Beneath New Zealand

New Zealand's caves are among the worlds largest and most renowned. A world of caves hidden deep beneath the surface of the earth; an obscure yet fascinating buried landscape of harsh conditions, isolation, water, surprising shapes and life forms. In these cave systems we can see and touch the past.

In the Northern island of New Zealand the Pacific plate subducts beneath the Australian plate. This region of New Zealand is extremely hot and is of great interest due to frequent volcanic activity. We go from inside New Zealand's most active volcano; White Island to the inland active volcano Mount Ruapehu

From the peaks of the Southern Alps to caves where the past is trapped in crystalline walls. Scientists travel back in time to learn how seismic and volcanic events created continents and shaped the landscape.