Story: Geology – overview

The Alpine Fault

The Alpine Fault is remarkably straight, bisecting the South Island and forming the western edge of the Southern Alps, as illustrated in this digital terrain model. It was not recognised until 1941 because the area was rugged and isolated, and earlier generations of geologists were unable to view the topography from the air.

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Te Ara - The Encyclopedia of New Zealand

Source: GNS Science

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How to cite this page

Eileen McSaveney and Simon Nathan, Geology – overview – New Zealand – a geological jigsaw puzzle, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/map/8283/the-alpine-fault (accessed 10 June 2026).

Story by Eileen McSaveney and Simon Nathan, published 2 March 2009.

Comments

Eva Bedggood
30 October 2017

This is hugely fascinating... especially as I live in this country! Who knows what New Zealand will look like in the next hundred million years?!