Partner Post - Technology brings back Pink & White Terraces for new tourism experience - Tourism New Zealand
Augmented reality (AR) is giving visitors the chance to experience the majesty of New Zealand’s world-famous
Pink and White Terraces for the first time since they disappeared in the late 19th century
Augmented reality (AR) is giving visitors the chance to experience the
majesty of New Zealand’s world-famous Pink and White Terraces for the
first time since
they disappeared in the late 19th century.
The
geological formations, 20km from Rotorua, were once known as the
‘eighth wonder of the world’ were obliterated by the devastating Mount
Tarawera eruption in 1886.
Now
the terraces have been brought to life again with a specially-developed
app launched by Waimangu Volcanic Valley, an eco-tourism experience.
Visitors can download the free app and experience
the magic of the re-created terraces on daily cruises across Lake
Rotomahana to the place where the terraces once were. They simply have
to hold up their device to explore the site and discover its hidden
secrets.
Old
reference photos and paintings have been used to re-create the terraces
in AR along with work by early explorers and scientists.
A
visitor trying out the app on the first day of its release described the experience as
“a really beautiful reproduction of the Pink and White terraces. It’s
very interactive and you can move around the structures and appreciate
how the light, silica and water would have interacted on the real
thing.”
Waimangu Volcanic Valley general manager, David Blackmore
says that although AR is not new, the technology
available through the devices is and that’s what has made the
recreation of the terraces possible. “Having the old images brought to
life by the latest in technology is really something to see,” he said.
The
Pink and White Terraces formed over thousands of years as silica-rich
water emerging from springs and boiling geysers crystallised into giant
tiered staircases. The White Terrace covered
more than three hectares while the smaller Pink Terrace was used for
bathing on the lower levels.
As
well as bringing the terraces to life, the app also reveals fascinating
geological insights into other features like the now-extinct Waimangu
Geyser, which regularly played in the valley
between 1900 and 1904. The geyser was known to erupt to heights of over
400 metres – roughly the same size as the Empire State Building.
The
new app experience is expected to spark interest with domestic and
international visitors because of the mystery surrounding the location
of the terraces today and their history.
The
fabled Pink and White Terraces were once a thriving tourist destination
attracting intrepid travellers from around the world to view the
‘eighth wonder’ and gather on the terrace shores
to experience the natural spa and health benefits.
The
app was produced by a local Rotorua company in conjunction with an
Australian apps specialist and has been in development since early 2018.
About Waimangu Volcanic Valley
·
Waimangu is the world's youngest geothermal valley.
·
Created
following the Mount Tarawera eruption in 1886, Waimangu Volcanic Valley
is an eco-tourism experience featuring spectacular volcanic craters,
enormous hot water springs,
beautiful geothermal features, rare and unusual plant life, brilliantly
coloured microbiology and a wide array of birds.
·
Amongst
its many highlights is Lake Rotomahana which was significantly enlarged
as a result of the eruption. The Pink & White Terraces - once
regarded as the eighth wonder
of the world - were buried in the eruption and are believed to lie many
metres below water on the lakebed.
·
Today,
Waimangu welcomes visitors to explore its unique geothermal system on
foot, or by boat, to discover its 22 volcanic craters, one of the
world’s largest hot water springs
and the site of the Pink and White Terraces.
·
Visitors
are immersed into the historical narrative of the Mount Tarawera
eruption, its people, and the resulting dramatic landscape changes that
created the geothermal valley.
·
Waimangu
Volcanic Valley is set in pristine regenerating native New Zealand
bush, 20 minutes south of Rotorua and 40 minutes north of Taupo.
·
Waimangu
is owned by a partnership between Te Mana o Ngāti Rangitihi, Tūhourangi
Tribal Authority and Te Puia l New Zealand Māori Arts and Crafts
Institute.
About the Pink and White Terraces
·
Intrepid
nineteenth century tourists travelled around the world to visit
Rotorua’s famed Pink and White Terraces, which quickly became
New Zealand’s most famous tourist attraction
·
The popularity of visiting the terraces signalled the start of organised tourism to New Zealand.
·
The
White Terraces - known by Māori as Te Tarata, the tattooed rock - were
the larger and more beautiful formation, covering three hectares and
descending 30 metres.
·
The smaller Pink Terraces – Otukapuarangi, fountain of the clouded sky - were where visitors went to bathe.
·
Mystery
and intrigue has surrounded the Pink and White Terraces ever since they
became known worldwide as the ‘eighth natural wonder of the world’ in
the 1800s.
·
For
many New Zealanders, the Pink and White Terraces formed part of the
classroom curriculum, while for international visitors, the terraces
remain intriguing because of their
‘hidden’ nature with many visitors assuming they can still be viewed in
some way.
·
The
steady stream of research papers presenting various theories around the
condition and location of the terraces have kept this intrigue alive.
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