Journey back 2.6 million years to the dawn of the Quaternary period, when the quiet coastal plains of Whāingaroa were awoken by magmas surging from an ancient subduction zone.
At the northwest tip of the Alexandra Volcanic Group, the ancient maunga Karioi stands as part of a rare global setting where two distinct types of magma erupted together from the same volcanic system. Drawing on decades of field research, aeromagnetic data, and recent dating techniques, this talk translates complex earth science into an engaging, easy-to-understand story for everyone.
Discover how thick lava flows redirected drainage systems to shape the modern Whāingaroa Harbour, and trace the origins of landmark features right in our backyard, including:
Wairēinga (Bridal Veil Falls)
The Te Toto Gorge Landslide
Whale Bay, Manu Bay, and Ngarunui Beach
The Pancake Limestone Rocks
The black sand dunes
Offshore volcanic reefs, including Jacksons, Aotea and Kārewa
Fossil forests
Ignimbrites from super eruptions in the central North Island
Journey back 2.6 million years to the dawn of the Quaternary period, when the quiet coastal plains of Whāingaroa were awoken by magmas surging from an ancient subduction zone.
At the northwest tip of the Alexandra Volcanic Group, the ancient maunga Karioi stands as part of a rare global setting where two distinct types of magma erupted together from the same volcanic system. Drawing on decades of field research, aeromagnetic data, and recent dating techniques, this talk translates complex earth science into an engaging, easy-to-understand story for everyone.
Discover how thick lava flows redirected drainage systems to shape the modern Whāingaroa Harbour, and trace the origins of landmark features right in our backyard, including:
Wairēinga (Bridal Veil Falls)
The Te Toto Gorge Landslide
Whale Bay, Manu Bay, and Ngarunui Beach
The Pancake Limestone Rocks
The black sand dunes
Offshore volcanic reefs, including Jacksons, Aotea and Kārewa
Fossil forests
Ignimbrites from super eruptions in the central North Island
