Fossilized tree trunk at Curio Bay after sunset, Southland, New Zealand

It is quite hard to imagine that this place once used to be a thriving forest.
Until about 180 million years ago when New Zealand was still part of a super continent Gondwana. Massive event of sheet flooding caused by, at that time nearby live volcanoes, flooded the area and almost instantly turned the forest into stone. Stone turning must have happened relatively quickly, in matter of months, as the trees didn’t have time to decay. Thanks to silica minerals not only trees but also ferns were preserved for us to wonder over.

This is a significant coastal location not only for New Zealand but also internationally, as these types of fossilized forests are very rare.

I had this location in my mind for quite some time, as I wanted to get some new photographs of this interesting place so it was for sure that Curio Bay gets included into my Southland trip. I spend a couple of nights her, exploring around and managed to make a few images.

I have quite few interesting frames from here actually, but it was the mood and gloominess of this night photograph which I like and decided to make a post of it.

I hope you’ll like it as well!

Taken with Nikon D800E and Nikkor 16-35 f4 lens.

Photo: ©Petr Hlavacek – www.nzicescapes.com

This image is not online yet, but you can find more of other coastal imagery in our gallery Coastal photos of New Zealand

Thank you and Enjoy!

Another major type of erosion is known as plucking. When the ice slides over the downstream side of the bedrock, it can freeze loosened rocks from the bottom into itself and rips the rocks out from the valley floor and walls, changing its shape forever.