Rachel Spring Whangapipiro

The Rachel Spring, or Whangapipiro, boils at a steady two hundred and twelve degrees Fahrenheit. It creates a massive, scalloped basin of silica sinter with bright orange edges that stain the surrounding rock. In the early twentieth century, the spring served as the primary heat source for the nearby hospital, providing boiling water for cleaning and cooking. Locals eventually learned to cook food in the vent using flax baskets. The basin remains one of the largest and hottest features in Rotorua.