Last week I came across this article. It describes how out of the 53 volcanic peaks in Auckland, only two - Rangitoto and Motukorea/Brown Island - have not been altered or destroyed through quarrying and the removal of rock.
Having been born, raised, and still now am living in Auckland, I'm used to seeing the old stone walls and curbs in different neighbourhoods, and knew they were built from volcanic rock. However it never dawned on me that they were built from the mountains that were often present in those suburbs - torn down in order to pave roads, build fences, essentially furnish the cities, of the new colonial inhabitants to the area... When I was on Rangitoto last month, I wanted to find an interesting rock for a friend of mine, but had trouble because all the pieces I found just looked like everyday rockworks rubble to me. I guess that makes sense; now I know why. It's one of those things that you don't really think about in depth - of course scoria is rock, and it has to come from somewhere. But it didn't really dawn on me that it came from mountains, and that we are living in a city built on - and to a degree, of - mountains...
There's a lot to unpack there. While I will likely take a break next year from tertiary study, this history is something I want to dig into in my practice in my own time I think... hmm
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