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Story: Volcanic Plateau region

Craters of the Moon

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Craters of the Moon

Craters of the Moon is one of the few thermal areas still active on the Wairākei geothermal field. It looked bleak for many years, hence its name, but more recently the growth of vegetation has softened it.

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How to cite this page

Malcolm McKinnon, Volcanic Plateau region – Geothermal tourism and spas, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/15162/craters-of-the-moon (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Malcolm McKinnon, published 2 March 2009, updated 1 May 2015.