Lake Rotomā (also spelled Rotoma) is the fourth largest lake of the 11 lakes in the
Rotorua Lakes
Rotorua Lakes District or Rotorua District is a territorial authority district in the North Island of New Zealand. It has one urban area of significant size, the city of Rotorua. The district is governed by Rotorua Lakes Council, which is headqu ...
district in the
Bay of Plenty Region
The Bay of Plenty Region is a Regions of New Zealand, local government region in the North Island of New Zealand. Also called just the Bay of Plenty (BOP), it is situated around the Bay of Plenty, marine bight of that same name. The bay was name ...
of
New Zealand
New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and List of islands of New Zealand, over 600 smaller islands. It is the List of isla ...
's
North Island
The North Island ( , 'the fish of Māui', historically New Ulster) is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, islands of New Zealand, separated from the larger but less populous South Island by Cook Strait. With an area of , it is the List ...
. Lake Rotomā is the easternmost in the chain of three lakes to the northeast of
Lake Rotorua
Lake Rotorua () is the second largest lake in the North Island of New Zealand by surface area, and covers 79.8 km2.
With a mean depth of only 10 metres it is considerably smaller than nearby Lake Tarawera in terms of volume of water. It i ...
The other two are
Lake Rotoiti and
Lake Rotoehu. Rotomā is located halfway between the city of
Rotorua
Rotorua () is a city in the Bay of Plenty region of New Zealand's North Island. It is sited on the southern shores of Lake Rotorua, from which it takes its name. It is the seat of the Rotorua Lakes District, a territorial authorities of New Zea ...
and town of
Whakatāne
Whakatāne ( , ) is a town located in the Bay of Plenty Region, Bay of Plenty Region in the North Island of New Zealand, east of Tauranga and northeast of Rotorua. The town is situated at the mouth of the Whakatāne River. The Whakatāne Dis ...
.
Lake Rotomā has a high water quality with visibility up to around 13 metres deep. The lake has a maximum depth of 83 metres in the northern part and 73.5 metres in the southern part.
Geography
Lake Rotomā was formed within the
Rotomā Caldera
The relatively small Rotomā Caldera (also known as Rotomā Embayment, Rotomā volcanic complex, and spelled Rotoma) is in the Taupō Volcanic Zone in the North Island of New Zealand.
Geography
The Rotomā Caldera is located halfway between ...
when lava flows from a large crater explosion blocked its outlet 9,500 years ago. The hills fringing the south and east of the lake are made up of
rhyolite
Rhyolite ( ) is the most silica-rich of volcanic rocks. It is generally glassy or fine-grained (aphanitic) in texture (geology), texture, but may be porphyritic, containing larger mineral crystals (phenocrysts) in an otherwise fine-grained matri ...
from eruptions from its own caldera, the
Haroharo and
Tarawera vent alignments, all in the
Ōkataina Volcanic Centre. Inflow is from rainfall, three small streams and several springs around the lake.
Some of the springs on the shore of the lake, such as those at Ohei are warm. Lake Rotomā has no surface outlets and outflow studies suggest flow is through a porous
pumice
Pumice (), called pumicite in its powdered or dust form, is a volcanic rock that consists of extremely vesicular rough-textured volcanic glass, which may or may not contain crystals. It is typically light-colored. Scoria is another vesicula ...
substrate towards the west into Lakes Rotoehu and Rotoiti.
The water level of Rotomā reaches an excessive high or low level every 10–15 years. In times of extreme low levels, the sunken island "Motutara" in the lake may be exposed.
History
The lake was part of the area named as the Hot Lakes district in a 1878 publication,, with the name continuing in use in the early 20th century when the first road access was constructed. Although there is evidence of previous Maori settlement it had no local Maori population at the time of road construction in 1895.
Road

Before the road around Lake Rotomā was constructed, there were several
Māori
Māori or Maori can refer to:
Relating to the Māori people
* Māori people of New Zealand, or members of that group
* Māori language, the language of the Māori people of New Zealand
* Māori culture
* Cook Islanders, the Māori people of the Co ...
trails over the Rotomā hill which could be used to get between Rotorua and the
Eastern Bay of Plenty by foot, but these trails were too narrow and uneven to be used by horses. Travellers from Rotorua could only get as far as
Tikitere on the rough track.
