James Hector and the first geological maps of New Zealand

James Hector produced the first geological map of New Zealand in 1865, based on local surveys by Ferdinand Hochstetter (Auckland and Nelson), J. Coutts Crawford (Wellington), Julius Haast (Canterbury) and his own mapping in Otago. Three updated versions of the map were produced in 1869, 1873 and 1884. Under Hector's direction, the New Zealand Geological Survey delineated the main geological features of New Zealand, but it was to be many years before the Alpine Fault was recognised and the problems of dating and correlating the older rocks were resolved.