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Story: Active faults

The Alpine Fault beside Martyr River, South Westland

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The Alpine Fault beside Martyr River, South Westland

Because of the heavy forest cover on the West Coast, good exposures of the Alpine Fault are rare. This outcrop, beside the Martyr River, shows crushed schist (upper right) thrust over fan gravels. The fault dips at about 40° to the east, which is typical of other exposures that have been recorded.

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Department of Geology, University of Otago

by Alan Cooper

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How to cite this page

Eileen McSaveney, Active faults – New Zealand’s longest active faults, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/4371/the-alpine-fault-beside-martyr-river-south-westland (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Eileen McSaveney, published 2 March 2009.