In May 1895 work commenced on the Tikitere to Rotoma road. By July, there were three road gangs working on different sections of the road, and work began over the difficult section over the Rotomā hill in the summer of 1895–1896. A proper road was also constructed from Te Ngae in Rotorua through to Tikitere.
Once the road was completed, horse-drawn traffic commenced and public coaching services began. The first such service was started in 1907 by the R.M. Company, who ran a service twice a week from Rotorua to
Ōpōtiki
Ōpōtiki (; from ''Ōpōtiki-Mai-Tawhiti'') is a town in the eastern Bay of Plenty in the North Island of New Zealand. It houses the headquarters of the Ōpōtiki District Council, the mayor of Ōpōtiki and comes under the Bay of Plenty Region ...
carrying mail and up to three passengers. In 1910 the R.M. Company upgraded to a large coach drawn by five horses which could hold 10 passengers.
In 1916 Colletts of Rotorua started the first regular motor car service, using
Cadillac
Cadillac Motor Car Division, or simply Cadillac (), is the luxury vehicle division (business), division of the American automobile manufacturer General Motors (GM). Its major markets are the United States, Canada and China; Cadillac models are ...
service cars. The average travel time from Rotorua to Whakatāne was 5 hours, but like the horse-drawn coaches, the service cars could take up to 9 hours to travel this distance depending on the driving conditions. The road surface gradually improved, decreasing the travel time to 3 hours by the late 1920s. Today, this journey takes just one hour and 20 minutes.
In 1947, 60 men were employed on the construction of the Rotorua to Whakatāne highway, as increases in traffic had caused problems on the road which was barely 12 feet wide.
In the winter of 1956 the lake level of Rotomā rose very high, causing the road to be shifted to higher ground. More serious flooding occurred in 1962, and the famous "cheese cutting" landmark was destroyed and used to build up the road. The cheese cutting was a large wedge shaped rock formed during road construction in 1895–1896 when the road gangs cut the road through a hill with
picks and
shovel
A shovel is a tool used for digging, lifting, and moving bulk materials, such as soil, coal, gravel, snow, sand, or ore. Most shovels are hand tools consisting of a broad blade fixed to a medium-length handle. Shovel blades are usually made ...
s and left a portion of the hill standing.
Establishments

Various establishments have come and gone at Rotomā, and most were set up to service the passing traveller's desire for rest stops, refreshments and accommodation.
Past establishments
* "Rotoma
Tearooms and Post Office", later renamed "The Kettle Store and Tearooms", then "The Kettle Store and Garage".
* "T & K
Service Station"
* "Stillwater
Lodge &
Motel
A motel, also known as a motor hotel, motor inn or motor lodge, is a hotel designed for motorists, usually having each room entered directly from the Parking lot, parking area for motor vehicles rather than through a central Lobby (room), lo ...
"
* "Rotoma Accommodation House"
* "El Toreador Dine and Dance"
* "Atkinson's Fishing Lodge", later renamed "Merge Lodge"
* "Rotoma Traders"
In 1912 it could take up to 9 hours to cover the distance between Rotorua and Whakatāne, and changing stations for the horses had been set up every 14 miles from Rotorua. The changing station at the west end of Rotomā became a popular rest stop. John Baker ran a post office and tearooms here, and built up a reputation for his
corned beef
Corned beef, called salted beef in some Commonwealth countries, is a salt-cured brisket of beef. The term comes from the treatment of the meat with large-grained rock salt, also called "corns" of salt. Sometimes, sugar and spices are added to ...
. Mr. Baker offered the traveller a choice of corned beef with potatoes and
cabbage
Cabbage, comprising several cultivars of '' Brassica oleracea'', is a leafy green, red (purple), or white (pale green) biennial plant grown as an annual vegetable crop for its dense-leaved heads. It is descended from the wild cabbage ( ''B.& ...
or corned beef sandwiches.
