Papatea Fault Escarpment

Since the rail and road have been repaired, the Papatea Fault Escarpment is the most blindingly obvious evidence of the 2016 Kaikoura Earthquake.

Visible from the road and shoreline at Waipapa Bay, this massive uplift of rock is technically the western part of the Papatea Fault, the rest is underwater and just as impressive. The 'strand' continues inland towards the Clarence Valley and was the site of many slips during the uplift quake.

This formerly rocky shore environment gained more rocks and pushed the shore eastwards when the ground rose up. Described as looking like a knife cut at the time the scarp is over 5m high, with the bottom part also pushed up 3m. Some of the underwater escarpments further out were much bigger, all mapped out by the NIWA research vessel Ikatere after the quake. Pictures of masses of Koura (Crayfish) Fish, Paua, Kina, and other sea life floundering out of water in the days after the shake were part of news broadcasts at the time.

You can park a short distance away and scramble the rocks. The coastal environment is constantly altering though, with the uplift becoming less obvious to the untrained eye as erosion contributes to the change.

NZPlaces would love to see your pictures of the Papatea Fault Escarpment