The structure and petrology of Mount Lookout, Awatere Valley

Abstract

Mount Lookout is a 6,000 ft basalt peak in the Middle Awatere Valley, one of three major valleys which trend north-east through the mountainous north-eastern corner of the South Island of New Zealand (fig. 2). The area is of considerable geological interest as it contains a swarm of over 500 dykes, several thousand feet of Cretaceous basalt, and over two thousand feet of fossiliferous Lower Cretaceous sediments. The area studied includes parts of N.Z.M.S. 1 sheets S34, S35, S41, S42. Access is by road from Blenheim, the Awatere road leaving the main Blenheim-Kaikoura highway 13 miles out of Blenheim. The road follows the river fairly closely for most of its 65 miles. In the last 30 miles the road crosses several large fords and is impassable in wet weather. The road gives access to the northern part of the area studied, and there are tracks which lead up some of the main river valleys. The higher part of the area is not easily reached and the most inaccessible part lies behind Mount Lookout and takes over four hours to reach from the road.