For more than 700 years, Rotorua Local Maori (Ngati Rangiteaorere tribe) have lived on this special site with the first Europeans visiting Hells Gate Tikitere, more than 150 years ago.

New Zealand as a country, is located on the 'Ring of Fire' where the earth is always in a state of upheaval.  This is no more evident than in Rotorua, on New Zealand's volcanic plateau where thermal activity is pronounced including erupting geysers, steaming fumeroles, mud pools and hot thermal waters.

The Hells Gate geothermal reserve was formed approximately 10,000 years ago when an ancient lake, which covered the whole area to a depth of 30 metres, drained to the sea over a six-month period creating the two lakes today - Lake Rotorua and Lake Rotoiti.

With the removal of the weight of the water and subsequent uplifting and faulting of rock due to geothermal steam pressure, a series of violent hydrothermal eruptions occurred creating the many hot pools and other geothermal features seen today.

As New Zealand's only Maori owned thermal park Hells Gate is of major importance to the Ngati Rangiteaorere tribe who have interacted with this land and its unique geothermal features for more than 700 years.