Page 312 - Volcano and Geothermal Tourism

19

Volcanic Landscapes

of New Zealand

Malcolm Cooper in that process it destroyed New Zealand’s most
spectacular natural tourist attraction of the time,
Introduction the world famous Pink and White Terraces
(Figure 19.1). North of Mt Tarawera and three
Tectonically, Aotearoa-New Zealand lies on the hours by boat off shore is the White Island
rim of the Pacific Plate which meets the Indo- volcano, at the northern end of the TVZ. This
Australian Plate at this point on the Earth’s surface. volcano is usually on alert level 1 while continually
Similar geological processes occur here as with releasing pressure, and future eruptions cannot be
Japan, the west coast of the United States and the excluded. Nevertheless, tourists are visiting this
rest of the Pacific Rim. However those at work in volcano on a daily basis, weather permitting,
the North Island of New Zealand are a result of either by boat or by helicopter (Erfurt-Cooper
the Pacific Plate sliding under the Indo-Australian and Cooper, 2009).
Plate, while those of the South Island are a result The biggest and most dangerous volcano in
of the two plates directly meeting each other. This Aotearoa-New Zealand and the world is actually
latter collision has created the Southern Alps Taupo, which presently has the country’s largest
mountain range. In the North Island, the result of lake in its caldera and is in the Rotorua–Central
the geological process is volcanic activity and this Plateau area of the North Island (Froggatt, n.d).
is centred in Rotorua and the Central Plateau area This volcano, which has been in existence for
of the Island, collectively known as the Taupo more than 65,000 years last erupted in the year
Volcanic Zone (TVZ). Mt Tongariro, which gives AD186, and erupts approximately once every
its name to the national park that is the primary 2000 years. The AD186 eruption was over 50
focus of this chapter, Mt Ngauruhoe and Mt times the magnitude of the recent Mt St Helens
Ruapehu are the three main volcanoes at the eruption in the USA (Mt St Helens removed
Central Plateau end of the TVZ. These volcanoes 3km of earth, and Krakatoa (the biggest eruption
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are active – Mt Ruapehu as recently as 1995 and in recent times) in Indonesia moved 8km in 1887,
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1996 and Mt Ngauruhoe in 1972 – and it is this but Taupo removed 110km in AD186). This
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fact that both creates and constrains the patterns eruption is regarded by volcanologists as the
of tourism found in this area. largest of the last 5000 years, and was recorded by
To the west of the Central Plateau lies Mt Chinese and Roman chroniclers (e.g. Herodian of
Taranaki, an almost cone-shaped volcano near the Antioch, 1961) The Chinese apparently actually
coast which last erupted in 1755. Further to the heard the eruption and made a record of the
north in the Rotorua area is Mt Tarawera. In 1886 brilliant sunsets that lasted for approximately six
this volcano sent 2km of lava and rock onto the months (Wilson et al, 1980). Prior to this eruption,
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surrounding countryside, killing many people, and about 22,000 years ago Taupo experienced the

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