Springs of New Zealand
This will be a description of all "interesting" springs in New Zealand.
These are mainly hot springs and spas suitable for bathing but also included
significant cold mineral and fresh water springs. A significant
spring is one that is worth visiting.
As well as numerous isolated springs there are a number of thermal areas.
These are a complication in that they usually have many hot springs. However,
we will only list those that are known to be safe to access. There are
also thermal aquifers that may be tapped so that the number of sources
of hot water is very large. In such areas there may be many motels and
hotels with hot mineral bathing; we will have to restrict ourselves to
public establishments for the main.
Eventually, this list will contain first-hand accounts of all of the
springs. In the meantime there is a check list that has details of all
known springs, arranged alphabetically. Many details are obtained from
the references listed below. Quotes are drawn from these sources without
always giving detailed acknowlegements.
As well as the master check list there will be eventually a descriptive
account of each region that summarises what is interesting.
Regions
Northland
Auckland
Coromandel
Thames Valley
Waikato
Rotorua
Taupo
Tongariro
Bay of Plenty
Eastland
Taranaki/Wanganui
Northern South Island
Canterbury
West Coast
References
[Rockel] "Taking the Waters. Early Spas
in New Zealand", Ian Rockel, Government printing Office, Wellington, 1986
A history of the commercial development of hot springs in NZ. Also
lots of information on natural springs.
[North] "Mineral and Thermal Water and Springs
of North Auckland", D.R. Petty, L.J. Brown, D.L. Homer, NZ Geological Survey,
1987
A detailed account of all of the hot and mineral springs known north
of Auckland city.
[Concise list] "Concise Listing of Information
on the Thermal Areas and Thermal Springs of New Zealand", M. A. Mongillo,
L. Clelland, DSIR Geothermal report No. 9, October 1984
In fact, it has pretty comprehensive coverage.
[Preservation] "The Preservation of Hydrothermal
System Features of Scientific and Other Interest", B. F. Houghton E. F.
Lloyd, R. F. Keam, A report of the Geological Society of New Zealand
A fairly thorough check list.
[South] "No Lemonade Springs ...", Mark Pickering,
The Press, 7th September 1987.
An article on the Springs in the Southern Alps.
[GS] NZ Geological survey maps.