White Terraces

Kiwilizzie, our students and I travelled up from Taupo to Whangamata today to visit friends. We called in at the white terraces on our way north. These terraces are amazing. Although the terraces themselves were originally man-made, the boiling water and the silica deposits are totally natural.

The hot water geysers up from 1.5 kilometres underground and runs through two cooling ponds before running over the terraces, leaving the deposits behind. Below the terraces are a series of man-made pools dropping down the valley where you can soak in the mineral rich water.

For generations Maori have held that the waters were therapeutic. Scientists have analysed the water and are now using the water in modern and alternative medicines. Just some of the minerals here are silica, sodium, potassium, magnesium, boron, iron, lithium, manganese and calcium.

At this point on the terraces the water is so hot that a person falling in would be badly burnt. Food can be rapidly cooked in it and toast can be cooked on the rocks beside the water. I wouldn't want to get too close!