Moeraki Boulders New Zealand, the famous spherical rocks laying scattered along the beach 40km south of Oamaru. View more information on the natural phenomena, the Moeraki Boulders, New Zealand.
Paihia (more)
High: 23 Low: 16The famous Moeraki boulders lie scattered along a beach 40 kilometres south of Oamaru. According to Maori legend, the boulders are gourds washed from the great voyaging canoe Araiteuru when it was wrecked upon landfall in New Zealand some 1000 years ago.
Scientists explain the boulders as septarian concretions formed about 65 million years ago. Crystallization of calcium and carbonates around charged particles in muddy undersea sediments gradually formed the boulders in a process taking as long as four million years. The soft mudstone containing the boulders was raised from the seabed around 15 million years ago and sea erosion is exposing the erosion-resistant boulders.
The viewing platform, just a few minutes walk through regenerating native shrubland, offers good views of the boulders and, if you are lucky, New Zealand (Hector's) dolphins playing in the waves.
For further information on Dunedin view our Dunedin regional information section.
Home | About the Guide | Sitemap | Advertise | Travel Enquiries | Useful Links | Disclaimer | Privacy & Security
©2008 NZTG. Design by Avatar.
Add a Site | Link to Us | Contact Us | Tourism Newsletters | Business Centre | Booking Service | Advertise Staff | Businesses for Sale | NZTG YouTube | Tourism Web Award
Awards & Membership | Tourism Awards | Fast500 | Hitwise | Telarc
Northland | Bay of Islands | Auckland | Coromandel | Bay of Plenty | Waikato | Rotorua | Eastland | Taupo | Ruapehu | Taranaki | Hawke's Bay | Wanganui | Manawatu | Wairarapa | Wellington
NZ Accommodation Guide | NZ Attractions Guide | NZ Tours Guide | NZ Transport Guide
Nelson | Marlborough | West Coast | Kaikoura | Christchurch | Canterbury | Mt Cook and MacKenzie Country | Wanaka | Queenstown | Otago | Dunedin | Fiordland | Southland
