A run of unfavourable weather didn’t stop us from revisiting partially forgotten lessons in geology, engaging in a bit of palaeontology, and brushing up on some art history. This log describes our journey up the Waitaki Valley and transit through the Mackenzie Basin, before making for the coast at Timaru.
Coordinates
Waitaki Valley
The Awamoko Valley or “Valley of the Whales” in North Otago was our limestone-walled entry point to learning about the existence of the Waitaki Whitestone Geopark. Just across the border in Canterbury we came across the next point of interest: the Anatini (“many caves”) fossil site, located on private land and featuring beautiful limestone formations of bone-like lattices (first two photos). Next to these—almost anticlimactic—are a few fossil bones belonging to a baleen whale, left in situ behind a semi-opaque perspex that made them hard to see (third photo). These are 23–29 million year-old sediments, formed when much of the proto-NZ Zealandia sat beneath a warm shallow sea, which was then uplifted and eroded. The Anatini site itself was also the filmset for Aslan’s Narnian camp in The lion, the witch and the wardrobe (final photo):
Like Anatini, nearby Elephant Rocks (also on Island Cliff–Duntroon Rd) is made of former seabed, laid down about 23-25 million years ago (in the late Oligocene). Over the eons, natural forces broke up the continuous limestone sheet into isolated chunks, which look absolutely nothing like elephants—but you be the judge! Again like Anatini, this site is also on the A2O (Alps 2 Ocean Cycle Trail), a 300+ km ride from Aoraki Mount Cook to the Pacific Ocean at Ōamaru:
In high school B had written a paper on Anthropomorphic representation in pre-European Māori art, so was especially keen on seeing some of the Māori rock paintings in the area. Limestone overhangs at Maerewhenua and Takiroa (both close to Duntroon) had sheltered seasonal travellers as they made their way along Waitaki Valley—even then a route from the alps to the ocean. At Maerewhenua we saw our first paintings in black/ charcoal and red/ ochre pigment, which made crude images of people, birds, and dogs:
At Takiroa (the more “developed” site) we saw taniwha (first photo; see also box-out below), sailing ships (second photo) and horse riders—indicating at least some of works documented the arrival of Europeans. Many of the works were removed from Takiroa in an attempt to conserve them (which conversely accelerated the erosion of remaining works). Both sites have deteriorated badly and it’s often hard to make out what you’re looking at:
Our next geopark site was Waipata/ Earthquakes (on Earthquake Rd), which features limestone cliffs and blocks (first photo) that have been dislodged by an ancient landslide—not by an earthquake. Here there are also a few in situ baleen whale fossil bones behind a mesh cage (second photo):
Duntroon
We were amazed and entertained by the “rattling rocks” at Vanished World Centre, containing primarily marine fossils and a geology exhibit in Duntroon. The exhibits provided a welcome opportunity to re-acquire lost learning about how the landscape around us came to be (see “Geology 101” box-out, below).
Geology 101
Setting the scene: Tectonic plates are sections of Earth’s solid crust that grind against each other. New Zealand lies along an active plate boundary, so is subject to earthquakes, volcanism, mountain building and oceanic trench formation that occurs there. Below the crust, the mantle is formed from hot magma and semi-solid rocks/ minerals. There are three basic rock types.
Igneous rocks: Formed when molten rock cools and solidifies—which may occur above or below ground. When solidification happens above ground (as molten rock erupts and flows on the surface or is thrown into the air), or happens near the surface, the rock is termed extrusive e.g. basalt, scoria (from lava), tuff (from ash). Volcanic rocks are a type of extrusive rock that forms when magma rises rapidly and cools quickly at the surface, so these rocks are fine-grained/ glass-like e.g. obsidian (valued by Māori for cutting tools/ weapons/ jewellery). When solidification happens below ground (within the crust), the rock is termed intrusive e.g. granite. Plutonic rocks are a type of intrusive rock that forms from magma still deep within the crust, which cools and solidifies over a long period, so these rocks contain large mineral crystals. Thus, all volcanic rocks are extrusive, but not all extrusive rocks are volcanic. Similarly, all plutonic rocks are intrusive, but not all intrusive rocks are plutonic.
