GeoTrips

Where to explore the Wellington Fault

Wellington Fault at Thorndon

The Wellington Fault is one of several large active faults in the lower North Island of New Zealand. From the Tararua Mountains and Kaitoke it runs the length of the Hutt Valley, the edge of Wellington Harbour, through Tinakori in the City and across the hills to Cook Strait. Earthquakes occur on the Wellington Fault […]

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Volcano City

Mangere Mountain, L. Homer / GNS Science Volcanic cones, explosion craters and lava flows form much of Auckland’s natural topography. All of these, apart from one (Rangitoto Island) are from vents that erupted once only (monogenetic), with eruptions lasting a few weeks or months and then ceasing completely.  There are many accessible and beautiful locations

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GeoTrips – visiting New Zealand’s geology and landforms

The Tasman Glacier Lake from the air

Tasman Glacier Lake,  J.Thomson / GNS Science New Zealand is an isolated country with a very active plate boundary running right through it. For a relatively small landmass it has an astonishing variety of landscapes and is being continuously subject to dramatic physical occurrences that include earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, floods, landslides, rapid erosion and sedimentation.

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Stepping Over the Boundary

This is a classic view of the Southern Alps from Lake Matheson on a still morning, showing the high peaks of Mount Tasman and Mount Cook.The Alpine Fault runs along the foot of the steep rangefront, extending right up the West Coast of the South Island. The mountains are therefore part of the Pacific Plate

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Franz Josef Ice on the Retreat

Franz Josef Glacier 2009 – Julian Thomson GNS Science Recently I visited the West Coast Glaciers and was interested to see their condition after my last visit 5 years ago in 2009. Franz Josef 2009- Photo Eric Burger These photos give and immediate comparison of Franz Josef Glacier over the last 5 years: In 2009 the

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Opunake

Another great geological venue on the South Taranaki coast is at the Opunake boat ramp, where we took our Geocamp participants recently. On two sides of the car park there are cliffs showing a spectacular sequence of strata. information for you to visit this spot is on our GeoTrips website here: www.geotrips.org.nz/trip.html?id=56 It’s a perfect

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