The Kilmog
Encyclopedia
The Kilmog is a hilly area approximately 20 kilometres north of Dunedin
, New Zealand
, on State Highway 1
, to the north of Blueskin Bay and south of Karitane. Technically more a series of hills than a single hill, it lies between the south branch of the Waikouaiti River
and the Pacific Ocean
, and reaches its highest point at the 431 m (1436 ft) Hammond Hill, close to the farming community of Merton. A second peak, Porteous Hill, lies at the southern end of the Kilmog, rising to 395 m (1317 ft).
The name is more well-known as that of a steep stretch of State Highway 1
, where this main state highway traverses a section of these hills between Waitati
and Waikouaiti
. In the five kilometre stretch from Evansdale, at the northern end of Blueskin Bay
, SH1 climbs from sea level to an altitude of 300 m - the highest point on the highway south of Amberley
in north Canterbury
. Most of the road is three lanes, with two lanes for uphill traffic on each side of the hill, and a passing lane for southbound traffic on a relatively flat alignment near the summit. The highway is sometimes closed by snow in winter.
The area is sparsely inhabited; other than farms around Merton only the coastal stretch is inhabited, with a string of small settlements stretching along the coast from Warrington
in the south to Puketeraki in the north, most notably Seacliff
.
The geology of the Kilmog is predominantly a basalt
ic intrusion into a raised section of the Otago peneplain
, the latter mostly Cretaceous
schist
, over which is a deposit of sandstone
with some quartz
. Most of the area is prone to slumping, which leads to regular maintenance for the highway. The instability of the land also lead to the disgrace of architect Robert Lawson
, whose Seacliff Lunatic Asylum
was structurally affected, and to the replacement of a railway tunnel on the South Island Main Trunk line by a cutting.
A narrow winding scenic alternative route by-passing the Kilmog follows the coast past the settlements of Warrington
and Seacliff
, but this is of a relatively poor standard and is not recommended for heavy vehicles.
The hill's name, though occasionally disputed, is widely believed to be a corruption of the Southern
Maori
word Kilimoko or kilimogo, the name of a species of manuka
tree used by early Maori for brewing a kind of tea.
Dunedin
Dunedin is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the principal city of the Otago Region. It is considered to be one of the four main urban centres of New Zealand for historic, cultural, and geographic reasons. Dunedin was the largest city by territorial land area until...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, on State Highway 1
State Highway 1 (New Zealand)
State Highway 1 is the longest and most significant road in the New Zealand roading network, running the length of both main islands. It appears on road maps as SH 1 and on road signs as a white number 1 on a red shield, but it has the official designations SH 1N in the North Island, SH 1S in the...
, to the north of Blueskin Bay and south of Karitane. Technically more a series of hills than a single hill, it lies between the south branch of the Waikouaiti River
Waikouaiti River
240px|thumb|Waikouaiti River estuary at [[Karitane]]; fishing wharf and channel to the [[Pacific Ocean]] at right, [[Matanaka]] headland at left background....
and the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
, and reaches its highest point at the 431 m (1436 ft) Hammond Hill, close to the farming community of Merton. A second peak, Porteous Hill, lies at the southern end of the Kilmog, rising to 395 m (1317 ft).
The name is more well-known as that of a steep stretch of State Highway 1
State Highway 1 (New Zealand)
State Highway 1 is the longest and most significant road in the New Zealand roading network, running the length of both main islands. It appears on road maps as SH 1 and on road signs as a white number 1 on a red shield, but it has the official designations SH 1N in the North Island, SH 1S in the...
, where this main state highway traverses a section of these hills between Waitati
Waitati
Waitati is a small seaside settlement in Otago, New Zealand, within the city limits of Dunedin. It is located close to the tidal mudflats of Blueskin Bay, 19 kilometres north of the Dunedin city centre...
and Waikouaiti
Waikouaiti
Waikouaiti is a small town in East Otago, New Zealand, within the city limits of Dunedin. The town is close to the coast and the mouth of the Waikouaiti River....
. In the five kilometre stretch from Evansdale, at the northern end of Blueskin Bay
Blueskin Bay
Blueskin Bay is an estuary in coastal Otago, about 25 km north of Dunedin.The name also unofficially describes the rural district which includes the northern slopes of Mount Cargill, the southern slopes of the Kilmog, and the townships of Doctors Point, Waitati, Evansdale, Warrington, and...
, SH1 climbs from sea level to an altitude of 300 m - the highest point on the highway south of Amberley
Amberley, New Zealand
Amberley is a town located in the Hurunui District of north Canterbury, on the east coast of the South Island of New Zealand. It is located on State Highway 1 approximately 50 km north of Christchurch...
in north Canterbury
Canterbury, New Zealand
The New Zealand region of Canterbury is mainly composed of the Canterbury Plains and the surrounding mountains. Its main city, Christchurch, hosts the main office of the Christchurch City Council, the Canterbury Regional Council - called Environment Canterbury - and the University of Canterbury.-...
