Kerosene Creek, Redwood Forest

We drove a half hour to Kerosene Creek, where a hot spring & freshwater creek meet. When it isn’t raining, the temperature of the water is a comfortable 36C. There’s a 2m tall waterfall, as well as several spots to sit and soak. We were glad we were there early & leaving by 10am, as a couple of families with small kids were coming in as we left. This afternoon, we walked a trail in amongst giant Redwood (Sequoia) trees in the Whakarewarewa Forest that were originally imported from California in the early 1900s to create a lumber source. This 6 ha stand of Redwoods is among the last in New Zealand & the Tree Walk attracts 600000 visitors per year. It turns out the climate is too favourable here & the trees grow too quickly, causing the growth rings to be too far apart, making the wood too soft to use. We had a nice Thai dinner in town on our last night in Rotorua. We won’t miss the sulphur smell.Read more