Rotorua
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| Rotorua |
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| Urban Area | Population | 55,100 |
| Extent | Ngongotaha to Owhata | |
| Territorial Authority |
Name | Rotorua District |
| Population | 67,600 | |
| Extent | On the South Island
Golden Springs |
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| Regional Council | Name | Bay of Plenty |
Rotorua is a city located on the southern shore of Lake Rotorua in the Bay of Plenty region of the North Island of New Zealand. It has a population of 53,000.
The city is located 60 km south of Tauranga, 105 km south-east of Hamilton and 82 km north-east of Taupo.
Rotorua is a spa resort, well-known for the geothermal activity in the area. There are a number of geysers (notably the 20-m Pohutu geyser at Whakarewarewa) and hot mud pools located in the city, which owe their presence to the Rotorua caldera.
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History
Rotorua-ALake.jpg
The name Rotorua comes from the Maori language. The full name is Rotorua-nui-a-Kahu. Roto generally means lake and rua meaning two. Literally translated Rotorua means second lake. It was named by the Maori chief Ihenga, as it was the second major lake that he discovered. The lake is the largest of a multitude found to the north and east of the city, all connected with the Rotorua Caldera and nearby Mount Tarawera.
The area was initially settled by Maori of the Te Arawa iwi. The lakeshore was a prominent site of skirmishes during the New Zealand Wars of the 1860s. A "special town district" was created in the 1880s, in order to promote Rotorua's potential as a spa. Rotorua was established as a borough in 1922.
Tourism
Rotorua is home to not only geothermal interests, but botanical gardens and some interesting historic architecture. Known as a spa town and major tourist resort for more than a century, many of the buildings hint at this history. The formal Government Gardens close to the lakeshore at the eastern end of the town are particularly worth of note.
Kuirau Park, to the west end of the central city, is also remarkable - hot bubbling mud pools dot the park, lending a surreal air to the setting.
Thermal activity is at the heart of much of Rotorua's tourist appeal. Geysers and bubbling mud-pools, hot thermal springs and even a village buried by a major volcanic eruption, Te Wairoa, are all located within easy reach of the city.
Rotorua was prominently featured in a music video by The Beastie Boys for their song Gratitude. Rotorua is also near many lakes. All these lakes are formed from huge volcanic activity which affected this region. The largest lake is Taupo which 45 minutes' drive from Rotorua. All these lakes are famous for their abundant stock of Rainbow Trout, a fish introduced for its sporting value.
Rotorua is commonly known amongst the locals as "Rotovegas" due its abundance of tourist attractions, but to non-locals as "Rottenrua" due to the rotting egg-like odour of the Hydrogen Sulphide gas produce by the prolific geothermal activity. The odour is most noticeable on cooler and rainy days, although most locals are immune to it and are usually unaware of its presence.
Famous sons and daughters
- Peter Tapsell
- Susan Devoy
- Temuera Morrison
- Hika Reid
- Wayne "Buck" Shelford
- (according to legend) Hinemoa and Tutanekai
- Alan Duff
External links
- Three dozen profiles of relevant websites (http://zeal.com/category/preview.jhtml?cid=10118940)
- Tourist information, etc (http://www.rotoruanz.com/)
- Rotorua Pictures (http://faemalia.net/NewZealandPix/NewZealandHoliday/NorthIsland/08-Rotorua-Day-2/buildImageTree-WebPix/00-PictureIndex.html)
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