Blue Springs

We're spoilt for water in New Zealand. Sweeping beaches, gnarly coastlines, calm lakes, rugged rivers – we have it all. But it's normally the landscape that takes our breath away, rather than the water itself. It turns out water can be beautiful and the proof is 15 minutes out of Putaruru, south of Tīrau. The surroundings are still lovely (it's hard to go wrong with riverside native bush), but it's the bright blue, diamond-clear water that is truly heavenly.

Once a well-kept secret, this rural stretch of the Waihou River boasts some of the purest water in the country, with nearly 70% of New Zealand's bottled water coming from the spring. It is believed that the water takes almost 100 years to filter from below ground to the spring at the Mamaku Plateau. Despite its glassy appearance, the icy 11-degree water moves at an astoundingly quick pace of 9240 gallons per minute, yet it seems to barely ripple as it wanders past overhanging ferns and over barely waving weed.

Look, don’t touch

Once upon a time, the mystical, magical Blue Springs were a hidden secret. The crown jewel of Putaruru that was known about only by word of mouth and whispered directions. But it's hard to keep a secret in this modern world, and photos of crystal clear waters so pure that every pebble and fish sparkled under the sun, began to show up online and more and more people began to flock to the picture-perfect site. Soon the river was full of swimmers and the waters began to dull, the riverbanks trampled and tired.

In 2016 the council acted to protect the natural taonga by banning swimming, limiting toilets and banning food trucks from the car park. Several years on and the springs have regained their beauty and remain a favourite attraction for visitors – even if the togs and towel must remain in the car.