Sedimentary rocks: Formed when rock fragments or minerals (from dead plants or animals, or chemical processes) settle out of water e.g. limestone (from shells, etc.), sandstone (from sand), shale (from mud).
Metamorphic rocks: Formed from pre-existing rocks subjected to pressure and heat—without having melted e.g. marble (from limestone), slate (from shale).
One more thing: These rock types are related! Any rock can be eroded (by water, wind, or ice) to form sediment, which can become sedimentary rock if buried and hardened by pressure. If deeply buried, high pressure and heating may transform the sedimentary rock into metamorphic rock. Applying more heat may melt metamorphic rock into magma, forming igneous rock upon cooling.
🤔 Curiosity
Only a small place, Duntroon signposts visitors to a partially collapsed sinkhole (Brewers Hole), a blacksmith’s (first photo), community library and produce food bank (second photo), gaol house (that’s “jail” in American English; third photo) and a wetlands walk (fourth photo) including a stream clogged with (non-native) watercress:
Mackenzie Country Lakes
The Mackenzie Basin—or popularly “Mackenzie Country”—was named in the mid 1800s by and after James Mackenzie, a shepherd who may have been a sheep-rustler. It straddles the modern-day Mackenzie and Waitaki Districts, featuring vast, open landscapes characterised by tussock grasslands, braided rivers, snow-capped mountains and multiple lakes. The latter include the artificial (hydroelectric) lakes of Aviemore, Benmore and Ruataniwha as well as the glacial lakes of Ōhau, Pukaki, Alexandrina and Tekapo. Our first transit through this area was during several days of heavy rain, which limited our opportunity to explore (and photograph) them. In good weather the glacial lakes shine turquoise-blue, which is a result of “glacial flour” (suspended particles of rock). The region is also home to the Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve.
The lakes did their best to appeal under leaden skies, decorated with autumnal foliage. Here is Sailors Cutting on Lake Benmore (first photo), our pitch at Lake Middleton (second photo), Lake Ōhau (third photo), Wairepo Arm on Lake Ruataniwha (fourth photo) and the main body of Lake Ruataniwha (final photo):
Further on, a view of Lake Pukaki (first photo) and the Church of the Good Shepherd at Lake Tekapo (second photo). As we departed the area, the weather fleetingly improved, revealing the surrounding mountains we had thus far not seen even briefly from our pitch on the edge of Lake Tekapo (final photo):
Timaru and vicinity
At Ō Wāhi Moa/ Valley of the Moa (first photo) we saw rock paintings of around 500 years old, behind wire cages (second photo) depicting—among other objects—moa (third photo) and human figures/ tiki (final photo). It was intriguing to see readily recognised moa etched onto rock, which had likely been drawn by someone who had seen the real, living thing:
Here is a trace of the moa so you can see it better (like the early European’s documenting the drawings did, but we do it digitally on a copy instead of destructively on the original using chalk!):
At Te Manunui (The Great Bird; previously named Frenchman’s Gully; first photo) we saw the famous “birdman” figures, possibly representing a pouākai/ Haast eagle. The second photo shows three bird figures grouped with a fish (dolphin?), one of which has five smaller birds perched on outstretched wings. A possible moa has evidently been retouched in an attempt to preserve it (left side, final photo):
The moa, the eagle and the bird people
Moa are depicted at rock art sites and archaeologists have found and excavated moa bones and eggshell at some of them. Moa means “chicken” in tropical Polynesia, but New Zealand’s moa were large (emu-like, up to 3m tall) flightless endemic birds. They became extinct about 500 years ago, being extremely rare or fully gone by 1550 AD—over 200 years before Europeans first set foot on the islands. This was likely due to a number of factors, but principally as a result of over-hunting and habitat loss caused by fire setting. Of the nine sub-species, four were found in the area around Valley of the Moa: South Island giant moa (Dinornis robustus); stout-legged moa (Eurapteryx curtus); eastern moa (Emeus crassus); and heavy-footed moa (Pachyornis elephantopus). Moa were prey for a non-Māori hunter too: the pouākai or Haast’s eagle (Harpagornis moorei), the largest bird of prey worldwide. Pouākai had a 3m wingspan and tiger-like talons; it became extinct around the same time as the moa (perhaps by 1400 AD); this is likely due to the loss of its natural food supply (i.e. moa). However, oral traditions also tell of Māori seeking out and killing pouākai, which may have begun to prey on humans in the absence of moa. For example, as recounted at Te Ana “Warriors killed a giant bird called Manunui as it was snatching small children. They used a man with red hair to lure it in, then they beat it to death when it got tangled in his pōkeka (rain cloak).” Like moa, pouākai are depicted in rock art. Aside from recognisable eagles, some human-like torsos with bent legs appear to have wings and beaked heads. Although “bird people” are a common motif in Polynesian art; it isn’t clear whether the figures at the Te Manunui (“great bird”) rock art site are mythical or may represent the pouākai.
