About NZ - Geysers & Volcanoes

Geysers & Volcanoes

North Island is part of the Pacific's 'Ring of Fire' and has active volcanoes. The Earth's Pacific Plate is driven under the Indo-Australian Plate under North Island giving rise to the island's volcanism. Ruapehu erupted last in 1995. In the geothermal areas of Taupo and Rotorua the hot rocks located close to the surface heats ground water which boils to the surface as hot springs. When the water rises as steam it bursts out of the ground as tall fountains called geysers.

The heat released by this volcanic activity is used to generate electricity in geothermal power stations.

Further south these two plates, the Pacific and Indo-Australian, push hard against one another forcing up the Southern Alp mountains of South Island.

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