At the end of 2021, the investigations into land stability and geothermal water availability for a new spa gave us enough confidence to continue planning for a new facility. The main focus this year will be developing the concept for a new spa, and expertise has been brought in to create options, concept designs and estimated costings.

Over the next three months, we have enlisted the help of industry experts to develop options for a spa facility that will make Te Aroha stand apart from the rest. We still have the unique geothermal mineral water and beautiful natural setting that made Te Aroha the premier spa destination in the late 1800’s and early 1900s, and these features will continue to play an important role as new opportunities are explored.

Over a century ago, many of the people who soaked in the mineral water did so for its healing properties. Today, more people are seeking out wellness opportunities, and we will be looking at how the wellbeing and cultural aspects can make the visitor experience more appealing. This approach will make the most of our natural assets, like the mineral water, and do that in a respectful, efficient and sustainable way.

Using the collective expertise and knowledge of those involved, we will be presented with innovative and exciting ideas for a new spa that have the potential to make Te Aroha a tourist destination once again.

Turning Te Aroha into a wellness hub will take more than just a shiny new spa – we also need to invest in the surrounding area to make sure it’s in tip-top shape and can support more visitors – both tourists and locals alike.

Through the development of the 2020 Te Aroha Spa Development Business Case, the community told us that we needed to invest in Te Aroha’s infrastructure to make the town more attractive to visitors and assist with growth in the district. That original business case included a ‘Preliminary Precinct Master Plan’ for the Domain (p.31), which incorporated  feedback from mana whenua and the local community.

A working party was established to prioritise and progress improvements in the Domain that could happen without affecting the development of the day spa. However, not knowing the likely location and design of the new day spa has made this tricky.

The day spa Project Governance Group (PGG) also believes improvements are needed within the Domain, and having a longer term plan for developing this space would allow the area to take shape in a coordinated way over time. However, in the coming months the PGG will be focused on developing concept designs for the new day spa facility.

We want the new spa to be a major catalyst for economic development and growth in Te Aroha (and the wider district).

Visitors will eventually need additional places to stay, eat and play, which will all mean improvements to the town’s tourism infrastructure. It will also need to match the expectations of the spa visitors we plan to attract – for example if the new day spa offers a higher end experience then it’s likely those customers will also want higher end accommodation and dining options. We will know more about the type of experience/s the spa will offer in a few months, once the concept options have been developed.

Visitors staying overnight and taking part in other activities while they are in the district means they bring new money into our economy and that has a positive flow on effect. This is often referred to as the multiplier effect, and for more on this and how Te Aroha and the district can benefit from attracting overnight visitors watch the video below.

Community feedback during the 2021-2031 Long Term Plan resulted in $18.9m being approved by Council for the Te Aroha spa project. At that stage we had a strong business case, but needed more detail before giving the project the final go-ahead, and we promised to come back to you when we had more information.

Since then we’ve brought on expertise to oversee, manage and contribute to this exciting commercial initiative. Currently this group of experts is working on the creation of concept options for the new spa. When the options are ready, the concept designs and costings will be presented to Council who will agree on their preferred option/s, and determine whether or not further consultation with the community is required. That is expected to happen in late 2022.

The town of Te Aroha was developing rapidly in the 1880’s, and it was visitors to the hot pools that were bringing prosperity to the town rather than the profits of local gold mining. In May 1885 the Thames Advertiser reported: "Footpaths are being made, stores receiving fresh coats of paint and the travelling public are being provided for by increased accommodation by the boarding house keepers, and miraculous cures are still being affected amongst the many invalids who are using the bath."

In August 1885 the initial landscape development began including manicured lawns, provision for lawn suitable for croquet, tennis and racket courts, and tree planting. Further springs were being opened and the paths were beginning to be constructed linking the new features.

Apart from the pleasures and benefits of the hot springs and the Domain itself, visitors enjoyed visits to the mines, to the Waiorongomai battery, walks to the top of Mount Te Aroha and trips up the river to picnic spots.

By now there were three large hotels, The Palace, the Te Aroha and the Hot Springs and two boarding houses, altogether providing accommodation for 500 visitors. In the year ended 31 March 1887, 28,553 baths were taken at Te Aroha. By way of comparison, Rotorua had 4,878 taken over the same period. The spa was to help protect Te Aroha from the effects of the long depression of the late 1880s and early 1890s. By the 1890s Te Aroha had become the most popular Spa in the country.

(Excerpt taken from the Matamata-Piako District Council website.)

Read more on Te Aroha's spa history and what the hot springs mean to mana whenua, who were the first to use the healing waters.