Okoroire

On Sunday my family and I went on a day trip to Okoroire Pub and Springs. The pub (and adjoining hotel) has been around since the late 1800s, but the springs have were there at least 100 years before the pub. Before the springs became popular with Victorians, local Maori used the springs for healing.

To get to the springs, you have to go on a little bush walk alongside one of the most terrifying streams that I know of. The picture below right is one of the calmer spots, and definitely does not do justice to the water's force just a few meters up stream!

The spring itself can be seen below left and it's situated in the middle of the bush. At night you can see glow worms! It was so magnificent, even in the rain, I just can't even describe it! It's quite a big pool too (and it was the first concrete pool in all of New Zealand I hear!). 

Skirt; Thrifted & altered・ Shirt; PostiePlus (altered) ・ Vest; Lepsim Lowrys Farm・ Cardigan; Thrifted・ Shoes; Thrifted・Socks; CottonOn

One of my favourite parts of the whole day was peeking in on one of the pools that hasn't been used for over 15 years. I really love abandoned buildings and such, so it was kind of neat to see the changing sheds 'sprouting'. 

The Okoroire springs are very basic, but that's how they should be. It's a place that not many people (even those who live close) know about, and even the pub and hotel don't do much to promote it. Which is fine with me because it remains a little hidden gem in the New Zealand countryside (・ω・)

It's a place that hasn't changed all that much over 200 years, and so you can really imagine what a curious place this would be for the Victorians. In fact, in the hotel dining room there was a photo of two ladies from 1887 standing on the edge of the exact same pool I had been swimming in. It kind of amazed me (and almost freaked me out a bit) to be honest! ◕_◕

Anyway, I hope I didn't bore you with my rambling! Okoroire is definitely one of my favourite places in New Zealand. If you ever get to visit NZ, you should make the time to come here, even if it is just to peer at the abandoned pool! ◠‿◠

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On tumblr I saw these awesome hair pins posted by uwenna! They're made by Woodland Belle, which is definitely as place to look if you want some inspiration for mori-style jewelry! 

all photos from Woodland Belle

Thank you for reading! ★