When we found out we were heading to Aotearoa, New Zealand, for a week-long school camp, the excitement was real! But before jetting off to the land of the Kiwis, we dug deep into New Zealand’s geography and history. Spoiler alert: it totally transformed our trip! Here’s how learning about New Zealand in class made every moment of our adventure more meaningful.
Setting the Scene: Welcome to New Zealand!
New Zealand is made up of two main islands: the North Island (Te Ika-a-Māui) and the South Island (Te Waipounamu). Each has its own vibe and is packed with amazing natural features. The North Island is famous for its volcanic activity, geothermal areas, and major cities like Auckland and Wellington. The South Island is known for its stunning Southern Alps, glaciers, and rugged landscapes. New Zealand is world-renowned for its breath taking scenery, the indigenous Māori culture, adrenaline-pumping sports like rugby and bungee jumping, and, of course, The Lord of the Rings filming locations.
Mapping Earthquakes and Tectonic Plates: New Zealand’s Shaky Foundation
In class, we learned that New Zealand sits right on the boundary between two huge tectonic plates—the Pacific Plate and the Indo-Australian Plate. But what exactly are tectonic plates? They’re enormous slabs of Earth’s crust that float on the molten layer below. When these plates shift, they cause earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and even form mountains over millions of years.
New Zealand’s position makes it one of the most seismically active regions in the world. It experiences around 50 earthquakes a day, although most are too small to notice. This constant seismic activity has a huge impact on how buildings are designed, requiring them to be flexible and quake-resistant.
We didn’t just stop with tectonic theory—we also drew detailed maps of New Zealand, highlighting the plate boundaries and surrounding landmasses like Australia and the Pacific Islands. When we finally travelled to Wellington, we visited the Te Papa Museum, where we experienced a simulated earthquake. Standing in a room as everything shook gave us a taste of what living in such an active zone is really like. It was a fun and slightly nerve-wracking way to connect our classroom learning to real life!
Barth, Nicolas & Toy, Virginia & Langridge, Rob & Norris, Richard. (2012). Scale dependence of oblique plate-boundary partitioning: New insights from LiDAR, central Alpine Fault, New Zealand. Lithosphere. 4. 435-448. 10.1130/L201.1.
Here’s a quick summary of how tectonic plates impact New Zealand:
- The Pacific Plate is moving under the Indo-Australian Plate, causing subduction zones.
- This subduction is responsible for creating New Zealand’s mountain ranges and deep ocean trenches.
- The North Island, in particular, is home to active volcanoes due to the movement of these plates.
Building a 3D Topographical Map: Bringing New Zealand’s Landscape to Life
One of our biggest pre-trip projects was creating a topographical map of New Zealand using layers of cardboard. A topographical map shows the physical features of a place, including mountains, valleys, and rivers, using different heights and colours. It’s like turning a flat map into a 3D model.
We researched the heights of New Zealand’s natural landmarks, from the towering peaks of the Southern Alps to the volcanic plateaus of the North Island. New Zealand’s highest mountain, Aoraki / Mount Cook, stands at 3,724 meters (12,218 feet) on the South Island. There are more than 300 named mountains across the country, with the Southern Alps alone containing 16 peaks over 3,000 meters (9,800 feet). We also learned that most of New Zealand’s major cities and towns are coastal, including Wellington, Auckland, Christchurch, and Dunedin.
After carefully cutting out layers of cardboard based on elevation, we stacked them to create a 3D model that gave us a clear picture of the country’s varied terrain. We painted in rivers like the Waikato and Clutha and placed townships like Rotorua, Queenstown, and Hamilton adding depth and detail. By the time we finished, we had a mini New Zealand right in our classroom.
When we finally arrived, everything we’d built came to life. As our bus wound through the North Island, the towering mountains looked just like the peaks we’d layered in cardboard. It felt like our project was guiding us through the real thing!
Image Source: Freshmap https://www.freshmap.co.nz/images/enlarge2.jpg
Rotorua’s Thermal Pools: Science, Bubbly Mud, and Few Fart Jokes
Rotorua is one of New Zealand’s most unique spots, famous for its geothermal activity. Before our trip, we studied how volcanic heat from deep underground creates bubbling mud pools, steaming vents, and naturally heated hot springs. Rotorua’s thermal pools are rich in minerals like sulfur (which gives off that distinct rotten egg smell), along with calcium, magnesium, and sodium. The pools are a mix of green, brown, and yellowish hues, and their steam creates a mysterious, almost otherworldly vibe.
One interesting fact we learned is that the sulfur content in these pools is so high that it can change the colour of nearby rocks over time. But what really grabbed our attention was how the Māori people have used these pools for centuries. They not only bathe in them but also use them to cook food. Our guide explained how traditional Māori hangi cooking involves steaming food underground using heated rocks, with the thermal pools playing a big role.
We knew all this science, but nothing could have prepared us for the overpowering smell. Let’s just say there were more than a few fart jokes flying around! 😂 Despite the stink, seeing how the Māori have used the geothermal energy for both everyday life and cultural traditions made this visit one of the most memorable parts of the trip.
Why Geography Matters When You Travel
Looking back, diving into New Zealand’s geography before our trip made everything more meaningful. Whether it was understanding why the ground shakes or recognising landmarks we’d mapped out in cardboard, our travel experience was more than just sightseeing—it was seeing the real-world connections between geography and culture. So next time you head somewhere new, take a little time to learn about its geography. Trust us, it makes the adventure even better!