The morning of ANZAC day is when almost every business is closed as a sign of respect for the Australian and New Zealand armed forces. Anzac Day is commemorated by Australia and New Zealand on 25 April every year to honour members of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) who fought at Gallipoli in Turkey during World War I.
Luckily the Waimangu Volcanic Valley was open when we arrived. It’s a very interesting and well looked after site. The before and after photos in the small museum clearly show the complete and utter devastation after the eruptions – literally nothing remained.
Waimangu, Mount Tarawera and Lake Rotomahama exploded on the night of the 10th June 1886 killing 7 Europeans and more than 100 Maori villagers.
The three of us walked along a string of geographic features created by the Waimangu explosion, from Southern Crater to Echo Crater with its Frying Pan Lake and on to Inferno Crater.
Inferno Crater contains a pale blue lake which fills and overflows and then sinks again over a period of 5 to 7 weeks. When full the water is 80° C!
We climbed the Mt. Haszard walking trail above Inferno Crater and alongside some other craters and then down to rejoin the main trail towards Lake Roromahama past Iodine Pool, the Buttresses and onto Warbrick Terrace.
By Frying Pan Lake was the site of the largest geyser in the world – it would erupt up to a height of 400m. It started in 1900 and stopped in 1904 – but not after killing a group of tourists who got too close.
Our driver/navigator was Ngata (pronounced nutter) (he had a very, very long name which he only said once) and he was very funny with a joke at everyone’s expense – especially the Australians in the group.
At the village we were greeted (all four of the WAKA) according to Maori tradition
As there were 4 WAKA we had four chief to accept the greeting.
We were treated to a song and dance and then to a HANGI meal (traditionally cooked – steamed- underground. All in all, excellent fun.
Ngata took us back to the camp, making the various nationalities sing songs (the best was from Chile). Every time we did something wrong, Ngata threatened to throw us out the canoe, Jo-Ann and Mum couldn’t sing a Singaporean song so they were nearly ejected!
Ngata was great with names & faces & nationalities, he remembered us all.
As we entered Rotorua, Ngata started singing “she’ll be coming round the mountain when she comes” as he drove round and round a roundabout about 10 times.
A Great Night!
Luckily the Waimangu Volcanic Valley was open when we arrived. It’s a very interesting and well looked after site. The before and after photos in the small museum clearly show the complete and utter devastation after the eruptions – literally nothing remained.
Waimangu, Mount Tarawera and Lake Rotomahama exploded on the night of the 10th June 1886 killing 7 Europeans and more than 100 Maori villagers.
The three of us walked along a string of geographic features created by the Waimangu explosion, from Southern Crater to Echo Crater with its Frying Pan Lake and on to Inferno Crater.
Frying Pan Lake is so named because of the sound made by the hot springs & fumaroles around the lake. It’s the world’s largest hot spring with a volume of 200,000 cubic meters with an average temperature of 55° Celsius.
Inferno Crater contains a pale blue lake which fills and overflows and then sinks again over a period of 5 to 7 weeks. When full the water is 80° C!
We climbed the Mt. Haszard walking trail above Inferno Crater and alongside some other craters and then down to rejoin the main trail towards Lake Roromahama past Iodine Pool, the Buttresses and onto Warbrick Terrace.
By Frying Pan Lake was the site of the largest geyser in the world – it would erupt up to a height of 400m. It started in 1900 and stopped in 1904 – but not after killing a group of tourists who got too close.
In the evening we went to the Tamaki Maori Village. A coach (or rather a coach pretending to be a WAKA) named KEA collected us from the campsite and took us, via Rotorua town, to the village.
Our driver/navigator was Ngata (pronounced nutter) (he had a very, very long name which he only said once) and he was very funny with a joke at everyone’s expense – especially the Australians in the group.
At the village we were greeted (all four of the WAKA) according to Maori tradition
As there were 4 WAKA we had four chief to accept the greeting.
After the welcome, we all wandered around the village – people were hiding behind the buildings and jumping out to frighten the visitors. I took a photo of Mum with a Maori warrior twice her size .
We were treated to a song and dance and then to a HANGI meal (traditionally cooked – steamed- underground. All in all, excellent fun.
Ngata took us back to the camp, making the various nationalities sing songs (the best was from Chile). Every time we did something wrong, Ngata threatened to throw us out the canoe, Jo-Ann and Mum couldn’t sing a Singaporean song so they were nearly ejected!
Ngata was great with names & faces & nationalities, he remembered us all.
As we entered Rotorua, Ngata started singing “she’ll be coming round the mountain when she comes” as he drove round and round a roundabout about 10 times.
A Great Night!
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