Park earthquake history

A historical catalogue of regional seismic events associated with the Piopiotahi fiord landscape

Recorded Seismic Activity and Earthquake History: Piopiotahi (Milford Sound) Marine Reserve

Access a chronological record of seismic events identified within the geographic vicinity of Piopiotahi (Milford Sound) Marine Reserve. This catalogue displays documented earthquakes, including magnitude, depth, and distance from the protected marine area. The data provides a historical view of recorded activity near the fiord, supporting a clearer understanding of local seismic context for this unique marine environment.

Explore Piopiotahi (Milford Sound) Marine Reserve

A colorful digital illustration featuring tall, steep mountains reflecting in calm, tranquil water with lush green trees in the foreground.

A fiord marine sanctuary sheltering deep-water corals, penguins and bottlenose dolphins in Milford Sound

Piopiotahi (Milford Sound) Marine Reserve

Piopiotahi (Milford Sound) Marine Reserve is a protected marine area covering 690 hectares of the northern half of Milford Sound, a deep glacially carved fiord in Fiordland on New Zealand's South Island. Established in 1993 and administered by the Department of Conservation, the reserve spans roughly 16 kilometres from the Milford Sound Village out to Dale Point where the fiord meets the Tasman Sea. Fishing restrictions also extend to the southern half of the sound, creating one of the more heavily regulated marine environments on the New Zealand coast. The reserve is shaped by the unusual layered oceanography of a fiord environment. Heavy rainfall from the surrounding mountains forms a freshwater cap over deeper saltwater, producing distinct depth zones that support a remarkable diversity of marine life. Delicate deep-water invertebrates such as black coral, soft corals, sea sponges and sea anemones cling to the steep inner walls, while reef fish, rock lobster, stingrays, fur seals and bottlenose dolphins inhabit the waters closer to the Tasman Sea. Possibly the most distinctive feature of Piopiotahi is the combination of dramatic fiord scenery with thriving underwater habitats, including black coral colonies and Fiordland crested penguins. The reserve is simultaneously a working scientific reference site, a conservation stronghold against invasive species, and the most visited cruise and diving destination in Fiordland. Its name itself carries cultural weight: Piopiotahi refers to the now extinct piopio, a native thrush driven to extinction by introduced predators, giving the protected area a quiet symbolic role in New Zealand's broader conservation story.

Location: New Zealand
Park type: Marine protected area
Established: 1993
Area: 6.9 km²

Piopiotahi (Milford Sound) Marine Reserve Atlas

Review Piopiotahi (Milford Sound) Marine Reserve events by distance

Investigate earthquakes near Piopiotahi (Milford Sound) Marine Reserve

Piopiotahi (Milford Sound) Marine Reserve’s earthquake view associates reported epicentres with its Fiordland waters by calculated reserve distance, without assigning seismic meaning to the glacial fiord, steep mountains, or marine habitats. Each record provides a date, magnitude, depth, locality, source, and distance for historical comparison without asserting ecological effects, present hazard, or future activity.

Magnitude

Location

This page describes catalogued earthquakes associated with the park by epicentre location and distance. It does not establish causation, assess current danger, or predict future earthquakes.

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Park atlas

Continue beyond Milford Sound's fiord marine sanctuary

Dive into more protected places after Piopiotahi

The Piopiotahi earthquake record is tied to a marine reserve beneath Milford Sound's steep glacially carved walls, with deep-water corals and marine wildlife central to its identity. Further park links invite broader discovery but do not imply shared fiord geography, marine protection, geology, seismic history, proximity, danger, or comparable sources.

National parkSouthland Region

Park boundaries overlap#1 closest

South

Fiordland National Park: A Protected Landscape of Glacier-Carved Fiords and Alpine Wilderness

Explore its vast boundaries and unique temperate rainforest.

Fiordland National Park, located in the Southland Region of New Zealand, is a testament to dramatic geological forces, featuring fifteen major fiords like Milford Sound, whose Mitre Peak rises majestically from the water. This protected national park encompasses an immense wilderness of alpine terrain, ancient beech forests, and numerous waterfalls, fueled by exceptional rainfall. Its inclusion in the Te Wāhipounamu World Heritage Area underscores its global significance for biodiversity and natural landscape preservation.

Area: 12,607 km²
Established: 1952
IUCN: II
Visitors: 500K annual

Fiordland National Park Protected Landscape

National parkOtago

20 km away#2 closest

Northeast

Mount Aspiring National Park: Glaciated Alpine Wilderness & Protected Landscape Atlas

Explore the U-shaped valleys and mapped boundaries of this iconic national park.