The Pilbrow family arrived in Rotomā in 1948 after purchasing the Rotoma Tearooms and Post Office. They expanded the business to include a general store, and renamed it The Kettle Store and Tearooms. They then built a garage for motor repairs, and the business became The Kettle Store and Garage. Petrol pumps were later installed by the Pilbrow family to create T & K Filling Station. There was an extremely high level of rainfall in 1961 which caused serious flooding problems, and the business was badly affected. The floodwater raised the petrol tanks out of the ground and the road had to be built up to act as a stop-bank. A pump was in action 24 hours a day for weeks to prevent the water from completely flooding the premises.
The Pilbrow family also created
Oxford Road.
The original homestead which became known as Atkinson's Fishing Lodge was built early in the 1900s by Mr and Mrs C. Atkinson who farmed near the lake and had an
orchard
An orchard is an intentional plantation of trees or shrubs that is maintained for food production. Orchards comprise fruit tree, fruit- or nut (fruit), nut-producing trees that are generally grown for commercial production. Orchards are also so ...
on the opposite side of the road. The homestead was turned into a lodge which became very popular with fishermen. The lodge was renamed Merge Lodge by Geoff and Roy Warwick, formerly of
Kawerau
Kawerau is a town in the Bay of Plenty Region on the North Island of New Zealand. It is situated 100 km south-east of Tauranga and 58 km east of Rotorua. It is the seat of the Kawerau District Council, and the only town in Kawerau Distr ...
, who took over ownership in 1960. The lodge had six bedrooms, a billiard room, two kitchens, two lounges, and a store out the front. There is now a
caravan park
Caravan or caravans may refer to:
Transport and travel
* Campervan, a type of vehicle also known as a motor caravan
*Caravan (travellers), a group of travellers journeying together
**Caravanserai, a place where a caravan could stop
* Caravan (tra ...
at the site of Merge Lodge.
Education
*
Lake Rotomā School
"Suicide Beach"
The bay at the foot of the Rotomā hill where
Manawahe Road commences had the nickname "Suicide Beach" in the past due to the occurrence of a
murder-suicide there in May 1925. The real story was lost over time, with the majority of Rotomā
local residents holding the belief that it had been a young honeymoon couple who committed suicide there together. However, in actuality it was a 38-year-old man and a 14-year-old girl; understood to have been romantically attached. The man, Carl Olsen, had told the girl's father of his love for her. In an attempt to separate the pair, the disapproving parents sent the girl, Molly Moors, to live with an aunt in
Hastings
Hastings ( ) is a seaside town and Borough status in the United Kingdom, borough in East Sussex on the south coast of England,
east of Lewes and south east of London. The town gives its name to the Battle of Hastings, which took place to th ...
. Without her aunts knowledge, Olsen picked Molly up in his car and it was assumed they were on their way to
Hamilton
Hamilton may refer to:
* Alexander Hamilton (1755/1757–1804), first U.S. Secretary of the Treasury and one of the Founding Fathers of the United States
* ''Hamilton'' (musical), a 2015 Broadway musical by Lin-Manuel Miranda
** ''Hamilton'' (al ...
when they met death at the shores of Rotomā. The event was well covered by newspapers of the time and was referred to as the "Rotoma Tragedy". Olsen and Moors are buried next to each other in the Rotorua Cemetery, and their graves were probably originally marked with wooden crosses. The original crosses disintegrated over time leaving the two graves unmarked for many years before being remarked with new matching wooden crosses in May 2011.
Sunken island
Four
buoy
A buoy (; ) is a buoyancy, floating device that can have many purposes. It can be anchored (stationary) or allowed to drift with ocean currents.
History
The ultimate origin of buoys is unknown, but by 1295 a seaman's manual referred to navig ...
s in the southern portion of Lake Rotomā mark the location of Motutara, the sunken island, which sits just under the lakes surface. Occasionally the lake level drops low enough to expose the top of the island.
There was once a
Māori
Māori or Maori can refer to:
Relating to the Māori people
* Māori people of New Zealand, or members of that group
* Māori language, the language of the Māori people of New Zealand
* Māori culture
* Cook Islanders, the Māori people of the Co ...
village on the island, and according to the
legend
A legend is a genre of folklore that consists of a narrative featuring human actions, believed or perceived to have taken place in human history. Narratives in this genre may demonstrate human values, and possess certain qualities that give the ...
