This School Is Hot

This week's PhotoHunt theme is school.

Behind the facade of this old School House is The Lost Spring. For many years the hot spring, laden with minerals, was lost but not forgotten; as locals told stories of the healing properties of the heated water which once bubbled up from deep below the surface. For many years Alan Hopping, owner of the 3.5 acres of land where the fabled springs were to have existed, listened to these stories. Alan eventually decided to locate the lost treasure and in 1989--with the help of a local diviner--he began his quest. The project suffered several setbacks but 3 wells and 17 years later Alan's dream of creating a thermal attraction on the Coromandel Peninsula became a reality.

The Lost Spring is located in Whitianga on the coast of Mercury Bay, 208 km from Auckland. Visitors to the resort are able to soak in several sculpted pools that are filled with crystal clear geothermal water that is drawn fro 644 meters below the earth's surface. The grounds have been beautifully landscaped with the lush native plants of the Coromandel Bush.The dense foliage is filled with native birds whose songs intermingle with the soothing sound of the various cascading waterfalls. In addition to relaxing and soaking in the geothermal pools guests are able to revitalize with one of the many treatments that are offered in the day spa, and/or enjoy a meal in the restored Historic Mercury Bay School House.