Saturday, September 18, 2010

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. 

12 comments:

  1. What an unusual take to this week's theme! :)

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  2. What a great take on the theme. Interesting post and photographs.

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  3. Now, that is so interesting...love the story and the pictures.
    Mine's up, too.

    http://sandyben.blogspot.com/

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  4. what determination! i'm glad the lost spring has been found.:p

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  5. Cool! I was hoping to spot a hotspring near our house. :) Very nice school! :)

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  6. Cool shot of the school. Sad to hear about the lost spring though.

    Have a great weekend.

    Liz @ MLC

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  7. very interesting post. nice blog too.

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  8. That's a school house? I thought it was a home.

    My PhotoHunt is here.

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  9. I obviously learned something from your post here.
    Very exciting in all senses.
    I would like to visit, but it's a long way from Norway....

    Have a great Sunday

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  10. Wow now that sounds like heaven! Have a great weekend

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  11. Sounds like a great place to me!

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  12. Now that is really cool. Such a great story of the history also. It would be lovely to visit it.

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