The Lost Spring’s story is the story of one man and a dream; a dream that’s now come true.
Whitianga lies near an ancient geothermal plain formed in the wake of intense volcanic activity that occurred millions of years ago. Indigenous Maori people knew of specific locations where the heated waters bubbled to the surface and these springs were revered for their warmth and healing properties.
For years camping ground owner Alan Hopping was fascinated by the thermal possibilities of the Coromandel Peninsula. He listened to anecdotes from Whitianga locals about hot springs lost and forgotten. Captivated by the stories and charged by the potential, Alan decided to take a chance.
Local diviner Tom Finlay walked the property slowly, holding his divining hose out in front of him. After several hours, Tom pinpointed a spot where he believed the hot water to be. This became the first drill site.
Starting on the biggest landscaping job in town...
In 1989 Alan and his team drilled down 500 meters. But this first well failed due to a major electrical fault. Undaunted, Alan continued to design and build the pool complex that would someday be fed by the warm waters beneath him.
In 2001, Alan commenced his second drilling operation and again pierced the cap rock to find his hot water. But as the engineers extracted the gear from this second well, the drilling equipment dropped down the shaft and could not be retrieved. This well too had to be abandoned. Despite this second setback, Alan pressed on with the construction of the pools and the careful nurturing of the landscape. He would drill one more well.
Finally, in 2006, 17 years after first striking hot water, Alan successfully drilled and capped this third well. Now his dream of creating a Coromandel thermal attraction and first class health spa was about to be fulfilled.
On December 6, a low key ceremony was held to mark the occasion. Joan Gaskell, ex-local body politician and long-time supporter of the project, cut the ribbon.
At the opening, Ngati Hei representative Peter Johnson said Alan Hopping’s work was history-making and followed many firsts in Whitianga. The spa captured aspects of the history of the Coromandel Peninsula, including Maori history, kauri-felling and gold-mining.
Without Alan’s restoration of the old schoolhouse, part of Whitianga’s history could have been lost, Peter said.
The hot waters at Taputapuatea were well known to Maori and he hoped many people would benefit from their cleansing and healing.
Joan Gaskell said Alan was a visionary, who always knew what he wanted to achieve.
