Lake Rotomā (also spelled Rotoma) is the fourth largest lake of the 11 lakes in the Rotorua Lakes district, or the Hot Lakes district as it was known in the early decades of the 20th century. The Rotorua lakes are located in New Zealand's North Island in the Bay of Plenty Region. Lake Rotomā is the easternmost in the chain of three lakes to the northeast of Lake Rotorua The other two are Lake Rotoiti and Lake Rotoehu. Rotomā is located halfway between the city of Rotorua and town of Whakatāne. Lake Rotomā has a high water quality with visibility up to around 13 metres deep. The lake has a maximum depth of 83 metres in the northern part and 73.5 metres in the southern part. Geography Lake Rotomā was formed within the Rotomā Caldera when lava flows from a large crater explosion blocked its outlet 9,500 years ago. The hills fringing the south and east of the lake are made up of rhyolite from eruptions from its own caldera, the Haroharo and Tarawera all in the Ōkataina Volcanic Centre, and this has meant that Lake Rotomā has no surface outlets. However, the presence of springs has suggested an underground discharge of lake waters. The water level of Rotomā reaches an excessive high or low level every 10–15 years. In times of extreme low levels, the sunken island "Motutara" in the lake may be exposed. History Road Before the road around Lake Rotomā was constructed, there were several Māori trails over the Rotomā hill which could be used to get between Rotorua and the Eastern Bay of Plenty by foot, but these trails were too narrow and uneven to be used by horses. Travellers from Rotorua could only get as far as Tikitere on the rough track. In May 1895 work commenced on the Tikitere to Rotoma road. By July, there were three road gangs working on different sections of the road, and work began over the difficult section over the Rotomā hill in the summer of 1895–1896. A proper road was also constructed from Te Ngae in Rotorua through to Tikitere. Once the road was completed, horse-drawn traffic commenced and public coaching services began. The first such service was started in 1907 by the R.M. Company, who ran a service twice a week from Rotorua to Ōpōtiki carrying mail and up to three passengers. In 1910 the R.M. Company