The Pink & White Terraces

The Pink & White Terraces were New Zealand’s most famous tourist attraction.

Known as the Eighth Wonder of the World, the two terraces were 800 metres apart from each other and were formed as water containing silica flowed from the boiling geysers at the top down the hillside. The water cooled and crystallised into the terraces and pools, forming giant staircases or waterfalls.

The White Terrace were the larger of the two covering 3 hectares whilst descending 30 metres. The Pink Terrace was where tourists went to bathe as the water temperature was lukewarm on the lower levels. Unfortunately the eruption of Mount Tarawera on June 10th 1886 changed all of this.

The tragic loss of the Pink and White terraces was so quick and unforgiving that it’s loss only adds insult to injury as the years tick by.