, an old
Tohunga
In the culture of the Māori people, Māori of New Zealand, a tohunga (tōhuka in Southern Māori dialect) is an expert practitioner of any skill or art, either religious or otherwise. Tohunga include expert priests, healers, navigators, carvers, ...
resided there amongst the other inhabitants. His name was Te Rarau-mai-Waho, and he was very powerful and dangerous. The cloud the old Tohunga cast over the island was lifted only on the occasions where he went to visit some of his relations in
Kawerau
Kawerau is a town in the Bay of Plenty Region on the North Island of New Zealand. It is situated 100 km south-east of Tauranga and 58 km east of Rotorua. It is the seat of the Kawerau District Council, and the only town in Kawerau Distr ...
and around
Putauaki
Putauaki (; also known in English as Mount Edgecumbe) is a dacite volcanic cone in the Bay of Plenty Region of New Zealand. Located east of Rotorua and three kilometres east of Kawerau, it is the easternmost vent of the Taupō Volcanic Zone ...
, Mount Edgecumbe. One night he returned from such a visit and called out to the people of the island from the lake's edge by Matahi lagoon, ordering them to send him a canoe. Nobody responded to his demands, and in his anger the Tohunga put a
curse
A curse (also called an imprecation, malediction, execration, malison, anathema, or commination) is any expressed wish that some form of adversity or misfortune will befall or attach to one or more persons, a place, or an object. In particular, ...
on the island and its inhabitants. The people of the island heard the angry Tohunga's terrible screams, but did not realise the horrible retribution he would take. The curse caused the island to slowly sink, and by morning it was completely underwater; the only signs of the village being bodies and pieces of wreckage floating on the surface of the lake. Some people had escaped by swimming to the shore of the lake, and these people eventually settled in the
South Island
The South Island ( , 'the waters of Pounamu, Greenstone') is the largest of the three major islands of New Zealand by surface area, the others being the smaller but more populous North Island and Stewart Island. It is bordered to the north by ...
. The Waikato Underwater Club has examined Motutara. Two platforms or terraces were found, and some
hāngī
Hāngī () is a traditional New Zealand Māori method of cooking food using heated rocks buried in a pit oven, called an ''umu''. It is still used for large groups on special occasions, as it allows large quantities of food to be cooked witho ...
stones were found at the peak. It has been suggested that if the
Pā
The word pā (; often spelled pa in English) can refer to any Māori people, Māori village or defensive settlement, but often refers to hillforts – fortified settlements with palisades and defensive :wikt:terrace, terraces – and also to fo ...
had been
palisade
A palisade, sometimes called a stakewall or a paling, is typically a row of closely placed, high vertical standing tree trunks or wooden or iron stakes used as a fence for enclosure or as a defensive wall. Palisades can form a stockade.
Etymo ...
d it may have still been there today.
Settlement
Statistics New Zealand describes Rotomā as a rural settlement, which covers
and had an estimated population of as of with a population density of people per km
2. The settlement is part of the larger
Rotoiti-Rotoehu statistical area.
Before the 2023 census, the settlement had a smaller boundary, covering .
Using that boundary, Rotomā had a population of 255 at the
2018 New Zealand census
The 2018 New Zealand census, which took place on Tuesday 6 March 2018, was the thirty-fourth national census in New Zealand. The population of New Zealand was counted as 4,699,755 – an increase of 457,707 (10.79%) over the 2013 census.
Resu ...
, an increase of 81 people (46.6%) since the
2013 census, and an increase of 33 people (14.9%) since the
2006 census. There were 99 households, comprising 135 males and 120 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.12 males per female. The median age was 50.2 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 39 people (15.3%) aged under 15 years, 30 (11.8%) aged 15 to 29, 129 (50.6%) aged 30 to 64, and 60 (23.5%) aged 65 or older.
