Tarawera Falls, Bay of Plenty

Tarawera Falls is a 35 m high waterfall on the Tarawera River in the Bay of Plenty region in New Zealand’s North Island.
The Tarawera River flows out of Lake Tarawera. “The cliff is the end of an ancient rhyolitic lava flow that is believed to have poured from an erupting Mt Tarawera about 11,000 years ago. An abrupt stop to the flow produced these high cliffs”.

“The river disappears into flooded caves in the lava and pours out halfway up the cliff on the far side of the flow. After rain, part of the flow passes over the top of the cliff as a 65m companion fall. Vegetation here has developed since the 1886 Tarawera eruption.

Both pohutukawa and rata are found. An unusual feature is the range of hybrids between these two closely related species that occurs in the area. Evidence of this interbreeding can be seen in the variety of different leaf shapes found on the forest floor here.

Access is from the town of Kawerau and is a drive of about 45 minutes over unsealed roads, followed by a walk of about 20 minutes. A forestry access permit is required, available from the Information Centre in Kawerau.”

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