Volcanic New Zealand

New Zealand and New Caledonia represent the visible part of a portion of continental crust, usually referred to as Zealandia. The rest of Zealandia includes the Challenger Plateau and Lord Howe Rise, which stretch from Northwest of New Zealand almost to Northern Australia, and the Campbell Plateauand Chatham Rise, to the southeast of New Zealand.

Originally New Zealand split off the ancient supercontinent of Godwana.  

At that time the breakaway piece, called Zealandia, was much larger than the islands today.

Zealandia sank under the rising seas and overtime was covered with sea floor sediment which in turn became sedimentary rock.

When the Australian tectonic plate subducted the Pacific plate two things happened.

a) An uplift of the south island of New Zealand, now sedimentary rock.

b) The onset of volcanic activity in the north island, which became another piece of the "Ring of Fire" around the Pacific Rim.

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We flew from the wine country of Marlborough (Blenheim) to Napier on the North Island where we rented a car.

Then it was off to Tongariro National Park, New Zealand's oldest national park and a World Heritage Site.  

We were going to tackle New Zealand's best know "stomp" - The Tongariro crossing (https://www.tongarirocrossing.org.nz/).  A 12 mile, one way walk crossing between the volcanic peaks of Mt.Ngauruhoe (Mt Doom in The Lord of The Rings) and Mount Tongariro.

Mt Tongariro on the left and Mt "Doom" on the right.

Mount Doom

It is popular place and it seemed as if everyone visiting New Zealand was doing it along with us.  Our guide told us upwards of 2000 people a day do the walk.

After the Tongariro we headed north to Whakatane to see what I consider a real Mount Doom - White Island. 

It is an active island volcano that is accessible by boat even though it is actively steaming and erupts with small explosions every few years. 

Approaching White Island

I bet it is the only place in the world you can walk into an active caldera.

They actually mined sulfur from the caldera from the late 1800s to the mid 1930s, but the operation went bankrupt during the depression.

More pictures at https://photos.app.goo.gl/hGMakUq9NAyztNVp6