Story: Historic volcanic activity

This 1886 photograph of Lake Rotomahana and the White Terrace (centre left) is part of a panorama taken before the Tarawera eruption that year. Mt Tarawera is in the background. Although the Kaharoa eruption had spread ash over the area about 570 years earlier, no one at the time this photo was taken was aware that Tarawera was an active volcano and about to erupt again.