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Story: Historic volcanic activity

Swimming in Crater Lake

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Swimming in Crater Lake

There was little volcanic activity in Ruapehu’s Crater Lake in the late 1950s and early 1960s, and it became regarded as a tourist attraction. Melting snow and summer rain filled the lake, which was heated by steam. Renewed volcanic activity after 1965 made the lake more acid, and more unpredictable.

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Archives New Zealand - Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga

Reference: AAQT6401, A68557

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How to cite this page

Eileen McSaveney, Carol Stewart and Graham Leonard, Historic volcanic activity – Ruapehu since 1945, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/6876/swimming-in-crater-lake (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Eileen McSaveney, Carol Stewart and Graham Leonard, published 2 March 2009.