Rotorua has many natural springs
Over the years Rotorua's springs have been tourist attractions, water sources for the city and great fishing spots as well.Click this link to read James Cowan's 1910 article published in a number of newspapers of the day
Otago Witness 27th July 1910
Information with thanks to the Don Stafford File, Tourism 1862-1939 :
Fairy Spring was free to visit and fish, until 1897 when the visitors were charged 6d for the privilege.
The next was Rainbow Springs opened in 1928, where people could put their hands in the water 'tickle the trout' and also to feed the two famous fish 'Elsie' and 'Hori', sadly Elsie died in 1949, no mention is made of Hori's demise. Rainbow Springs Camping Ground was opened and run by Mr E. Bruce in c1928.
In 1973 the Rainbow & Fairy Springs merged to become one business and the new owners set about planting trees and upgrading walkways between the two. Today this is known as Rainbow Springs Nature Park.
Paradise Valley Springs is written as being open to the public in the Rotorua Morning Post 23.10.1939. However as the link below shows, this area was being visited in the early 1900's.
Hamurana Springs was a thriving business as one of the best trout fishing areas of the region as early as 1887, also one could "gaze into an immense hole, which in every 24 hours emits 5,000,000 gallons of cold water" from New Zealand Tablet 11 June 1903, page 5.
A Fishing Lodge was available for keen anglers to stay from c.1923.
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| Tourist at Hamurana Springs, November 1961 from Kete Rotorua |
Click these links to read about these springs from Papers Past :
The Paradise Valley Spring Evening Post 1st October 1904
The Hamurana Springs NZ Herald 10th March 1891
The Rainbow Springs NZ Herald 21st November 1936
The Fairy Springs NZ Herald 7th March 1906
From Kete Rotorua :
The Taniwha Springs Fairy Springs and Taniwha Springs
