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Accessibility: WHEELCHAIR ACCESS
WHAT'S HERE?
Slabs of eroded Halswell Stone, J.Thomson / GNS Science
An eroded and quarried cryptodome that has provided Christchurch with building stone and roading material. Includes lava, ash layers and columnar joints.
LEARN ABOUT IT
Scoria and ash layer, J.Thomson / GNS Science
About 9 million years ago a bulging, sticky and viscous shallow level dome of magma formed on the side of the Lyttelton Volcanic Complex. This dome is similar to that which formed after Mt St Helens erupted in 1980 but did not reach the surface. Magma intruded through basalt and ash layers in the later stages of the Diamond Harbour Group Volcanics.
HAVE A LOOK!
Buried paleosol at rim of quarry, J.Thomson / GNS Science
As you walk into the quarry, see if you can distinguish the three main rock types. These are best shown at the far (South) end of the quarry. Take a close look at the differences in appearance of the different rocks. The Halswell Stone has been quarried for its usefulness as a building stone but much of it has also been used for roading. What properties do you think make it such a valued commodity? It is well worth the walk around the rim track to get good views of the rocks from up close. At the main viewing point on the way around the rim, you can see a buried soil layer (paleosol) that has been covered by windblown dust (loess) and is many thousands of years old and glacially derived (photo 4).
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Directions/Advisory
Halswell quarry is well marked off Spark's Road - look at the brown marker signage.
Keep behind safety barriers.
Google Directions
Accessibility:
WHEELCHAIR
There is wheelchair access into the lower quarry, but it can be muddy after wet weather. The rim walk is easy grade.
Features
Volcanic
Landform
Mining
Active Erosion
Geological Age
9 - 7 million years
Zealandia Evolution Sequence
Māui Supergroup (Emergence): 25 – 5 million years ago
Links