inspection was carried out by opening the top of the tomo for a visual check.”

The area had been fenced off for safety reasons and Wāhiao Drive would remain closed to pedestrians and vehicles until further notice.

“We will monitor the area regularly while exploring possible options for a long-term solution.”

The tomo was likely the result of heavy rain combined with geothermal activity in the area, the spokesperson said.

The Rotorua Geothermal System lies under about 12sq km of Rotorua, from the southwestern end of Lake Rotorua to the Whakarewarewa Valley.

Sinkholes and tomo are common occurrences, especially during rainy periods.

In 2022, a tourist was injured falling into a sinkhole, or fumarole, that opened at the entrance to Whakarewarewa Village.

WorkSafe charged Rotorua Lakes Council but later dropped the case.

Annabel Reid is a multimedia journalist for the Bay of Plenty Times and Rotorua Daily Post, based in Rotorua. Originally from Hawke’s Bay, she has a Bachelor of Communications from the University of Canterbury.