In 1911 the Salvation Army opened Rotoroa Island as a rehabilitation facility for alcoholics. It was New Zealand's first & longest running addiction treatment centre & operated until 2005. For over 100 years, Rotoroa Island was off-limits to all but those "drying out" there. Known as 'Alci-traz', the island held something of a mystique for the general public. The island closed as an addiction treatment centre in 2005. In 2009, a trust was established to restore the island & reopen it to the public.A state-of-the-art exhibition centre & museum now showcases the island's fascinating history while heritage buildings such as the jail, chapel & schoolhouse have been restored.