Palmerston North Urban Geology

Geological Summary

The geology of Palmerston North city is dominated by Late Quaternary alluvial sediments. These overlie older Quaternary alluvial and marine sediments that are exposed in lower hills.

Maps and Information

There are no geological mapping projects underway or imminent in the Palmerston North area. Previously completed maps include:

2000/2002/2018: QMAP 1:250 000 geological map

For wider and more generalised geological context of the Palmerston North area, two adjacent 1:250 000 geological maps were printed with accompanying explanatory texts. Digital GIS and image versions of the maps are available on DVDs. Their digital versions have since been updated in a national GIS dataset at that nominal scale. The underlying GIS datasets have rich feature attributes. See also Web Resources below.

  • Begg, J.G.; Johnston, M.R. (compilers) 2000. Geology of the Wellington area(external link). Institute of Geological & Nuclear Sciences 1:250 000 geological map 10. Lower Hutt, New Zealand. Institute of Geological & Nuclear Sciences Limited. 64 p. + 1 sheet.
  • Lee, J.M.; Begg, J.G. (compilers) 2002. Geology of the Wairarapa area(external link). Institute of Geological & Nuclear Sciences 1:250 000 geological map 11. Lower Hutt, New Zealand. Institute of Geological & Nuclear Sciences Limited. 66 p. + 1 sheet.
  • Heron, D.W. (custodian) 2018. Geological Map of New Zealand 1:250 000(external link). GNS Science geological map 1 (2nd edition). Lower Hutt, New Zealand. GNS Science.


A geological map image can be downloaded (western(external link), eastern(external link)) or interrogated through the geological map application(external link). For GIS users, the QMAP geological feature layers can be downloaded from GNS Science’s Web Map/Feature Service(external link).

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