Please note our Whitianga office will be closed to the public on Tuesday, 16 September and Wednesday, 17 September 2025. You can still contact our staff on freephone 0800 800 401 or via an online form.

Ngāwhā Geothermal

The Waikato region contains 70 per cent of New Zealand’s geothermal systems. Our region's geothermal areas are unique and internationally renowned. But many have been damaged by changing land use and energy generation, and there's increased pressure to develop the areas for more energy or as tourist attractions. Waikato Regional Council regularly monitors and reports on our region's geothermal resources, the pressures they face, and how they are changing.

Find out more about our geothermal monitoring programmes

Geothermal resources

Find out more about the valuable geothermal resources in the Waikato.

Geothermal systems in the Waikato region

Find out about the main geothermal fields in the Waikato region.

Geothermal monitoring and reporting

Learn about the the results of our science and monitoring programmes. Selected geothermal fields are considered vulnerable to change or damage and are monitored annually.

Classifying geothermal systems

Learn more about how we classify systems based on their natural values.

Geothermal tourism

The Waikato is home to internationally important geothermal sites visited by both domestic and international tourists.

Energy and extraction

Geothermal energy is an important contributor to New Zealand’s electricity supply.

What lives in geothermal areas?

Our geothermal areas are home to distinct and unique collections of plants, animals and micro-organisms.

Changing land use

Find out about how the development of geothermal areas is changing.