The rock-like fossils of tree trunks are visible at Curio Bay (left), while a yellow-eyed penguin stands sentinel (right). The fossilised forest dates back to the Jurassic era – the age of dinosaurs, 160 million years ago. The forest was probably destroyed many times over by volcanic eruptions. The silica that gradually replaced the wood is resistant to erosion when exposed to air. The forest extends for several kilometres along the coast, from Curio Bay to Slope Point.
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Te Ara - The Encyclopedia of New Zealand
Photograph by Jock Phillips
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