Moeraki, on the east coast of the South Island, about one hour north of Dunedin and 40 minutes south of Oamaru, is known world wide for its famous boulders strewn along the Moeraki Beach.
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. The Moeraki Boulders are huge spherical stones that are scattered over the sandy beaches, but they are not like ordinary round boulders that have been shaped by rivers and pounding seas.
The soft mud stone containing the boulders was raised from the seabed around 15 million years ago, and the sea is gradually washing away the mud stone to expose the erosion-resistant boulders. They were created by a process similar to the formation of oyster pearls, where layers of material cover a central nucleus or core.
Moeraki itself is a charming fishing village, much quieter today than its riotous past as an early whaling station. At the lighthouse at Katiki Point, nearby, there is also a yellow-eyed penguin colony. Each evening 2 hours before sunset, one has the rare opportunity to watch the penguins come home after their day at sea. |
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| Moeraki Boulders strewn along the beach |
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