Tikitere, also known as "Hell's Gate", is a suburb in Rotorua's most active geothermal area on State Highway 30, between Lake Rotorua and Lake Rotoiti in the Bay of Plenty, New Zealand. It includes many geothermal features such as steaming lakes, mudpools, fumaroles, a mud volcano and the Kakahi Falls, the largest hot waterfall in the southern hemisphere. The area is operated under the name "Hell’s Gate", and offers self-guided and guided tours of the geothermal park, information about its history and Māori culture, and a mud spa. It is part of the wider Tikitere-Ruahine geothermal field.
History and culture The thermal area was formed approximately 10,000 years ago in a series of geothermal eruptions that drained an ancient lake and formed the Lake Rotoiti and Lake Rotorua. The absence of the pressure of the water on top of the rock caused it to create faults from which steam and gases can escape. At less than 2 km below ground, the heat source of this thermal area is shallower than most other thermal areas in the region. The local Māori tribe Ngāti Rangiteaorere has lived in this area for more than 700 years and remain the owner of this geothermal attraction. Tikitere, the Māori name for the area is derived from the tragic action of a Māori princess, Hurutini, the young wife of an abusive and shameful chief, who threw herself into the boiling hot pool that bears her name today. Upon finding her daughter's body floating in the hot pool, Hurutini's mother cried out a sad lament "Aue teri nei tiki" ("here lies my precious one"), which was shortened to Tikitere and became the name from the thermal reserve and the surrounding area. "Hells Gate", its most commonly known name, was used following the visit to the geothermal reserve by noted Irish playwright, George Bernard Shaw in 1934 who likened the area to the comments that were made by his theologian colleagues back in England who were explaining to him that the result of the error of his ways as a practising atheist would result in his "going to hell". What he saw at Tikitere moved him to believe that this would be the gateway to hell. His visit to Tikitere was well received by the local Māori owners of the land and as an honour to note the occasion of his visit, the owners decided that this would be the English name for the geothermal area. A destination spa operated at this site as early as 1871, using sulphurous waters from one of the hot pools and from Kakahi Falls.
Marae The Tikitere urban area includes Waiōhewa Marae and Rangiwhakaekeau meeting house, belonging to Ngāti Rangiteaorere.
Demographics Tikitere is described by Statistics New Zealand as a rural settlement, and covers 4.24 km2 (1.64 sq mi). It had an estimated population of 660 as of June 2025, with a population density of 156 people per km2. Tikitere is part of the larger Waiohewa statistical area.
Tikitere had a population of 747 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 45 people (6.4%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 72 people (10.7%) since the 2013 census. There were 366 males and 381 females in 249 dwellings. 2.0% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. The median age was 45.0 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 156 people (20.9%) aged under 15 years, 93 (12.4%) aged 15 to 29, 363 (48.6%) aged 30 to 64, and 135 (18.1%) aged 65 or older. People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 81.1% European (Pākehā); 30.5% Māori; 2.4% Pasifika; 8.0% Asian; 0.4% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 1.6% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 97.6%, Māori by 7.2%, and other languages by 10.0%. No language could be spoken by 1.6% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.4%. The percentage of people born overseas was 19.7, compared with 28.8% nationally. Religious affiliations were 33.3% Christian, 0.8% Hindu, 0.4% Islam, 1.6% Māori religious beliefs, 0.4% Buddhist, and 1.6% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 53.0%, and 8.8% of people did not answer the census question. Of those at least 15 years old, 174 (29.4%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 309 (52.3%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 105 (17.8%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $53,700, compared with $41,500 nationally. 135 people (22.8%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was 318 (53.8%) full-time, 96 (16.2%) part-time, and 12 (2.0%) unemployed.
Waiohewa statistical area Waiohewa covers 65.51 km2 (25.29 sq mi) and had an estimated population of 1,190 as of June 2025, with a population density of 18 people per km2.
… excerpt ends here. Continue reading the full article.
