New Zealand's Environment
The countryside in New Zealand is very interesting. New Zealand is situated alongside what is known as the ring of fire. Japan and the west coast of America is also on the ring of fire. This means that there are a lot of volcanoes and earthquakes in these countries.
There are also hilly areas. These were formed when Volcanoes erupted.
New Zealand is situated alongside what is known as the ring of fire. Japan and the west coast of America is also on the ring of fire. This means that there are a lot of volcanoes and earthquakes in these countries.
Volcanoes
There are lots of volcanoes in New Zealand. As you travel around the country you see them. There are different types of volcanoes to be seen. Mount Ngauruhoe is a stratovolcano. This means that every time this volcano erupts it spews out layers and layers of lava, ash, pumice and tephra. These build up over a long period of time to form the shape of the volcano.
Lava is molten rock (melted rock). It is so hot it burns anything it touches.
Other types of Volcanoes
The Buried Village
Long ago there used to be a small village close to Rotorua called Te Wairoa. People came to visit the pink and white terraces. The boiling water came out the top of the terraces. As it flowed down to the bottom it got colder. The Maori guides used the pools at the top to cook the lunch while the visitors had a bath in the cooler pools below. But on the 10th of June 1886 the volcano Tarawera exploded. There were earthquakes first and then the volcano started to blow. Ash, pumice and mud were thrown into the air. The village was destroyed. The buildings were covered in mud and ash. Quite a few people were killed.
Before the eruption omens were seen. A group of people in a boat saw a war canoe, called a waka, on Lake Tarawrea. When they called out to them they disappeared. The water from the terraces was seen disappearing and reappearing.
http://www.buriedvillage.co.nz/
Before the eruption omens were seen. A group of people in a boat saw a war canoe, called a waka, on Lake Tarawrea. When they called out to them they disappeared. The water from the terraces was seen disappearing and reappearing.
http://www.buriedvillage.co.nz/
Earthquakes & Tremors
Tremors are very common in New Zealand. They usually don't do much damage but in the middle of the night on the 4th of September 2010 a very strong earthquake hit Christchurch. Another earthquake hit in February the following year. It was so strong that it could be felt as far away as Queenstown, Dunedin and Wellington, on the North Island. It was catastrophic.
Tremors are very common in New Zealand. They usually don't do much damage but in the middle of the night on the 4th of September 2010 a very strong earthquake hit Christchurch. Another earthquake hit in February the following year. It was so strong that it could be felt as far away as Queenstown, Dunedin and Wellington, on the North Island. It was catastrophic.
Some of the buildings were so badly damaged that they could not be rebuilt. They were decorated with murals to make them look presentable until they could be demolished. Some of them were so dangerous that had to be fenced off and knocked down as soon as possible.
Here is a video of a building being demolished:
Some of central Christchurch was so badly damaged that the shopkeepers couldn't open their shops. They built a new shopping complex called Container City.
Bubbling mud pools
The mud in the pool is so hot that it bubbles and explodes. Very often it is too hot to enter but sometimes people can go into the mud and use it as a beauty treatment. The fumes can be very strong and make your eyes sting.
Geysers
Watch the video below of the geyser erupting.
Source: Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland
Hot Springs
Wai-O-Tapu has very beautiful springs.
Here are some more photos of the amazing things you can see in Wai-O-Tapu:
Source: Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland
New Zealand has a very long coast. Here are some photographs of some of the scenery along the coast.
On the coast there are also some very interesting rock formations.
Moeraki Boulders
Punakaiki - Pancake Rocks
The rocks in Punakaiki are amazing. They have been worn away over time by the sea into these pancake shapes. There are also blowholes like this one where the sea water shoots up through the hole when the waves come in. http://www.punakaiki.co.nz/ |
Click on the videos to see the waves come up through the blowholes:
Here are some more photographs of the rocks:
Glaciers
There are amazing glaciers in New Zealand. Glaciers begin to form when snow becomes compacted and is transformed into ice. The snow does not melt and more and more layers of snow fall on it each year.
There are amazing glaciers in New Zealand. Glaciers begin to form when snow becomes compacted and is transformed into ice. The snow does not melt and more and more layers of snow fall on it each year.
There are also lovely lakes around the country. Here are some pictures of some of them:
Temperate Rainforest
Walk along the Westcoast Treetop Walk with us.
Here are some more plants that are native to New Zealand.
Kauri
Tree Fern
Ponga (Silver Fern)
Cabbage Tree
Manuka