Revived Waiwera hot springs slated to open by mid-2028
The abandoned Waiwera hot springs in New Zealand are set for a $58 million redevelopment into a wellness sanctuary, with an expected opening in mid-2028. The project has received resource consent and aims to restore the site as a major regional attraction.
Why it matters
The revival of a significant tourism asset demonstrates regional economic recovery efforts and the repurposing of neglected infrastructure.
A planned $58 million redevelopment for the long-troubled Waiwera hot springs is anticipated to open by mid-2028, with the revival project granted resource consent. The project, led by Waiwera Thermal Springs Property Limited, is looking to turn the famous site 40 kilometres north of Auckland's CBD into a "world-class bathing and wellness sanctuary". Once New Zealand's biggest water park, the pools <a href="https://www.1news.co.nz/2023/08/14/bittersweet-demolition-crews-arrive-at-waiwera-thermal-resort/">sat abandoned for years</a> after being closed in 2018 after years of neglect. It was torn down in 2023 after planned renovations stalled, and its operating companies went into liquidation. In November last year, plans were unveiled to <a href="https://www.1news.co.nz/2025/11/28/plan-unveiled-for-50m-revival-of-waiwera-thermal-springs/">restore the geothermal attraction</a> as a bathing and wellness destination featuring 28 pools and wellness experiences such as saunas, reflexology, gardens, walks, and pavilions.
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