EarthFest Public Talks
Hear from experts and ask them your questions!
We will have SIX different public talks from expert earth scientists held throughout the day on Saturday 22 November (one on the hour, every hour from 9am - 3pm). All talks are FREE and will be held in the Senior Citizens' Room at the Fickling Convention Centre. They're a great opportunity to find out more about Auckland's unique geology, and Earth science in general, so be sure to come along and bring lots of questions for our speakers!
Join our in-person talks in the Senior Citizen's Room at the Fickling Convention Centre:
Discover Auckland's Geoheritage
9 am - 9:45 am
As humans, we treasure our cultural heritage, but have you ever stopped to consider the "geoheritage" of the land we live on?
Originally home to 53 volcanic cones, the familiar features we see around us today are only those that have escaped damage and destruction from quarrying, urban encroachment, and industrial development. Nowhere has this been the case more than South-Auckland. Join this talk to discover and celebrate the volcanic landscapes of South Auckland and their geological history, and protecting what remains of these cultural and environmental taonga.
Auckland Volcanic Field
10 am - 10:45 am
Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland is home to around 1.5 million people and at least 53 volcanoes. Luckily, these volcanoes are the 'one-and-done' type of volcano, and unlikely to erupt again...
HOWEVER, that doesn't mean the Auckland Volcanic Field is done with us! As a potentially active volcanic field, it's possible that a new volcano could form somewhere in Auckland at some point in the future. While it's impossible to know exactly where or when, we can predict what future eruptions might be like by investigating Auckland's volcanic past. Come along to explore future scenarios, and find out what we can do to prepare for Auckland's next volcano.
Under Auckland: Exploring Lava Caves
11 am - 11:45 am
They may be dark, damp and cold today, but beneath Auckland are a huge number of caves that came into existence through the passage of glowing hot lava! Formed from as far back as 120,000 years to as recently as 600 years ago, these caves are a unique and precious part of our geological and cultural heritage.
Speleologist (cave scientist and explorer) Peter Crossley has spent 50 years passionately documenting Auckland’s 180+ lava caves. Come along to hear from Peter about the Three Kings' (Te Tatua a Riukiuta) caves beneath our feet, explore 3D models of Auckland's cave systems, and sign up for an exclusive lava cave field trip. Find out if you have a lava cave under your house!
Get To Know Your Natural Hazards
12 pm - 12:45 pm
Living in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland we are surrounded by beautiful landscapes that have been shaped by natural processes of uplift and erosion. Usually we barely notice these processes going on around us, but sometime things happen hard and fast, and when they do, they can be hazardous...
Come along to hear from local Earth science and emergency management experts about the hazards we are exposed to in the Auckland region, such as floods, landslides, earthquakes, and tsunami. Find out what you can do to help your family, friends, workplaces, and communities be better prepared for future hazardous events .
Earth Science Career Showcase
1 pm - 1:45 pm
Did you know studying Earth science can lead to dozens of different career opportunities?
Come along to hear about the huge range of career paths that all have one thing in common – Earth science! Find out what jobs are in high demand and hear from people at all stages of their careers as they share how Earth science has led them (and can lead you!) to flexible and rewarding work and exciting life experiences.
Discover what’s involved in different jobs, why they're important, and why they're so much fun!
Fossil Treasures of Northern New Zealand
2 pm - 2:45 pm
Although not well known, northern New Zealand (Auckland and Northland) has some of the best and most diverse fossils in the country. They range in age from 260 million year old (Permian) fossil corals to young, less than 10,000 year old (Holocene), bones of many extinct birds, frogs and lizards.
Hear from geologist Bruce Hayward who'll provide an overview of the diversity of fossils and the most treasured fossil finds of the region – including moa footprints, pterosaur and mosasaur bones, fossil starfish, fan worms, flax snails, ferns, crabs, fish, giant oysters and shark teeth, to mention just a few!