Auckland Volcanic Field

New Zealand’s largest city (and my home town), is built upon an active volcanic field. 53 (and growing!) volcanoes make-up this area. Almost all are monogenetic, meaning they erupt once, then become extinct. The oldest eruption occurred 200,000 years ago at Onepoto and the youngest, Rangitoto, at just 600 years ago. The next eruption is only a matter of time.

Unlike most of New Zealand’s volcanoes which are the result of subductive processes, the Auckland Volcanic Field’s origins are from a hot-spot – an area approximately 100km beneath the city that melts the rock and causes it to rise.

The field has produced an incredible diversity of geological wonders including explosive craters, scoria cones, lava flows and tunnels.