Overview
Waiwera's beloved hot pools may be in an apocalyptic state and the world's longest waterslide may have been decommissioned, but you don't need to hang your togs up to dry just yet. Thrill-seekers have a new opportunity to launch themselves down a slippery tube with the opening of the country's largest aquatic thrill ride.
After more than three years of planning and construction, the Conical Thrill officially opened at the Hanmer Springs Thermal Pools and Spa over the weekend.
The mammoth ride is part of a $4.5 million development at the North Canterbury water park and spa. It sits 13.5 metres high and shoots riders on two-person tubes down a winding hydroslide, before going down a steep drop that propels them up a near-vertical wall for a moment of weightlessness. And then, they zoom back down and onto the slide's finish.
The waterslide comes in tow with a collection of sustainable thermal pools. The Cascades are five pools connected by a series of waterfalls, including one which is infused with sulphur and another which has beach access. With the new Cascade pools and Conical Thrill, Hanmer now has 22 mineral-filled pools and four hydroslides.
Hanmer Springs Thermal Pools and Spa can be found just 90 minutes from Christchurch at 42 Amuri Avenue, Hanmer Springs.
Image: Hanmer Springs Thermal Pools and Spa.