Lakes of Rotorua facts for kids
The area around the city of Rotorua in New Zealand's North Island is famous for its many beautiful lakes. These lakes were mostly formed by volcanic activity. The region is part of the Taupo Volcanic Zone, which is a very active area where volcanoes have erupted powerfully in the past. The biggest lakes here are Lake Rotorua, Lake Tarawera, Lake Rotoiti, Lake Rotoma, Lake Okataina, Lake Rotoehu, Lake Rotomahana, Lake Rerewhakaaitu, Lake Rotokakahi (also known as Green Lake), Lake Okareka, and Lake Tikitapu (also known as Blue Lake). There are also four smaller lakes: Lake Okaro/Ngakaro, Lake Rotokawa, Lake Rotokawau, and Lake Rotongata (Mirror Lake).
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How Big Are the Lakes?
Here's a list of the main lakes from biggest to smallest, showing their surface area:
| # | Lake Name | Size (square kilometers) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lake Rotorua | 79.8 km² |
| 2 | Lake Tarawera | 51.0 km² |
| 3 | Lake Rotoiti | 38.6 km² |
| 4 | Lake Rotoma | 11.8 km² |
| 5 | Lake Okataina | 10.8 km² |
| 6 | Lake Rotoehu | 8.1 km² |
| 7 | Lake Rotomahana | 8.0 km² |
| 8 | Lake Rerewhakaaitu | 7.4 km² |
| 9 | Lake Rotokakahi (Green Lake) | 4.5 km² |
| 10 | Lake Okareka | 3.5 km² |
| 11 | Lake Tikitapu (Blue Lake) | 1.4 km² |
| Total surface area | 249.3 km² |
Lake Rotorua
Lake Rotorua is the largest of these lakes. It's also the second largest lake in the North Island by its surface area, covering 79.8 square kilometers. Even though it's wide, it's quite shallow, with a main depth of only 10 meters. This means it holds less water than Lake Tarawera.
The lake sits inside a huge volcanic bowl called the Rotorua Caldera. This bowl formed when a volcano erupted a long time ago, and the ground above its empty magma chamber collapsed. A special place in the middle of the lake is Mokoia Island. This island is famous for the old Māori love story of Hinemoa and Tutanekai.
Lake Tarawera
Lake Tarawera is the second largest lake in the Rotorua area, with a surface area of 51.0 square kilometers. It gets its water from the nearby Blue and Green lakes, also known as Lake Tikitapu and Lake Rotokakahi.
This lake is home to different kinds of eels and rainbow trout. In the summer, many people come here for fishing and water sports. It's also a great spot for camping, as there are several beaches with warm water. The water from Lake Tarawera flows out at its northern end into the Tarawera River, which then goes all the way to the Pacific Ocean.
Lake Rotoiti
Lake Rotoiti is the third largest lake in the Bay of Plenty region of New Zealand. It's the westernmost lake in a group of lakes that formed inside the Okataina caldera.
This lake is very close to the northern shore of its famous neighbor, Lake Rotorua. The two lakes are connected by a channel called the Ohau Channel. In the Māori language, "Rotoiti" means "the little lake." This lake covers an area of 38.6 square kilometers.
Lake Rotoma
Lake Rotoma is the fourth largest lake in the Bay of Plenty region. It's the easternmost lake in a chain of three lakes located northeast of Lake Rotorua. The other two lakes in this chain are Lake Rotoiti and Lake Rotoehu.
Lake Rotoma was formed about 10,000 years ago when lava flows blocked its outlet, creating a lake within the Rotoma caldera. It's located exactly halfway between the city of Rotorua and the town of Whakatane. The lake covers an area of 11.8 square kilometers.
Lake Okataina
Lake Okataina is the largest of four smaller lakes found between Lake Rotorua and Lake Tarawera. The other three are Lake Rotokakahi (Green Lake), Lake Tikitapu (Blue Lake), and Lake Okareka.
What makes Lake Okataina special is that it is completely surrounded by native forest. Unlike many other lakes in the area, it doesn't have any rivers flowing into or out of it. Over the last 30 years, the lake's water level has risen by about 5 meters. This lake covers an area of 10.8 square kilometers.
Lake Rotoehu
Lake Rotoehu is the smallest lake in a chain of three lakes located near Lake Rotorua. It sits between the city of Rotorua and the town of Whakatane.
Water flows into Lake Rotoehu from Lake Rotoma to its east, and then it flows westward to join Lake Rotoiti. This lake is one of the less crowded ones, but it's a great place for kayaking and fishing for rainbow trout. The lake covers an area of 8.1 square kilometers.
Lake Rotomahana
Lake Rotomahana is a small lake in northern New Zealand, located about 25 kilometers east of Rotorua. It's just southwest of the volcano Mount Tarawera. The lake's shape and surroundings changed a lot after a huge volcanic eruption in 1886. The lake covers a surface area of 8.0 square kilometers.
Pink and White Terraces
The Pink and White Terraces were an amazing natural wonder that used to be on the shores of Lake Rotomahana. They were considered one of the most beautiful natural sights in the world and were New Zealand's most famous tourist attraction in the mid-1800s.
People thought these terraces were completely destroyed by the Mount Tarawera eruption on June 10, 1886. However, in 2016, an old survey map was found in Switzerland. This discovery helped researchers figure out exactly where the Pink and White Terraces were located, and it turns out they were on land. This means there's a chance that parts of these incredible terraces might still exist underground and could possibly be uncovered for people to see again!
Lake Rerewhakaaitu
Lake Rerewhakaaitu is a small, shallow lake in northern New Zealand, located about 30 kilometers east of Rotorua. It's just south of the active volcano Mount Tarawera. Like Lake Rotomahana, its geography was greatly changed by the 1886 eruption. The lake covers a surface area of 7.4 square kilometers.
Lake Rotokakahi (Green Lake)
Lake Rotokakahi, also known as Green Lake, is one of four small lakes located between Lake Rotorua and Lake Tarawera. The others are Lake Tikitapu (Blue Lake), Lake Okareka, and Lake Okataina.
The Māori people named it for the many shellfish found there. The lake's water flows into Lake Tarawera through the Te Wairoa waterfalls. From above, the lake looks emerald green because its bottom is shallow and sandy. It sits 1302 feet above sea level and 69 feet below the level of its neighbor, Lake Tikitapu. This lake is mostly untouched because there are no roads or towns nearby. It covers a surface area of 4.5 square kilometers.
Lake Okareka
Lake Okareka is another one of the four small lakes found between Lake Rotorua and Lake Tarawera. The other three are Lake Rotokakahi (Green Lake), Lake Tikitapu (Blue Lake), and Lake Okataina.
About 600 people live in a small community right next to this lake. The lake covers a surface area of 3.5 square kilometers.
Lake Tikitapu (Blue Lake)
Lake Tikitapu, or Blue Lake, is the smallest of the four small lakes located between Lake Rotorua and Lake Tarawera. The other three are Lake Rotokakahi (Green Lake), Lake Okareka, and Lake Okataina.
Like the other lakes in this area, Lake Tikitapu formed inside a volcanic bowl over the last 300,000 years. The lake's beautiful blue color comes from the types of rocks, like rhyolite and pumice, on its bed. You can't see any rivers flowing out of the lake, but its water drains underground towards Lake Tarawera. The lake has a surface area of 1.4 square kilometers.
