The Auckland Lava Caves

Peter Crossley

Email: p.crossley@auckland.ac.nz

Abstract

Auckland is a city of almost 2 million built on 50 recent basalt volcanoes. These have lava tube forming flows, and have produced more than 100 caves. Aside from the obvious interest of the caves, there is the association of caves with the various civilisations that have lived on top of them from the original Maori to modern suburbia. The effects of developers, bulldozers and sporadic council protection will be discussed along with a little geology to set the scene.