Stratigraphy of New Zealand

This is a list of the units into which the rock succession of New Zealand is formally divided. As new geological relationships have been discovered new names have been proposed and others are made obsolete. Not all these changes have been universally adopted. This table is based on the 2014 New Zealand Stratigraphic Lexicon (Litho2014). However, obsolete names that are still in use and names postdating the lexicon are included if it aids in understanding.

Names for particular rock units have two parts, a proper name which is almost always a geographic location where the rock is found and a hierarchical rank (e.g. Waitematā Group). This ranking system starts with individual 'beds' of rock which can be grouped into 'members', members are grouped into 'formations', formations into 'subgroups' then 'groups'. In New Zealand, groups are further combined into 'supergroups' or for basement rocks into terranes. Not all of these hierarchical layers are necessarily present within a particular rock succession. Many New Zealand rocks can also have names based on their major rock types, such as the Wooded Peak Limestone or the Hawks Crag Breccia.Definitions and procedures, section 3

Summary of New Zealand high order rock names New Zealand stratigraphy has also informally been divided into two 'megasequences'. The Austral Superprovince (Cambrian-Cretaceous) includes all basement rocks and the Zealandia Megasequence (Cretaceous-Holocene) refers to those, younger rocks, that cover them. The Austral Superprovince is divided into the Eastern and Western Province, which have seven and two terranes respectively. The Zealandia Megasequence is divided into five supergroups, from oldest to youngest they are the Momotu, Haerenga, Waka, Māui and Pākihi supergroups.

Basement rocks (Austral Superprovince)

