Te Waihou and Blue Spring

The Blue Spring at Te Waihou Walkway is internationally acclaimed with water so pure it supplies around 60% of New Zealand’s bottled water.

The spring is fed from the Mamaku Plateau where the water takes up to 100 years to filter through; the resulting water is so pure and clean that it produces a beautiful blue colour while being virtually clear.

The walk to the springs follows a track alongside the Waihou River, through wetlands, across rolling pastoral land and features views of small waterfalls, native bush and the famous Blue Spring with glimpses of trout along the way.

Water from the Blue Spring flows at a rate of 42 cubic metres per minute and could fill a 6 lane (25 metre) swimming pool in around 12 minutes. The water temperature is a constant 11 degrees celsius throughout the year.

The Blue Spring walk takes about one and a half hours each way, starting from Whites Road (State Highway 28), near Putaruru. There is also a shorter walk, 15 minutes each way, to the Blue Spring, accessed from nearby Leslie Road.

The Te Waihou Walkway and Blue Spring is located in South Waikato near Putaruru. With plenty to see and do in the South Waikato area you can easily make a day of it. Enjoy some local cheese at Over the Moon Dairy Company, take your bike and try out the Waikato River Trails, or do a spot of fly fishing in one of the many great waterways in the area.