Styaks Swamp is one of the volcanoes in the Auckland volcanic field, found in the suburb of East Tāmaki.
Geology
It erupted approximately 19,600 years ago and formed a 250m wide explosion crater with a surrounding low-profile tuff ring of approximately 400m diameter from crest-to-crest. It is located north of Green Hill.
Styaks Swamp is one of a line of four volcanoes that lie in close proximity. Ash from Styaks Swamp overlapping lava flows from Green Hill suggests that volcanic activity moved from south to north; with Hampton Park being the youngest, followed by Ōtara Hill, Green Hill, then Styaks Swamp the oldest. The lava flows of all four spread westwards.
A lava flow from the volcano forms the southern boundary of the Pakuranga Creek, around Burswood Reserve.
History
During the early colonial era, the volcano was a park of John Styak's farm. The crater once contained a swamp but is now covered by industrial development.
References
See also City of Volcanoes: A geology of Auckland - Searle, Ernest J.; revised by Mayhill, R.D.; Longman Paul, 1981. First published 1964. . Volcanoes of Auckland: A Field Guide. Hayward, B.W.; Auckland University Press, 2019, 335 pp. .