Whangarei
Geological Summary
The geology of the city of Whangarei is notable for its diverse rock types spanning many different periods of formation. The area is founded in Mesozoic greywacke basement, which is overlain by mid Cenozoic coal measures and marine sedimentary rock with complexly in-faulted mudstone, sandstone and limestones overlying these. Rhyolite, dacite, andesite and basalt lava and scoria erupted onto this substrate in the Miocene to early Quaternary. River, swamp and lake sediments have accumulated in many flat and low-lying areas, with some areas of man-made fill deposits.
Maps and Information
There are no geological mapping projects underway or imminent in the Whangarei area. Previously completed maps include:
2001/2018: QMAP 1:250 000 geological map
For wider and more generalised geological context of the Whangarei area, a 1:250 000 geological map was printed with accompanying explanatory text. Digital GIS and image versions of the map are available on DVD. The digital version has since been updated in a national GIS dataset at that nominal scale. The underlying GIS datasets have rich feature attributes.
- Edbrooke, S.E. (compiler) 2001. Geology of the Whangarei area(external link). Institute of Geological & Nuclear Sciences 1:250 000 geological map 2. Lower Hutt, New Zealand. Institute of Geological & Nuclear Sciences Limited. 1 sheet + 68 p.
- 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.
The QMAP 1:250 000 geological map image can be downloaded(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)
2003: Urban 1:25 000 geological map
An area including the city of Whangarei is covered by a 1:25 000 geological map.
- White, P.J.; Perrin, N.D. 2003. Geology of the Whangarei urban area: part sheets Q06 and Q07, scale 1:25,000(external link). Institute of Geological & Nuclear Sciences geological map 26. Institute of Geological & Nuclear Sciences Limited, Lower Hutt. 31 p. + 1 map.
For GIS users, the layer NZL-Urban Whangarei geological units based on the White & Perrin (2003) map can be downloaded from GNS Science’s Web Map Service(external link).
