Story: West Coast places

Pancake Rocks, Punakaiki

Pancake Rocks, Punakaiki

The Pancake Rocks at Punakaiki are thin layers of limestone that have been eroded to form a distinctive pattern resembling stacks of pancakes. This area of limestone is part of a sheet that extends into the surrounding hills, where it forms spectacular cliffs. There are many caves and tunnels, and large waves cause spectacular blowholes close to the coast.

Using this item

acpalmer photography
Photograph by Andy Palmer

This item has been provided for private study purposes (such as school projects, family and local history research) and any published reproduction (print or electronic) may infringe copyright law. It is the responsibility of the user of any material to obtain clearance from the copyright holder.

All images & media in this story

How to cite this page:

Simon Nathan, 'West Coast places - Coast road', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/20989/pancake-rocks-punakaiki (accessed 19 March 2024)

Story by Simon Nathan