Sunrise at the top of a volcano

Well, perhaps to be factual I should say it is the top of the remnant of a small scoria cone on top of a basalt "lake" from one of the oldest Auckland Volcanoes; the Grafton Volcano.

This photo is of the sunrise seen from the centre of Outhwaite Park as I took a small diversion on the way to work this morning.

There is actually little sign of Grafton volcano, as a result of it being buried beneath volcanic ash from Pukekawa (Auckland Domain volcano). Scientists have inferred that the younger volcano blasted through the eastern arc of the tuff ring of the older Grafton Volcano. The western arc remains but is covered by volcanic ash. 

Auckland City Hospital and the School of Medicine (immediately across Park Road from the hospital) are built upon solid basalt covered by up to 15m of Pukekawa tuff. Speculatively, the scientists suggest that the basalt represents an ancient lava lake, which had been contained within a 300m diameter explosion crater. They further believe that explosive fountaining threw up two small scoria mounds. One lies under the present hospital, and the other mound is now known as Outhwaite Park. This piece of land was bought by the settler family of Thomas and Louisa Outhwaite in the 1840s. The park was donated to the citizens of Auckland.


This is the 17th volcano I have blipped since I started to identify and photograph the 50 recognised volcanoes of Auckland.