Whakarewarewa (reduced version of Te Whakarewarewatanga O Te Ope Taua A Wahiao, meaning "The gathering place for the war parties of Wahiao", often abbreviated to Whaka by locals) is a Rotorua semi-rural geothermal area in the Taupō Volcanic Zone of New Zealand.

This was the site of the Māori fortress of Te Puia, first occupied around 1325, and known as an impenetrable stronghold never taken in battle.

Māori have lived here ever since, taking full advantage of the geothermal activity in the valley for heating and cooking.

[4] Many of the thermal features at Whakarewarewa have been adversely affected by Rotorua residents taking advantage of the underlying geothermal fluids of the city by drawing shallow wells (20–200 m [66–656 ft] deep) to extract hot water for both domestic and commercial heating.

No large eruptions occurred between 1972–1988, and it seems its recovery was directly linked to the sudden reduction of well drawoff in 1987.

Sometimes Waikorohihi Geyser erupts a discontinuous 5-metre-high (16 ft 5 in) jet, then Prince of Wales Feathers will commence, later followed by Pōhutu.

However, in early 1996, its water level rose to 3.2 m (10 ft) below overflow, with continuous powerful boiling, and it remains so to date.

In the past Waikite tended to erupt after prolonged periods of excessive rain, suggesting that the level of water in its vent is dependent on rainfall.

[clarification needed] The cessation of eruptions from Papakura was directly responsible for initiating the Rotorua Monitoring Programme in 1981.