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Story: Geology – overview

All images and media

From page 1 - New Zealand – a geological jigsaw puzzle

New Zealand in the Pacific Ocean

New Zealand in the Pacific Ocean

The New Zealand continent

The New Zealand continent

The Alpine Fault

The Alpine Fault

Subduction beneath the North Island

Subduction beneath the North Island

From page 2 - Rocky foundations

Greywacke mountains

Greywacke mountains

Rocks offset along the Alpine Fault

Rocks offset along the Alpine Fault

Geological map of New Zealand

Geological map of New Zealand

Geological time scale

Geological time scale

From page 3 - New Zealand’s oldest rocks

Gondwana

Trilobite Rock

Greenland Group

Greenland Group (1st of 2)

Bedding in Greenland Group

Bedding in Greenland Group (2nd of 2)

Gneissic rocks

Karamea Granite

Karamea Granite

From page 4 - Building a continent

Greywacke forming at the edge of Gondwana

Greywacke forming at the edge of Gondwana

Torlesse greywacke, Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park

Torlesse greywacke, Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park

Murihiku beds

Murihiku beds (1st of 3)

Murihiku sediments

Murihiku sediments (2nd of 3)

Fossil tree stump

Fossil tree stump (3rd of 3)

Douglas Coombs, geologist

Douglas Coombs, geologist

From page 5 - Disturbances on the edge of Gondwana

New Zealand region 150 million years ago

New Zealand region 150 million years ago

Marlborough schist

Marlborough schist (1st of 2)

Marlborough schist under the microscope

Marlborough schist under the microscope (2nd of 2)

Schist tors

Coastal granite

Coastal granite

From page 6 - New Zealand breaks away from Gondwana

New Zealand adrift

New Zealand adrift

Hawks Crag

Hawks Crag (1st of 2)

Hawks Crag Breccia

Hawks Crag Breccia (2nd of 2)

Cretaceous–Tertiary boundary

Cretaceous–Tertiary boundary

Erosion at Poolburn

Erosion at Poolburn (1st of 2)

Weathered rock

Weathered rock (2nd of 2)

Limestone around Punakaiki

Limestone around Punakaiki (1st of 3)

Pancake Rocks

Pancake Rocks (2nd of 3)

Sinkholes in limestone

Sinkholes in limestone (3rd of 3)

Limestone under the microscope

Limestone under the microscope

Pillow lavas

From page 7 - New Zealand reborn

New Zealand region 10 million years ago

New Zealand region 10 million years ago

Papa cliffs, Hawke's Bay

Papa cliffs, Hawke's Bay

Vertical coal seam

Vertical coal seam (1st of 2)

Tilted limestone bluffs at Kohaihai Bluff

Tilted limestone bluffs at Kohaihai Bluff (2nd of 2)

Banks Peninsula – extinct volcanoes

Banks Peninsula – extinct volcanoes

Ignimbrite at Cathedral Cove

Ignimbrite at Cathedral Cove (1st of 2)

Ignimbrite at Cathedral Cove

Ignimbrite at Cathedral Cove (2nd of 2)

From page 8 - Quaternary mountains and glaciers

Mt Cook and Mt Tasman from the sea

Mt Cook and Mt Tasman from the sea

Jackson Bay in the ice age

Jackson Bay in the ice age

Moraine ridges on the Cascade Plateau

Moraine ridges on the Cascade Plateau

Shoreline during the last glaciation

Shoreline during the last glaciation

Glacial erratic at Te Anau

Glacial erratic at Te Anau

Southern lakes

From page 9 - Quaternary coasts and rivers

Rakaia River flood plain

Rakaia River flood plain

Coastal cliffs near Hāwera

Coastal cliffs near Hāwera

Satellite image of the central South Island

Satellite image of the central South Island

Loess

Loess (1st of 2)

John Hardcastle, loess pioneer

John Hardcastle, loess pioneer (2nd of 2)

Uplifted terrace, Māhia

Uplifted terrace, Māhia

From page 10 - Quaternary volcanism

Ignimbrite cliffs

Ignimbrite cliffs

Tongariro volcanoes

Tongariro volcanoes

Mt Eden

Volcanic ash band

Volcanic ash band

From page 11 - Holocene – the last 10,000 years

Sea levels in the last 20,000 years

Sea levels in the last 20,000 years

Mt Maunganui

Uplift of New Zealand

Uplift of New Zealand

Drowned valleys

Drowned valleys

Moraines at Tasman Glacier

Moraines at Tasman Glacier

How to cite this page:

Eileen McSaveney and Simon Nathan, 'All images and media', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/geology-overview/media (accessed 4 June 2023)

Story by Eileen McSaveney and Simon Nathan, published 12 Jun 2006