The Lost Pink and White Terraces
New Zealand's 'eighth wonder of the world', cascading pink and white terraces, vanished in a volcanic eruption in 1886.
What was reported
The Pink and White Terraces beside Lake Rotomahana were vast staircases of silica built up by hot springs, one tinted pink and one gleaming white, with warm pools to bathe in. In the 19th century they were New Zealand's most famous sight.
On 10 June 1886, Mount Tarawera erupted, burying them and destroying nearby villages. For more than a century they were thought lost for ever.
Explanations offered
In 2011 researchers using sonar reported finding parts of the terraces under the lake. Others have argued, using an 1859 survey, that they lie buried on land nearby. Where they are, and how much survives, is still debated.
- When
- Buried 10 June 1886
- Where
- Lake Rotomahana, Bay of Plenty, New Zealand
- Witnesses
- Visitors of the 1800s, and researchers today
- Status
- Disputed
Famous cases are real, widely reported events. Each file sets out what witnesses said and the explanations that have been offered, without taking a side.