Kōrero: West Coast region

Glaciation in the Taramakau valley

During glacial periods a major glacier extended down the Taramakau River valley. This map shows the extent of the glacier in the later part of the last glaciation, about 18,000–20,000 years ago. Alluvial gold was concentrated in river gravels in front of the glacier, and one of the richest areas was near Kumara. Click on the thumbnail to see a photograph of the Kaniere dredge working these gravels.

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Te Ara - The Encyclopedia of New Zealand

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Source: R. P. Suggate and T. E. Waight, Geology of the Kumara-Moana area. Geological map 24. Lower Hutt: Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences, 1999

Ngā whakaahua me ngā rauemi katoa o tēnei kōrero

Te tuhi tohutoro mō tēnei whārangi:

Simon Nathan, 'West Coast region - Geology and landscapes', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/mi/interactive/21059/glaciation-in-the-taramakau-valley (accessed 25 April 2024)

He kōrero nā Simon Nathan, updated 1 Sep 2016