AUCKLAND VOLCANIC FIELD

Some cities think they’re tough just by living in the shadow of a volcano; Auckland’s built on 50 of them. The last one to erupt was Rangitoto, about 600 years ago, and no one can predict when the next eruption will occur. Auckland’s quite literally a hot spot – with a reservoir of magma 100km below, waiting to bubble to the surface. But relax: this has only happened 19 times in the last 20,000 years.

Some of the volcanoes around are cones, some are filled with water and some have been completely quarried away. Moves are afoot to register the field as a World Heritage Site and protect what remains.