The White Island Volcano or ‘Whakaari’ is the northernmost active volcano in the Taupo Volcanic Zone. It has an elevation of 1,053 feet (321m) and is 250km in circumference, although 70 percent of the volcano is below sea level. The island lies 48km east of New Zealand’s North Island along the Bay of Plenty Coastline.

White Island has been built up by continuous volcanic activity over the past 150,000 years and is the summit of two overlapping Stratovolcanoes, The volcano is constantly active and has had approx 35 small to moderate sized eruptions since 1826, one of the most notable was in 1914 when a landslide killed 12 men at a sulphur works when the crater wall collapsed. 

The Volcano is now a private scenic reserve that is only accessible by boat and helicopter. 

In Jan 2006,we took a helicopter flight to the volcano from Rotorua. As the pictures show it was like walking on a continually active volcanic moonscape, there is always a strong smell of sulphur which is evident in the yellow colouring on the surface. Steam constantly emanates from many fumaroles that cover the ground. There is also a volcanic lake inside the crater, as shown in the last 2 photographs.