I visited Waiwera last week. It’s only about 30 minutes away, but I’d never been there before. For many years, it was a destination built on its big hot springs. There was a waterpark that Aucklanders flocked to all year round, and a scattering of boardwalk businesses and motels around the edge.

But over time, it just kind of stopped being a thing, and finally closed down in 2018. The whole park was bulldozed a few years later.

I went to the beach with the metal detector and found the skull ring from the previous post.

There’s not much in the town now. But this cabin-sized church is still there, with a priest visiting once a month.

There has been talk of reopening the pools… hopefully the would-be developers can put a deal together!

Maybe we need to try and populate the area like they did in the 19th century. There may be some Greenlanders looking for a more hospitable climate…