New Zealand Journal of Geology and Geophysics abstracts

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Geomorphological evidence for a Pleistocene barrier at Matakana Island, Bay of Plenty, New Zealand

M. J. SHEPHERD
H. D. BETTS*

Department of Geography
Massey University
Private Bag 11222
Palmerston North, New Zealand

B. G. MCFADGEN

Science and Research Division
Department of Conservation
P.O. Box 10420
Wellington, New Zealand

D. G. SUTTON

Centre for Archaeological Research
The University of Auckland
Private Bag 92019
Auckland, New Zealand

*Present address: Landcare Research, Private Bag 11052, Palmerston North, New Zealand.

Abstract  New Zealand's largest barrier island, Matakana Island, consists of an elongate coastal sand barrier of Holocene age that encloses Tauranga Harbour and adjoins an area of Pleistocene terraces and terrace remnants. The lowest Pleistocene terrace is well preserved, with a degraded marine cliff, vestiges of shore-parallel relict foredunes, and a parabolic dune. These hitherto unrecognised coastal landforms are analogous to those of the Holocene barrier and indicate that a prograded coastal plain underlies the terrace. The original landforms of the coastal plain are now mainly below sea level but survived the postglacial marine transgression because at least 12 m of tephra accumulated on the surface, preserving the topography, albeit in a subdued form. In a separate area of the island, the present morphology may reflect the former presence of large parabolic dunes of Pleistocene age. Morphological evidence indicates that coastal processes shaped the island during both Pleistocene and Holocene times, and that the Holocene barrier is welded to a Pleistocene "proto-barrier".

Keywords  Matakana Island; Pleistocene; terraces; relict foredunes; parabolic dunes; dunes; sea level; Tauranga Basin; barrier island

New Zealand Journal of Geology & Geophysics, 2000, Vol. 43: 579-586

0028-8306/00/4304-0579 $7.00/0 (c) The Royal Society of New Zealand 2000

PDF file of entire paper: medium quality (3599K); (scanned from paper original: notes about this process)

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