The Pink and White Terraces

THIS SITE COVERS MY RESEARCH ON

THE PINK AND WHITE TERRACES AND SURROUNDING LAKES AREAS

The purpose of this site is to encourage input from others for my forth coming

book on the subject

In Northern New Zealand June 1886, the Bay of Plenty area experienced a violent volcanic eruption.

Shortly after it was announced to the world that the World famous Pink and white terraces had been destroyed.

For 126 years this was believed to be true. In 2002 I set about proving this myth to be false. Over a ten year period I gathered evidence that they had not been destroyed but simply misplaced.

This Lithograph above and left is a photograph by Bruno Hamil in April 1860. 26 years before the Pink and White Terraces became covered in eruption fallout. Bruno was the official photographer for the Government organised expedition.

Ferdinand VonHochstetter, coloured in the lithograpth to improve his geological investigations when he led an exploratory and mapping expedition in March 1886.(The colours highlight the terrace site system and also show the whiteness of the silica dressing.)

Hochstetter can be seen at the bottom left hand side of the coloured photo. He is talking to the Māori chief Riini Kaipara and one ofhis māori guides.

His colleague and associate Julius Hasste (another well-known Austrian Geologist) can be seen talking to a local guide, two thirds of the way up the terraces, just below the 3 metre high rise. This elevation they referred to as the viewing platform

The top of the White Terraces as seen is 320 metres above sea level.

The pre eruption lake level was at least 50 metres below present day levels.

The White Terraces measured 250 metres across northeast to southwest and 200 metres from the lake edge at the stream junction to the edge of the crater. The pre eruption level for lake Rotomahana is 272 metres above sea level.

The lake is now 339 metres above sea level due to volcanic outfall raising the standard channel (the Kaiwhaka Stream) This restriction controlled the natural draining level of the lake and still does so up till the present day.

The volcanic clay type double coloured layers as seen above the Terraces throat are still accessible being around 10 metres or less below the surface.

I have felt but not seen them as the lake water at this depth is too dark.

The following five pages I published to make contact with those who are interested in this project and may want to help with the book I am writing.

Please contact myself at.

herbyfitz@gmail.com or see the contact page and leave a message

All comments I undertake to consult with privacy and I will receive messages with gratitude.

Please enjoy the rest of the site and thanks for your interest

Herby FitzGerald

Page one of six

The Right Hand black and white Photo above was taken in march 1860 26 years before the eruption. It was 100 metres to the left of the central volcanic rift. This hill disappeared for a brief spell in the second stage of the eruption.

The rift goes from north east to the south west through The Lake.

Both photographers used the same location also the same height above sea level facing south west.

The new crater formed when pyro clastic flows smothered the area and a newly formed crater blasted a new vent. This vent is now the deepest portion of the lake.

The bottom of lake Rotomahana at this point is now 220 metres above sea level.

The lake is now 120 metres deep at this point due to remaining obstructions. The outline of the rise in the black and white photo can still be found with lead load line and flat panel soundings.

POINTS OF INTEREST.

Top left is Rotomahana Hill.

Top right is Hapetoaroa Hill with Oruakorako Hill in foremost and bottom.

Left Middle is Te puia Island. Pukarea Island is half hidden in the black and white photo. Thermal activity lower right side is evident in both photos.

The vapours on the right come from kionga.

Both the above photos come from the same level as the existing lake level. (340. Metres above sea level.)

I took the colour photographs in February 2007.

The black and white piece Bruno Hamil photographed in 1859.

Two different teams investigated the wellbeing of both Terraces a short time after the eruption. These teams were the last individuals to view the Terraces before they became buried with Rotomahana mud.

By the time, Percy Smith carried out his assessment the Terraces were not to be seen. They had already been covered.

I believe that Percy Smith first sited the continuous emission he wrongly assumed the terraces destroyed, not just covered.

The Phreatic explosion at Rotomahana Lake continued for several weeks after the Tarawera 4 hour violent eruption from the Wahanga, Ruawai, Tarawera section of the rift.

This formed the difference in thickness of the rift.

The terraces were in the marsh and Lake district and were well and truly covered by the phreatic phase of the eruption before the formal team carried out their opinion.

It is unfortunate that the earlier reports were ignored as History took a walk in the wrong direction.

Stephenson Percy Smith failed to consider the importance of the“Pink and White Terraces.”carefully.

He did not describe the situation well in his official report. His report stated. “The terraces are destroyed.” This and other factors led to the terraces remaining hidden till this day.

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