Rotoma is an area steeped in history. From the times of intertribal warfare it has been a place of mystery. The jewel of the region is undoubtedly Lake Rotoma.
Legend states that an island once stood in the middle of the lake but because of the wrath of a tohunga was lost under the clear waters along with the village and its inhabitants that once sat on the island.
Lake Rotoma is the easternmost in a chain of three lakes to the northeast of Lake Rotorua. All three of these lakes - Lake Rotoiti, Lake Rotoehu and Lake Rotoma - are within the tribal boundary of Ngati Pikiao who through strong links with related tribes Ngati Makino and Waitaha have retained ownership of the lakes.
Stories of love, war, tragedy and drama have all played out on the shores and upon the waters of this lake but the pa kainga that once dotted this shore line have been replaced by holiday baches.
This corner of the lake, Otangiwao, has always been a favourite place for our boys to go swimming and because of the “box on a pole”, which they jumped off at the side of the island, they always called it Letter Box Island. Nowadays it is a very popular place for Dive Schools to practise in the deep clean waters here.
For those who have been enjoying Marc Spijkerbosch’s murals in Kawerau, there are 2 more at the nearby Rotoma Café. One shows the view through the café to the lake; The other shows the view across to Otangiwao, both over and under the water.
This cache is NOW a camo bison tube, please do not try to remove it but unscrew it in situ and treat its host gently 
. You will need your own pen.