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Story: Hawke’s Bay places

Mōrere hot springs, about 1910

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Mōrere hot springs, about 1910

The hot springs at Mōrere were a traditional bathing spot for the Ngāti Rākaipaaka hapū (sub-tribe). The springs became a government thermal reserve and tourist attraction in the late 19th century. These boys are enjoying a soak in the warm water while the girls watch – their turn would have come after the boys had departed.

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Alexander Turnbull Library

Reference: 1/2-041486; F

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page

Kerryn Pollock, Hawke’s Bay places – Māhia, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/24290/morere-hot-springs-about-1910 (accessed 20 June 2026).

Story by Kerryn Pollock, published 19 August 2009, updated 30 November 2015.