Talk at Rotorua Museum - Rotomahana reveals its secrets! The Pink Terraces

Dr Cornel de Ronde, geologist/geochemist at GNS Science, lead the January 2011 project that investigated the bottom of Lake Rotomahana and uncovered ledges of silica, 60 metres deep, which are believed to be the base layers of the legendary Pink Terraces.

In the 1880s The Pink and White Terraces were described as the eighth wonder of the natural world and were New Zealand’s most famous tourist attraction. Until this recent discovery, both terraces were thought to be destroyed in 1886 by the Mount Tararewa eruption.

This discovery, described by Cornel de Ronde as “the find of a lifetime,” was uncovered during a joint New Zealand-American project to map the lake floor and investigate the large geothermal system under the lake.

Dr de Ronde will present a talk about the project and GNS Science’s future plans in this area at the Museum on Sunday [15 May] at 2pm.

Entry is included with admission to the Museum (free for Rotorua residents with proof of residency).