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Accessibility: WHEELCHAIR ACCESS
WHAT'S HERE?
Volcanic bomb on the side of the scoria cone. Photo Bruce Hayward.
This volcano is undated but is considered to be one of the older ones in the Auckland Volcanic Field which has 53 volcanoes all of which erupted in the last 200,000 years.
The duck ponds are freshwater springs fed from groundwater that collects in the rocks that fill the crater. This was the source of the first piped water supply for fledgling Auckland in 1865.
The duck ponds are freshwater springs fed from groundwater that collects in the rocks that fill the crater. This was the source of the first piped water supply for fledgling Auckland in 1865.
LEARN ABOUT IT
The western part of the carter floor is underlain by solidified lava lake and 9 m of peat.
Pukekawa consists of a large explosion crater surrounded by 1 km diameter tuff ring (with Auckland Museum built on the east crest and Auckland Hospital on the northwest crest). In the centre of the crater is a small scoria cone, Pukekaroro. It sits like a castle surrounded by a moat (the crater floor around it). The crater around the base of the scoria cone is mostly filled with a solidified lava lake capped by peat that accumulated in a freshwater swamp that formed on top of it. The top of the lava lake and peat forms the playing fields. The two levels of playing fields probably results from partial withdrawal of molten lava from within the western part of the lava lake before it had completely solidified. There are no lava flows.
HAVE A LOOK!
Pukekaroro is the scoria cone 'castle' in the middle of the crater.
Can you identify the scoria cone? Look inside the fernery for evidence that the hill in the middle of the crater is made of scoria. This was an old scoria quarry in the nineteenth century.
Layers of bedded ash, called tuff, can be seen in the banks alongside Lovers Lane walking track below the duck ponds.
Can you make out the circular shape of the tuff ring? Why do you think you cannot find it in the northeast?
Layers of bedded ash, called tuff, can be seen in the banks alongside Lovers Lane walking track below the duck ponds.
Can you make out the circular shape of the tuff ring? Why do you think you cannot find it in the northeast?
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Directions/Advisory
Roadway entrances off Park Rd, Titoki St, Stanley St, Carlton Gore Rd and Parnell Rd.
Lovers Lane passes through bush and should only be taken in groups with adult supervision.
Beware of cars sharing some roadways.
Google Directions
Accessibility:
WHEELCHAIR
Good sealed walking paths and roadways provide easy access to walk around on the crest of most of the tuff ring or around inside the crater.
Features
Volcanic
Landform
Geological Age
Late Pleistocene
Zealandia Evolution Sequence
Pākihi Supergoup: 5 million years ago – present
Links