Story: South Canterbury region

Craigmore’s sinkholes

Spectacular sinkholes are a feature of the downlands at Craigmore, south-west of Timaru. The hills are porous limestone, which corrodes when rain filters down into it. This causes the surface to sink, creating holes.

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by Lloyd Homer

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How to cite this page

John Wilson, South Canterbury region – Landscape and geology, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/11298/craigmores-sinkholes (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by John Wilson, published 2 March 2009, updated 1 February 2017.