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Taranaki/Egmont
Taranaki (Egmont Volcano) last erupted around 1755, and dominates the productive farmland of the Taranaki region.
Taranaki/Egmont network map.
View of Taranaki, with surrounding eruption deposits.
The classic cone shape of Taranaki.
Also known as Egmont Volcano, the 2518 m tall cone volcano last erupted about 250 years ago at the culmination of eight eruptions in the preceding 300 years. The western 1500 km2 of the Taranaki region is a volcanic landscape that has been constructed from the products of volcanic eruptions principally derived from the volcano. These deposits around the base of the volcano record intermittent volcanic activity at this site for the last 130,000 years.
On three occasions, twice within a very short period of geological time, former cones have collapsed to the north-east, south-east and the west. In each instance extremely large volumes of material flowed more than 40 km across the landscape, reaching the present Taranaki coastline. They have created the distinctive mounds or hummocks on the lowlands surrounding the volcano.
Most Recent Eruption
- When: around 1755
- Effects: An explosive ash eruption.
- Note: Two further minor volcanic events also took place in the early 1800s and in 1854.
What does GeoNet do?
- Visual observations: 1 web camera facing the northern flank of Taranaki.
- Seismic monitoring: 8 seismographs, operated jointly by GeoNet and the Taranaki Regional Council.
