Meet Annie Thode a retired teacher and ex-Aucklander, who has joined our team of enthusiastic Outside the Walls Walking Tour guides.
Wednesday, 28 November 2018
Annie and her husband run Rotorua Views Bed and Breakfast. Annie is so enthusiastic about her new home and all she has learned about the history of Rotorua and the Bath House that she encourages all her visitors to take a tour round the gardens with our Rotorua Museum guides.
“It’s hard to choose what interests me most or what I didn’t know because there’s so much!
I loved learning about the history of the museum/bath house, the whole South Sea Spa concept, the impact of the 1886 eruption, the geology, the birdlife, especially the kārearea – our native falcon, and so it goes on.
One thing that really struck me, however, was how woefully ignorant I was of pre-European history, despite having studied history at tertiary level. I was fascinated by the details of Paepaehakumanu (the Sanatorium Reserve) and also the battles that took place in and around the area.”
Annie Thode helping out with Armistice Day peace celebrations 2018