Supergroup/Terrane Complex/Group/Terrane Period Location Summary Notable featureTākaka terraneHaupiri GroupCambrianTasmanConglomerate and siltstoneOldest rocks in New Zealand (early Mid-Cambrian)Tākaka terraneDevil River Volcanics GroupCambrian(Middle)-Cambrian(Late)TasmanVolcanic rock. Arc igneous rocks and sedimentsTākaka terraneMount Patriarch GroupOrdovician(Early)TasmanMarine. Siltstone and limestoneTākaka terraneMount Arthur GroupOrdovician(Late)-SilurianTasmanMarble, mudstone with conodonts and sparse coralsMount Arthur Marble in which Harwoods Hole is formed.Tākaka terraneEllis GroupDevonian(Early)TasmanSchist and quartziteTākaka terraneEdgecumbe GroupCambrian(Middle)-Cambrian(Late)FiordlandMeta-conglomerate, sandstone and basaltTākaka terraneCameron GroupPaleozoic(Early)FiordlandMeta volcanic rocks and sedimentsTākaka terranePegasus GroupPaleozoic(Early)Stewart IslandSchistWestern ProvinceTuhua IntrusivesPermianNorth Island, South IslandGranite and other plutonic rocksBuller TerraneGreenland GroupCambrian-Ordovician(Early)Westland, Tasman, FiordlandMarine. Volcanic sandstones, siltstones,Once thought to be Precambrian and New Zealand's oldest rocksBuller TerraneGolden Bay GroupOrdovician(Middle)- Ordovician(Late)TasmanSchist, shale and quartziteBuller TerraneReefton GroupDevonianWest Coast, NelsonSandstone, limestone and mudstoneBuller TerraneFanny Bay GroupOrdovicianFiordlandPelites, semi-pelites (graphitic), quartziteWestern ProvinceParapara GroupPermian(Late)-TriassicTasmanConglomerate, quartzite and slateWestern Province Median Tectonic ZonePermianNorth and South IslandsMultiple arc sequencesDrumduan Terrane Pepin GroupJurassicNelsonConglomerateDrumduan Terrane Drumduan GroupJurassicNelsonMarine. Mudstone, siltstone and tuffDrumduan Terrane Teetotal GroupTriassic NelsonConglomerateDrumduan Terrane Largs GroupCretaceousFiordland, SouthlandVolcanic rock. Andesite, tuff and brecciaDrumduan Terrane Paterson GroupJurassic(Late)Stewart Island Schistose volcaniclastic sediments and volcanic rhyolite and daciteBrook Street Terrane Brook Street Volcanics GroupPermianNelsonVolcanic rocks and sediments. Mafic-intermediate volcanic island arcBrook Street Terrane Greenhills GroupPermian(Middle)SouthlandVolcaniclastic breccia, dolerite, basalt with sandstone and marbleBrook Street Terrane Productus Creek GroupPermian-TriassicSouthlandShallow marine and volcanogenic sedimentsMurihiku TerraneHuriwai GroupJurassic(Late)Waikato, AucklandMarine. Volcanic sandstones, siltstones, and tuffMurihiku TerraneApotu GroupJurassic(Late)Waikato, AucklandMarine. Volcanic sandstones, siltstones, and tuffMurihiku TerraneKirikiri GroupJurassic(Middle)-Jurassic(Late) Waikato, Auckland Marine. Volcanic sandstones, siltstones, and tuffMurihiku TerraneRengarenga GroupTriassic(Late)-Jurassic(Early)Waikato, AucklandMarine. Volcanic sandstones, siltstones, and tuffMurihiku TerraneNewcastle GroupTriassic(Late)-Jurassic(Middle) WaikatoMarine. Volcanic sandstones, siltstones, and tuffMurihiku TerraneRichmond GroupTriassicNelsonMarine. Volcanic sandstones, siltstones, and tuffMurihiku TerraneDiamond Peak GroupJurassic(Early)SouthlandMarine. Volcanic sandstones, siltstones, and tuffMurihiku TerraneFerndale GroupJurassic(Middle)SouthlandMarine. Volcanic sandstones, siltstones, and tuffCathedral Cave and Curio Bay petrified Forrest, CatlinsMurihiku TerraneMataura GroupJurassic(Middle)SouthlandMarine. Volcanic sandstones, siltstones, and tuffMurihiku TerraneNorth Range GroupTriassic(Early)- Triassic(Middle) SouthlandMarine. Volcanic sandstones, siltstones, and tuffRock type exposed in cliffs and sea stacks at Nugget Point, CatlinsMurihiku TerraneTaringatura Group Triassic(Middle)-Triassic(Late)SouthlandMarine. Volcanic sandstones, siltstones, and tuffRock type exposed in cliffs and sea stacks at Nugget Point, CatlinsMurihiku TerraneKuriwao Group Permian(Middle) SouthlandMarine. Volcanic sandstones, siltstones, and tuffMurihiku TerranePark Volcanics GroupTriassic(Late)-Jurassic(Early)SouthlandVolcanic rock. AndesitesEastern ProvinceKaka Point Structural BeltTriassicSouthlandMarine. Volcanic sandstones, siltstonesDun Mountain–Maitai terraneDun Mountain Ultramafics GroupPermianSouth IslandPlutonic rock. Ultramafic rocks and serpentinitesSource of pounamu (jade)Dun Mountain–Maitai terraneLivingstone Volcanic GroupPermianSouth IslandVolcanic and plutonic rock. Gabbro and basalt flowsDun Mountain–Maitai terraneMaitai GroupPermian-TriassicSouth IslandMarine. Turbidite sequence and minor conglomerateDun Mountain–Maitai terraneOtanomomo ComplexPermianSouthlandPlutonic rock. Gabbro and dioriteCaples TerraneCaples GroupPermian(Late)-Triassic(Late)North and South IslandsGreywacke and ophiolite mélangeGreenstone/Croisilles MélangeCaples TerraneChrystalls Beach ComplexTriassic(Middle) SouthlandSchist mélangeHaast SchistKaimanawa SchistJurassicRotoruaSchistHaast SchistTerawhiti SchistCarboniferous-Triassic WellingtonSchist"The most underwhelming outcrop of schist in New Zealand."Haast SchistMarlborough SchistCarboniferous – Triassic South IslandSchistHaast SchistAlpine SchistCarboniferous – Triassic South IslandSchistSource of pounamu (jade)Haast SchistOtago SchistCarboniferous – JurassicOtagoSchistHaast SchistChatham SchistTriassic Chatham IslandsSchistTorlesse composite terranePahau Terrane Jurassic(Late)-Cretaceous(Early)North and South IslandsGreywackeTorlesse composite terraneKaweka TerraneJurassic(Early)-Cretaceous(Early)Rotorua, Hawkes Bay, WanganuiGreywackeTorlesse composite terraneRakaia Terrane Carboniferous-JurassicNorth and South IslandsGreywackeMain rock type of the Southern AlpsTorlesse composite terraneEsk Head Belt Triassic(Late)-Cretaceous(Early)Wairarapa to North CanterburyMélangeBoundary of the Rakaia and Pahau Terranes.Torlesse composite terranePahaoa GroupCretaceous(Early) Wairarapa GreywackeTorlesse composite terraneClent Hills GroupJurassicNorth CanterburyGreywackeWaipapa Composite TerraneWaipapa GroupTriassic(Late)-Jurassic(Late)Northland, AucklandGreywacke and chert-basalt mélangesWaipapa Composite TerraneManaia Hill GroupJurassic(Late)-Cretaceous(Early) Waikato, AucklandGreywacke

Cover sequence (Zealandia Megasequence)