File:Waimangu Geyser Disaster (15025283815).jpg

On August 30 1903 the Waimangu Geyser Disaster took place. The geyser is located in Rotorua and was a popular tourist attraction in the late 19th and early 20th century. A tour of the area surrounding the geyser was being conducted by the Chief Government Guide, Alfred Warbrick. Despite numerous calls for the tour party to move away from the edge of the geyser, these instructions were ignored. All of a sudden "the geyser played a shot between 4 and 5 hundred feet", according to Alfred Warbrick, leading to the death of four tourists. The four tourists who died included the brother of Alfred, Mr Joseph Warbrick. The other three were Ruby and Catherine Nicholls and David McNaughton.

The images presented here are from a file generated by the Tourist and Publicity Department. The file contains correspondence specifically on the disaster, such as initial reports of what happened and detailed explanations from Alfred Warbrick. The photo shown here notes the positions where the deceased were standing in relation to the edge of the geyser (mark 1) but also where the Government Guide was placed (mark 2). The file in which these items are found includes the full Coroners inquest into the death of the four tourists. This is highly unusual as Coroners files are most often found in a series of Justice Department records, series 16231. For other disasters, such as the sinking of the SS Wairarapa, the Coroners file has always been in a separate sequence archway.archives.govt.nz/ViewFullItem.do?code=23833200

The Coroners inquest was completed on August 31 1903, one day after the disaster. The eye witness accounts noted in the file are most likely to have been written on the day of the event as the investigation into the cause of the death was wrapped up within 24 hours. The official cause of death was noted as suffocation and burns from boiling water and steam, combined with shock. The verdict of the coroner apportioned no blame on the Chief Government Guide as he had repeatedly warned tourists to move away from the edge of the geyser.

File Reference: AECB 8615 TO1 51 1903/225 archway.archives.govt.nz/ViewFullItem.do?code=21484201

This file can be seen in our Wellington Reading Room