A history of fault activity in the vicinity of Aotearoa's supervolcano

What happens when earthquakes and volcanic eruptions are understood not as isolated hazards but as interconnected processes shaping the same living landscape?

This research project investigates the relationship between fault movement and volcanic activity within the Taupō Volcanic Zone, with a particular focus on the North Taupō Fault Zone and the wider volcanic system of central Aotearoa New Zealand.

Drawing on paleoseismic trenching, geomorphic analysis, ground-penetrating radar, and field investigations, the study identifies evidence that earthquakes and volcanic activity have interacted repeatedly over thousands of years. The findings demonstrate how cascading and interconnected hazards can simultaneously affect communities, infrastructure, whenua, and ecosystems across time and place.

By bringing together scientific research and Te Ao Māori perspectives, the project recognises that landscapes are not simply physical settings for hazard events, but places embedded with whakapapa, memory, identity, and enduring relationships between people and the environment.

Rather than treating hazards, communities, and environments as separate systems, this research supports a more relational understanding of risk and resilience. It highlights the importance of mātauranga Māori and kaitiakitanga in shaping long-term thinking about multi-hazard planning, adaptation, and resilience in Aotearoa New Zealand.

This project was developed collaboratively by researchers from the University of Auckland, Earth Sciences New Zealand, and Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington alongside engagement with local communities and mana whenua.