Mount Tarawera

Mount Tarawera with the eponymous lake in the foreground

Mount Tarawera is a volcano located in New Zealand and part of the Okataina caldera in the North Island, about 24 kilometers southeast of Rotorua.

On June 10, 1886, the Tarawera erupted. Villages, hotels, farms and forests were buried under rocks and mud flows. More than 100 people were killed.

The original top of the volcano collapsed in on the eruption and formed the current three peaks, peak Ruawahia, Tarawera Peak and Peak Wahanga. The highest point is 1111 meters above sea level. The crater is formed by many cracks and crevices and stretches over six kilometers from north-east to south-west direction.

The volcano is surrounded by a multitude of lakes (eg Lake Rotomahana, Lake Tarawera ), many of which were created or altered in the dramatic outbreak.

The old times, when tourist destinations - from Europe - famous Pink and White Terraces were completely destroyed by the eruption, which is now visited by tourists Waimangu Valley with the 1900-1904 active Waimangu Geyser newly created.

In the then ruined place Te Wairoa, you can visit the ruins of the former huts and a museum to the eruption.