Auckland Volcanic Field
The Auckland Volcanic Field covers around 360 square kilometres directly under Auckland city. It includes over 53 individual volcanic centres, each of which is considered unlikely to erupt again. However, the field as a whole remains potentially active. Find out about some of these volcanoes in this interactive map.
Select here for the interactive's transcript and copyright information.
This interactive covers the Auckland Volcanic Field, to find out more about the major volcanoes in Aotearoa New Zealand go to this interactive.
To use this interactive, move your mouse or finger over any of the labelled boxes and select to obtain more information.
Transcript
Pukekawa (Auckland Domain)
Small scoria cone inside a large, shallow explosion crater with surrounding tuff ring. The moat between the central scoria cone and tuff ring is filled with a solidified lava lake. Formed around 106,000 years ago, it appears to have erupted through the eastern part of the fractionally older Grafton Volcano tuff ring. One of the first volcanoes formed in the Auckland volcanic field. Now part of Auckland Domain.
Acknowledgement: Google Earth
Pupuke Moana (Lake Pupuke)
On Auckland’s North Shore, this is a classic example of a maar volcano. It formed through a series of wet explosive (phreatomagmatic) eruptions that excavated a large double crater around 190,000 years ago. Before these highly explosive eruptions, Pupuke Moana was a low shield volcano, built from overlapping basaltic lava flows and possibly small scoria cones. The lava from explosions at Lake Pupuke trapped many trees, which have become fossilised. These are still visible at Takapuna Beach (Takapuna Fossil Forest).
Acknowledgement: Google Earth
Ōwairaka or Te Ahi-kā-a-Rakataura (Mt Albert)
Westernmost volcano in the Auckland Volcanic Field. A large scoria cone volcano formed around 118,000 years ago that was 148 m in height, prior to the top 15 m being removed by quarrying. Now a busy suburb of Auckland.
Acknowledgement: Public domain
Ngā Kapua Kohuora (Crater Hill)
A scoria mound volcano within a circular explosion crater and surrounding tuff ring formed around 30,000 years ago. Formed by a phreatomagmatic eruption where the lava interacts with water when it erupts. Similar eruption to the formation of Lake Pupuke.
Acknowledgement: Google Earth
Rarotonga (Mt Smart)
A scoria cone volcano formed around 20,000 years ago. Was originally around 80 m high but has been extensively quarried over the past 100 years for basalt and scoria. Now home to Mt Smart Stadium.
Acknowledgement: Public domain
Te Pane o Mataoho or Te Ara Pueru Te Pane-o-Mataoho (Mt Māngere)
A scoria cone volcano formed around 59,000 years ago. Historically used as a Māori pā site (as were many volcanoes). Features an extruded lava plug (tholoid) in the centre of the crater – the only Auckland volcano with this feature.
Acknowledgement: GeoNet
Maungakiekie (One Tree Hill)
A scoria cone volcano, which last erupted around 67,000 years ago. One of the largest volcanoes in Auckland, with around 2,000 hectares of lava-flow fields forming an apron around the volcano, some reaching Manukau Harbour. Historically, one of the largest pā sites in New Zealand.
Acknowledgement: Public domain
Te Tātua-a-Riukiuta (Three Kings)
Once three large individual scoria cone volcanoes (and a dozen scoria mounds), these have been extensively quarried so only one peak (named Big King) remains. Last eruption was around 31,000 years ago. The area contains many lava caves formed by lava flows beneath the surface.
Acknowledgement: Public domain
Maungawhau (Mt Eden)
Mt Eden is a scoria cone volcano, consisting of two overlapping cones that last erupted together or close in succession around 28,000 years ago. At 196 m in height, Mt Eden is the highest natural point in Auckland. Historically used as a pā site and also a quarry.
Acknowledgement: Lloyd Homer, GNS Science
Maungarei (Mt Wellington)
A scoria cone volcano that last erupted around 10,000 years ago. Mt Wellington is one of Auckland’s largest volcanoes with Maungakiekie (One Tree Hill) and Nga Rangi-i-itotongia a Tamatekpapua (Rangitoto Island). Quarried for industrial stone, it is now being developed for housing.
Acknowledgement: Public domain
Nga Rangi-i-totongia a Tamatekapua (Rangitoto Island)
Rangitoto is a shield volcano with small scoria cones on top. It is the site of the most recent of Auckland’s volcanic eruptions, around 600 years ago, when Māori already inhabited the area. It is also the largest of the Auckland eruptions, equalling the volume nearly of all previous eruptions combined.
Acknowledgement: Avenue, CC BY-SA 2.5
Te Kopua-o-Matakerepo (Onepoto Basin)
Formed by a phreatomagmatic eruption similar to Pupuke Moana (Lake Pupuke) and Ngā Kapua Kohuora (Crater Hill). The crater was eroded over time and then drained to form a local park and playing fields. Last erupted around 190,000 years ago.
Acknowledgement: Google Earth
