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Story: Geology – overview

Greywacke mountains

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Greywacke mountains

Almost all the rock in the Southern Alps is Torlesse greywacke, and many climbers and trampers see only this rock type. This panorama, taken from above the Cook River valley shows the peaks of Aoraki/Mt Cook (1), Mt Tasman (2) and Mt Dampier (3). These greywacke peaks form the highest part of the Southern Alps.

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GNS Science

Reference: CN22206

by Lloyd Homer

Permission of GNS Science must be obtained before any use of this image.

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How to cite this page

Eileen McSaveney and Simon Nathan, Geology – overview – Rocky foundations, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/8286/greywacke-mountains (accessed 11 June 2026).

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