Mount Pirongia
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Mount Pirongia is an extinct stratovolcano located in the Waikato region of New Zealand's North Island. It rises to 959 m (3,146 ft) and is the highest peak around the Waikato plains. Pirongia's many peaks are basaltic cones created by successive volcanic eruptions between the late Pliocene and early Pleistocene, about 2.5 million years ago. In the adjacent picture, the characteristic profile of the mountain can be seen, along with a prominent accessory cone to the right.
Mt. Pirongia, 4 April 2008
The Tirohanga Track skirts the foot of the hornblende andesite dike
Central plateau from near Pāhautea Hut at sunset
Bell Track boardwalk in pāhautea grove. It is gradually being extended towards The Cone.
Waikato Plains
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The Waikato Plains form a large area of low-lying land in the northwest of the North Island of New Zealand. They are the alluvial plains of the Waikato River, the country's longest river with a length of 425 km (264 mi).
Waikato Plains from northeast towards Pirongia.
Orange shading shows the approximate area of the inactive Hamilton Basin intra-continental rift related to currently active intra-continental rifts North Island, New Zealand. These being the Hauraki Rift (purple), the modern Taupō Rift (red). The inactive old Taupō Rift (yellow) is also shown.