🤔 Curiosity
Timaru has examples of historic architecture on the high street (first photo) and puts on a rather quiet Saturday market (second photo):
Our primary reasons for visiting were twofold. Firstly, S had spent time here as a visiting student in the 1980s. Secondly, it is home to the Te Ana Māori Rock Art Centre, a place to learn more about the where/ who/ how/ what/ and why of Māori rock art (see box-out below).
The where, who, how, what, why of Māori rock art
There are rock art sites all over New Zealand, although many are concentrated in North Otago and South Canterbury. In the absence of oral traditions relating to the art, little is known about it, and the establishment of the Te Ana Māori Rock Art Centre reflects recent “rediscovery” by Ngāi Tahu iwi descendants of the artists. The artworks are now seen as taonga (treasures) and as providing a connection to those ancestors. However, there are also concerns about insensitive cultural appropriation degrading the tapu (sacredness) of the images and related issues over intellectual property rights.
Artists: The rock art was painted over many centuries, by some of the earliest settlers in South Island, by later arrivals who contributed different styles, and by more recent Māori who documented the arrival of Europeans.
Methods: Rock art is either scratched/ carved/ incised into stone (petroglyphs), or painted (typical in NZ)/ drawn onto it. Paint was made by mixing fat (e.g. weka or fish oil) and vegetable gum (e.g. taramea) with soot (for black) or kōkōwai/ ochre (for red); limestone provided an ideal smooth pale surface on which to apply it (whether by brush or finger is not known).
Subjects: Common motifs are humans in different poses (tiki, as found elsewhere in Polynesian art), birds and other animals, mythical creatures and abstract forms—often simplistic relative to more elaborate/ later Māori designs. Tiki typically depict bent limbs, described as a haka/ war dance stance, and lack faces—sometimes even without heads. Subjects may be depicted with a hollow central space, which might represent a distinctive design flair, or a spiritual element/ mauri (life force).
Meaning: It isn’t known whether the paintings were made to record observations, or served some form of ritual purpose.
Damage: Rock art is vulnerable to decay given use of perishable paints and the eroding effects of water/ dissolved salts, sun, wind-borne dust, animal rubbing etc. on the porous limestone surface. Graffiti, collectors and even early attempts to document or conserve faded works by “retouching” them have exacerbated the damage. Remaining sites typically have poor protection against ongoing erosion or vandalism.
🤔 Curiosity
Here is a selection of tiki (human figures), dogs and birds—some of which illustrate the “hollow style” referred to above:
Of particular interest to us were the Opihi Taniwha, a grouping of five creations in which three are thought to be taniwha (see box-out below). The Centre isn’t home to the original (the shelter is near the Opihi River on private land, with no public access except by guided tour) but it does have a great animation of it, projected onto the roof of a faux cave (first image below). In the larger painting, the principal taniwha is entwined with the one below, while the third sits to the left in the design:
What are taniwha?
According to Te Aka Māori Dictionary, a taniwha is a “water spirit, monster, dangerous water creature, powerful creature, chief, powerful leader, something or someone awesome—taniwha take many forms from logs to reptiles and whales and often live in lakes, rivers or the sea. They are often regarded as guardians by the people who live in their territory, but may also have a malign influence on human beings.” Te Ana Māori Rock Art Centre state that “Some people believe that taniwha drew on ancient cultural memories of the crocodiles that inhabited the lands of remote ancestors. Others maintain that they are based on the fossil remains of giant sea creatures.”
🤔 Curiosity
We really enjoyed locating, viewing and learning about the rock paintings—and will be on the lookout for more as we continue our exploration of the Otago and Canterbury regions.
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