This is a popular track, suitable for children, which meanders sedately under castle-like limestone formations before entering a lowland tree line of tea tree, then on up to the denser and more familiar New Zealand bush to a vista at the end of your sedate walk, behold the sight of Hawkes Bays highest water fall at a significant drop of 58 metres.
Here your destination is to Shine Falls which in its self is an excellent reason to be here, its the majestic features of the limestone cliffs that greet and tower over you right at the beginning of your walk, which are equally impressive.
Limestone is one of the most common sedimentary rocks found in New Zealand. Most of New Zealand’s limestone deposits were formed some 23 – 34 million years ago, during the Oligocene epoche.
Eye catching features such as caves, sinkholes and stunning skyline landscapes, like those found here at Shine Falls, are often associated with limestone formations. Rocks, water and climate interact developing these dramatic landforms.
Overtime, all surface rocks are subjected to weathering and erosion, but in the case of limestone, it’s the chemical reaction of the calcium carbonate component with the slight acidic nature of water that gives rise to the limestone formations, caves, sinkholes or the towering cliffs and deep gorges dotted throughout New Zealand’s landscape.
So …..in case you are now bored to death, a couple of jokes to get you rocking!
Q: Mountains aren't funny....?
A: They're hilarious.
Q: Anyone know any jokes about sodium deposits?
A: Na
Q: What happens when you look up geology jokes?
A: You know you've hit rock bottom!