nobody seemed to worry" A new school was built and opened in its present location on Soda Springs Road on 25 May 1936 with 29 students. The roll fluctuated due to numerous residents living at Rotomā on a temporary basis. The mills in the area, Tunnicliffe's Mill and Rendall's Mill, helped establish a more stable population at Rotomā and caused further overcrowding at the school. In 1973 the roll reached 55 and there were appalling working conditions for staff and children. On 14 August 1973 the majority of parents kept their children at home as a protest against the lack of action to improve standards. There was widespread media coverage and in October the Minister of Education ordered that a new school be built, and it was opened on 16 November 1974. From 1948, Mr Tam Pilbrow operated the first bus service to the school, using a Hillman car. In 1952 the service was taken over by George Graham, and Mr. Pilbrow's son Ken, who operated a Bradford van from the Kettle Store. Mr Gavin Wyllie bought the Kettle Store and Garage, and in 1958 he commenced transporting children to the school in his V.W combie van, but when Rendall's Mill closed at the end of that same year, there were not enough children for him to continue the service. Conservation Due to invasive plant introduction, the native plants have been outcompeted within the lake and crayfish populations have declined considerably. The local tribe Te Arawa has been involved in efforts to remove the invasive weeds and restore the crayfish populations by attaching woven flax mats called uwhi to the bottom of the lake that limit the growth of the invasive plants while the thinner native plants are able to thrive. Burlap and rubber mats were unsuccessful as they would lift off the lake bottom from the accumulated gas from the decaying plants. References Rotorua Lakes District Lakes of the Bay of Plenty Region Okataina Volcanic Centre Volcanic crater lakes Populated places in the Bay of Plenty Region