. Most of the road is three lanes, with two lanes for uphill traffic on each side of the hill, and a passing lane for southbound traffic on a relatively flat alignment near the summit. The highway is sometimes closed by snow in winter.
The area is sparsely inhabited; other than farms around Merton only the coastal stretch is inhabited, with a string of small settlements stretching along the coast from Warrington
Warrington, New Zealand
Warrington is a small settlement on the coast of Otago, in the South Island of New Zealand. It is situated close to the northern shore of Blueskin Bay, an area of mudflats north of Dunedin and is administered as part of Dunedin City. Warrington is 3 km from State Highway 1 linked by Coast Road...
in the south to Puketeraki in the north, most notably Seacliff
Seacliff, New Zealand
Seacliff is a small village located north of Dunedin in the Otago region of New Zealand's South Island. The village lies roughly half way between the estuary of Blueskin Bay and the mouth of the Waikouaiti River at Karitane, on the eastern slopes of Kilmog hill...
.
The geology of the Kilmog is predominantly a basalt
Basalt
Basalt is a common extrusive volcanic rock. It is usually grey to black and fine-grained due to rapid cooling of lava at the surface of a planet. It may be porphyritic containing larger crystals in a fine matrix, or vesicular, or frothy scoria. Unweathered basalt is black or grey...
ic intrusion into a raised section of the Otago peneplain
Peneplain
A peneplain is a low-relief plain representing the final stage of fluvial erosion during times of extended tectonic stability. The existence of peneplains, and peneplanation as a geomorphological process, is not without controversy, due to a lack of contemporary examples and uncertainty in...
, the latter mostly Cretaceous
Cretaceous
The Cretaceous , derived from the Latin "creta" , usually abbreviated K for its German translation Kreide , is a geologic period and system from circa to million years ago. In the geologic timescale, the Cretaceous follows the Jurassic period and is followed by the Paleogene period of the...
schist
Schist
The schists constitute a group of medium-grade metamorphic rocks, chiefly notable for the preponderance of lamellar minerals such as micas, chlorite, talc, hornblende, graphite, and others. Quartz often occurs in drawn-out grains to such an extent that a particular form called quartz schist is...
, over which is a deposit of sandstone
Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
with some quartz
Quartz
Quartz is the second-most-abundant mineral in the Earth's continental crust, after feldspar. It is made up of a continuous framework of SiO4 silicon–oxygen tetrahedra, with each oxygen being shared between two tetrahedra, giving an overall formula SiO2. There are many different varieties of quartz,...
. Most of the area is prone to slumping, which leads to regular maintenance for the highway. The instability of the land also lead to the disgrace of architect Robert Lawson
Robert Lawson (architect)
Robert Arthur Lawson was one of New Zealand's pre-eminent 19th century architects. It has been said he did more than any other designer to shape the face of the Victorian era architecture of the city of Dunedin...
, whose Seacliff Lunatic Asylum
Seacliff Lunatic Asylum
Seacliff Lunatic Asylum was a psychiatric hospital in Seacliff, New Zealand. When built in the late 19th century, it was the largest building in the country, noted for its scale and extravagant architecture...
was structurally affected, and to the replacement of a railway tunnel on the South Island Main Trunk line by a cutting.
A narrow winding scenic alternative route by-passing the Kilmog follows the coast past the settlements of Warrington
Warrington, New Zealand
Warrington is a small settlement on the coast of Otago, in the South Island of New Zealand. It is situated close to the northern shore of Blueskin Bay, an area of mudflats north of Dunedin and is administered as part of Dunedin City. Warrington is 3 km from State Highway 1 linked by Coast Road...
and Seacliff
Seacliff, New Zealand
Seacliff is a small village located north of Dunedin in the Otago region of New Zealand's South Island. The village lies roughly half way between the estuary of Blueskin Bay and the mouth of the Waikouaiti River at Karitane, on the eastern slopes of Kilmog hill...
, but this is of a relatively poor standard and is not recommended for heavy vehicles.
The hill's name, though occasionally disputed, is widely believed to be a corruption of the Southern
Ngai Tahu
Ngāi Tahu, or Kāi Tahu, is the principal Māori iwi of the southern region of New Zealand, with the tribal authority, Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu, being based in Christchurch and Invercargill. The iwi combines three groups, Kāi Tahu itself, and Waitaha and Kāti Mamoe who lived in the South Island prior...
Maori
Maori language
Māori or te reo Māori , commonly te reo , is the language of the indigenous population of New Zealand, the Māori. It has the status of an official language in New Zealand...
word Kilimoko or kilimogo, the name of a species of manuka
Manuka
Manuka can refer to:*The flowering plant Leptospermum scoparium *Manuka, Canberra, an area in the Australian Capital Territory, named after the plant*Manuka Oval, a stadium in the above territory...
tree used by early Maori for brewing a kind of tea.