Lake Tarawera

Lake Tarawera is a volcanic lake in the Bay of Plenty region of New Zealand, located in a landscape of recent volcanic activity near the town of Rotorua. The lake and surrounding area lie in a geothermal and volcanic zone that includes vents, fissures and nearby rhyolitic cones.

Popular activities include trout fishing, boating and lakeside walks, with visitor facilities and boat ramps on the shore. The lake contains several bays and smaller basins and is used by anglers and recreational boaters.

The area was profoundly affected by the 1886 eruption of Mount Tarawera, which opened a long fissure of vents and destroyed the nearby natural features known as the Pink and White Terraces. That eruption changed shorelines and local topography and remains a defining historical event for the lake.

The lake lies within the Tarawera volcanic complex in the Bay of Plenty, east of Rotorua, and is accessible from regional roads and visitor centers in the Rotorua area.

• 1886 eruption: A major eruption in 1886 dramatically altered the area and destroyed the famous Pink and White Terraces that had been nearby.
• Recreation: The lake is a popular spot for trout fishing and for boating on the larger lake basins in the Tarawera system.

What to See #

• Mount Tarawera: The volcano that shares the lake's name and was the site of a major eruption in 1886 that reshaped the local landscape and destroyed the nearby Pink and White Terraces.