Learn a little about the Lake Taupo volcanic region, or use these pages as a reference for the volcanoes and geothermal areas you have already discovered with Helistar Helicopters Scenic Flights.

The North Island of New Zealand is on the edge of the Australian Plate - one of the pieces of the earths crust. To the east is the Pacific Plate, which is sliding underneath the North Island at about the speed your fingernail grows. The friction between these two plates creates enough heat to melt the rocks and in places this molten rock (magma) escapes to the surface creating a volcano. This heat source also creates the many colourful hot springs, boiling mud pools and geysers... PAGE 2