Ethnicities were 80.0% European/
Pākehā
''Pākehā'' (or ''Pakeha''; ; ) is a Māori language, Māori-language word used in English, particularly in New Zealand. It generally means a non-Polynesians, Polynesian New Zealanders, New Zealander or more specifically a European New Zeala ...
, 30.6%
Māori
Māori or Maori can refer to:
Relating to the Māori people
* Māori people of New Zealand, or members of that group
* Māori language, the language of the Māori people of New Zealand
* Māori culture
* Cook Islanders, the Māori people of the Co ...
, 3.5%
Pasifika, 1.2%
Asian, and 2.4% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.
Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 57.6% had no religion, 28.2% were
Christian
A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a Monotheism, monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the wo ...
, 3.5% had
Māori religious beliefs
Māori or Maori can refer to:
Relating to the Māori people
* Māori people of New Zealand, or members of that group
* Māori language, the language of the Māori people of New Zealand
* Māori culture
* Cook Islanders, the Māori people of the Co ...
, 1.2% were
Buddhist
Buddhism, also known as Buddhadharma and Dharmavinaya, is an Indian religion and List of philosophies, philosophical tradition based on Pre-sectarian Buddhism, teachings attributed to the Buddha, a wandering teacher who lived in the 6th or ...
and 2.4% had other religions.
Of those at least 15 years old, 27 (12.5%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 39 (18.1%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $23,400, compared with $31,800 nationally. 24 people (11.1%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 81 (37.5%) people were employed full-time, 36 (16.7%) were part-time, and 18 (8.3%) were unemployed.
Early settlement
The early road construction crews commented on the lack of Māori settlement in Rotomā and in the neighbouring
Lake Rotoehu. However, fortified
pā
The word pā (; often spelled pa in English) can refer to any Māori people, Māori village or defensive settlement, but often refers to hillforts – fortified settlements with palisades and defensive :wikt:terrace, terraces – and also to fo ...
sites, food pits, cultivation areas and burial sites have been discovered around the shoreline of Rotomā and the surrounding hills . The tribe
Ngāti Tūwharetoa
Ngāti Tūwharetoa is an iwi descended from Ngātoro-i-rangi, the priest who navigated the Arawa canoe to New Zealand. The Tūwharetoa region extends from Te Awa o te Atua ( Tarawera River) at Matatā across the central plateau of the North ...
may not have lived permanently at Rotomā but at least took out a temporary camping existence there to take advantage of the hunting and fishing opportunities on offer. Later,
Ngāti Tūāhuriri, a sub-tribe of
Ngāti Pikiao
Ngāti Pikiao is a Māori iwi (tribe) of New Zealand. They are one of the iwi within the Te Arawa tribal confederation. Their rohe (territory) centres on Lake Rotoiti and the area east of the Kaituna River in the Bay of Plenty. History
Ngāti ...
took up residence at Rotomā. Māori living at nearby
Rotoiti credited the
frequent conflict between Māori and
Pākehā
''Pākehā'' (or ''Pakeha''; ; ) is a Māori language, Māori-language word used in English, particularly in New Zealand. It generally means a non-Polynesians, Polynesian New Zealanders, New Zealander or more specifically a European New Zeala ...
as the cause of the dispersion of this Māori population, and they had left Lake Rotomā by the time the road construction began in 1895.
A census for the years 1874 to 1891 shows nil for Rotomā. In 1896 a census shows a population of 33, understood to be the occupants of the camp set up for the road workers and their families at the east end of Oneroa beach by the lagoon.
Oxford Road
In 1948, Mr and Mrs T.H. Pilbrow and their children arrived at Lake Rotomā from
Oxford
Oxford () is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and non-metropolitan district in Oxfordshire, England, of which it is the county town.
The city is home to the University of Oxford, the List of oldest universities in continuou ...
in
Canterbury
Canterbury (, ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and UNESCO World Heritage Site, in the county of Kent, England; it was a county borough until 1974. It lies on the River Stour, Kent, River Stour. The city has a mild oceanic climat ...
. They had purchased the Rotoma Tearooms and Post Office, which was situated on 25 acres of land.
