Read: Events before, during and after the eruption

Before 1886, the Pink and White Terraces beside Lake Rotomahana were famous for their beauty and attracted visitors. The terraces were treasured features of the area. In the early hours of 10 June 1886, Mount Tarawera erupted. The eruption spread through the area around the mountain and Lake Rotomahana. Te Wairoa, a Māori settlement that also welcomed visitors, was badly affected by ash, mud and debris. Buildings were buried or damaged, and people needed help. Survivors and rescuers worked in dangerous conditions in the aftermath. More than 100 people died; estimates are often given as about 120, though the exact number is uncertain. The eruption radically changed the landscape. The Pink and White Terraces disappeared from view, and their remains are understood to lie beneath Lake Rotomahana. The event is remembered as a major volcanic disaster in New Zealand history.