With the  popularity of the spa culture in both England and Europe, both missionaries and settlers could see the potential of developing the unique hot soda mineral waters of Te Aroha and it wasn’t long before a series of bathhouses began to appear in place of the makeshift baths that had been sunk into the existing pools.
           

In the late 1870’s local chief, Mokena Hou, settler George Lipsey and his wife Ema, who was Mokena Hou’s daughter, gifted the land that was to become the Domain, to the government.
           

So began the real development of the ‘Taking the Waters’ culture in Te Aroha, with more bathhouses being built, and numerous springs being developed for people to partake of the healing and beneficial waters. And thus a growing spa industry was established. Visitors will notice the No. 7 bathhouse in the Domain, which was designated the Maori Bathhouse as part of the conditions of the land gifting from Mokena Hou and the Lipsey’s. It is closed at present for medical reasons concerning the mineral waters.
           

In 1898 the government made its first major commitment to creating a genuine spa industry in New Zealand when the Cadman Bathhouse Sanatorium was opened. 3000 attended the opening and the Sanatorium grew in reputation reaching its zenith in the heday of the Edwardian Era.

Te Aroha is famous for having the  world’s only hot soda-water geyser and associated springs.  Prior to the European colonisation of the area, it was a place highly valued by the local Maori, not only for the waters but for its spiritual significance, as they do today. They would soak in the hot waters to obtain relief from aches and pains as well as allowing the soothing waters to bring freedom of movement from battle-weary or injured limbs and muscles.
           

 It was always considered a sacred place by Maori and is said to have been named  ‘Mamoe Kahumata Te Aroha’‘ The Great Love of Kahumata Mamoe,’ by the son of a  Bay of Islands chief,   who being lost, climbed the heights and on reaching the top was able to look across to his homeland, that he saw way off in the distance.
           

 Today it is known as the ‘Mountain of Love.’ Most appropriately so, as it was where  young Maori lovers would come to have their unions blessed in one of the springs rising from the base of the sacred mountain called, The Mirror of Kahu-mata-te-mamoe.
           

Maori also soaked in the waters for sheer enjoyment of course and soon introduced the European settlers, who began arriving, to the benefits of the healing hot water springs of Te Aroha.