In a district of predominantly
leasehold
A leasehold estate is an ownership of a temporary right to hold land or property in which a Lease, lessee or a tenant has rights of real property by some form of title (property), title from a lessor or landlord. Although a tenant does hold right ...
land, the Pilbrows realised the value of their 25 acres of
freehold
Freehold may refer to:
In real estate
*Freehold (law), the tenure of property in fee simple
* Customary freehold, a form of feudal tenure of land in England
*Parson's freehold, where a Church of England rector or vicar of holds title to benefice ...
land and decided to subdivide it in 1950. Sixty-three sections were surveyed, the majority each a quarter acre, and four of these were taken by the Rotorua County Council for a reserve. Seventeen sections were along the main road, but a new road was required to access the sections to the rear. The Pilbrows named the new road "Oxford Road" as a reminder of their hometown.
Education
Lake Rotomā School is a co-educational state primary school for Year 1 to 8 students,
with a roll of as of .
The first school was opened on 2 February 1928 in the old tearooms building with Mr. E.G. Sutherland teaching the 8 students. Mr Sutherland stated that it was "probably the worst building in New Zealand. However, when the weather was too bad we just declared a holiday – and nobody seemed to worry"
A new school was built and opened in its present location on Soda Springs Road on 25 May 1936 with 29 students.
The roll fluctuated due to numerous residents living at Rotomā on a temporary basis. The mills in the area, Tunnicliffe's Mill and Rendall's Mill, helped establish a more stable population at Rotomā and caused further overcrowding at the school. In 1973 the roll reached 55 and there were appalling working conditions for staff and children. On 14 August 1973 the majority of parents kept their children at home as a protest against the lack of action to improve standards. There was widespread media coverage and in October the
Minister of Education
An education minister (sometimes minister of education) is a position in the governments of some countries responsible for dealing with educational matters. Where known, the government department, ministry, or agency that develops policy and deli ...
ordered that a new school be built, and it was opened on 16 November 1974.
From 1948, Mr Tam Pilbrow operated the first bus service to the school, using a
Hillman
Hillman was a British automobile marque created by the Hillman-Coatalen Company, founded in 1907, renamed the Hillman Motor Car Company in 1910. The company was based in Ryton-on-Dunsmore, near Coventry, England. Before 1907 the company had ...
car. In 1952 the service was taken over by George Graham, and Mr. Pilbrow's son Ken, who operated a
Bradford
Bradford is a city status in the United Kingdom, city in West Yorkshire, England. It became a municipal borough in 1847, received a city charter in 1897 and, since the Local Government Act 1972, 1974 reform, the city status in the United Kingdo ...
van from the Kettle Store. Mr Gavin Wyllie bought the Kettle Store and Garage, and in 1958 he commenced transporting children to the school in his V.W combie van, but when Rendall's Mill closed at the end of that same year, there were not enough children for him to continue the service.
[Chapman, V.J. (1978). ''Lake Rotoma School 50th Jubilee 1928–1978'' Ian Bryce Ltd, pg. 11]
Conservation
Due to invasive plant introduction, the native plants have been outcompeted within the lake and
crayfish
Crayfish are freshwater crustaceans belonging to the infraorder Astacidea, which also contains lobsters. Taxonomically, they are members of the superfamilies Astacoidea and Parastacoidea. They breathe through feather-like gills. Some spe ...
populations have declined considerably.
The local tribe
Te Arawa
Te Arawa is a confederation of Māori people, Māori iwi and hapū (tribes and sub-tribes) of New Zealand who trace their ancestry to the ''Arawa (canoe), Arawa'' migration canoe (''waka''). The tribes are based in the Rotorua and Bay of Plent ...
has been involved in efforts to remove the invasive weeds and restore the crayfish populations by attaching woven flax mats called uwhi to the bottom of the lake that limit the growth of the invasive plants while the thinner native plants are able to thrive. Burlap and rubber mats were unsuccessful as they would lift off the lake bottom from the accumulated gas from the decaying plants.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rotomā, Lake
Rotorua Lakes District
Lakes of the Bay of Plenty Region
Okataina Volcanic Centre
Volcanic crater lakes
Populated places in the Bay of Plenty Region