Field Trips

We will offer a range of pre-, mid-, and post-conference fieldtrips to expose participants to the world-class geomorphology of Australasia. Each fieldtrip is led by 2 or more experienced fieldtrip guides, active in research within the fieldtrip locations.

Our pre-and post- conference fieldtrips cater for a range of budgets and timeframes, and those in New Zealand end or begin in Christchurch and/or near an international airport for ease of participant travel to or from the conference. Our mid-conference fieldtrips cater to a range of fitness levels and accessibility, and include poor-weather back-up plans (e.g. snow on roads).

Mid-conference fieldtrips

The middle (3rd) day of conference provides 8 fieldtrip options, exposing participants to excellent geomorphology within easy reach of Christchurch:

Coastal geomorphology; barrier coastlines and sheltered embayments – Kaitorete, Waihora and Lyttleton Harbour.

Engineering geomorphology; Landslides, alluvial fans, and other hazards along the Arthur’s Pass highway, Southern Alps.

Glacial geomorphology; The Rakaia glacial system – Canterbury Plains, Rakaia Gorge & Rakaia River.

Fluvial geomorphology; processes and management of major braided rivers on the Canterbury plains.

Volcanic geomorphology; volcanics and geomorphic evolution of the Banks Peninsula.

Tectonic geomorphology; Christchurch earthquake sequence geomorphology and impacts – Christchurch and Banks Peninsula

Soil development and geomorphology; loess deposition, erosion and soil geochemistry on Banks Peninsula

Karst and landscape evolution; Castle Hill basin structural geology, karst development, and glacial history.

Castle-Hill-Limestone,-Canterbury

Pre-conference fieldtrips

Option 1: A geomorphological tour across the diverse landscape of Tasmania (Australia) including alpine glaciated plateaus and mountains, lakes, rainforests, periglacial bedrock fields, fossil parallel dune fields, karst, and coastal environments; 4-5-days. Based in Tasmania.

Option 2: Volcanoes, rivers and coasts: the making and erosion of Te Ika-a-Māui - fluvial, coastal and volcanic geomorphology of Aoteaora New Zealand’s North Island. 8-days, Auckland - Christchurch.

Post-conference fieldtrips

Option 1: Geomorphic Impacts of the 2016 Kaikoura Earthquake - Ten years on. 2-days, return to Christchurch.

Option 2: Geomorphology of the New Zealand Southern Alps. 6-days, Christchurch - Queenstown.

Option 3: From Rivers of Sand to the Great Barrier Reef: The coastal geomorphology of beaches, sand islands, and coral reefs of south east Queensland. 9-days, Brisbane - Gladstone (Australia).