Mount Aspiring National Park showcases a breathtaking glacial landscape defined by steep-sided U-shaped valleys, active glaciers, and soaring alpine summits. As a designated national park within New Zealand's South Island, its protected status preserves a vast area of wilderness crucial for understanding regional geography and alpine terrain. This page provides an atlas-style exploration of its mapped boundaries and the stark, natural beauty that characterizes this significant conservation landscape in the Otago region.

Area: 3,562 km²
Established: 1964
IUCN: II
Relief: Mountain

Mount Aspiring National Park protected area

Marine protected areaFiordland

31 km away#3 closest

Southwest

Hawea (Clio Rocks) Marine Reserve: Protected Marine Geography in Fiordland, New Zealand

Mapping vertical rock walls and stratified fiord water ecosystems.

Hawea (Clio Rocks) Marine Reserve is an ecologically significant marine protected area situated within the deep waters of Hāwea / Bligh Sound. The reserve is defined by its dramatic vertical rock walls, tidal current channels, and the complex water stratification that sustains diverse black coral and reef communities. It offers a unique window into the geological and marine processes that have shaped the rugged coastal landscape of New Zealand's Fiordland.

Area: 4.11 km²
Established: 2005
IUCN: Ia
Relief: Mountain

Hawea (Clio Rocks) Marine Reserve Atlas

Marine protected areaFiordland

77 km away#4 closest

Southwest

Kahukura (Gold Arm) Marine Reserve: Marine Protected Area and Fiordland Geographic Atlas

Submerged rocky reefs and vertical rock wall landscapes

Located in the heart of New Zealand, Kahukura (Gold Arm) Marine Reserve provides a vital map of protected coastal terrain. Its unique environment features freshwater caps, tannin-stained deep water, and diverse marine topography ranging from sheltered basin ecosystems to vertical cliff structures. This marine area offers deep insight into the complex geology and conservation dynamics of the Fiordland region.

Area: 4.64 km²
Established: 2005
Relief: Mixed relief
Climate: Temperate

Kahukura (Gold Arm) Marine Reserve Map and Geography

Watercolor painting of a green, hilly landscape with a winding river or inlet and pale, misty mountains in the background.

Marine protected areaFiordland

91 km away#5 closest

Southwest

Kutu Parera (Gaer Arm) Marine Reserve: Fiordland Protected Marine Landscape Atlas

Mapped marine boundaries, stratified fiord ecology, and coastal terrain analysis

Explore the structured geography of Kutu Parera (Gaer Arm) Marine Reserve, a 433-hectare protected area located within the steep, mountain-flanked fjords of New Zealand. Gain insight into its complex underwater features, including vertical rock walls, estuarine basins, and stratified water columns that define this unique marine environment within the Fiordland region.

Area: 4.33 km²
Established: 2005
Relief: Mixed relief
Climate: Temperate

Explore Kutu Parera (Gaer Arm) Marine Reserve

Marine protected areaFiordland

103 km away#6 closest

Southwest

Taipari Roa (Elizabeth Island) Marine Reserve: Fiordland Marine Landscape and Atlas Map

Protected marine terrain and glacial fjord geography

Taipari Roa (Elizabeth Island) Marine Reserve is a protected marine area situated within the complex fjord network of Doubtful Sound. The reserve is characterized by steep underwater rock walls, deep kelp forests, and a unique freshwater cap that allows rare corals and glass sponges to thrive at shallow depths. This geographic overview examines the reserve's protected status and its structural role within the broader Fiordland ecosystem, highlighting the vertical aquatic terrain and surrounding islet environments.

Area: 6.13 km²
Established: 2005
Relief: Lowland
Climate: Temperate

Taipari Roa (Elizabeth Island) Marine Reserve Map

Marine protected areaFiordland

128 km away#7 closest

Southwest

Moana Uta (Wet Jacket Arm) Marine Reserve: Mapped Protected Landscapes in Fiordland

Exploring unique fiord stratification and dense marine coral habitats

Located in the remote southwestern reaches of New Zealand, Moana Uta (Wet Jacket Arm) Marine Reserve preserves a complete fiord system. The area is notable for its exceptional physical conditions, including high black coral density and a distinct freshwater surface layer that sustains diverse underwater communities across steep rock walls, reefs, and deep basins.

Area: 20.07 km²
Established: 2005
Relief: Lowland
Climate: Temperate

Moana Uta (Wet Jacket Arm) Marine Reserve Atlas

National parkWest Coast

183 km away#8 closest

Northeast

Westland Tai Poutini National Park: A Protected Landscape of Glaciers and Temperate Rainforests

Explore its mapped terrain and unique glacial features in West Coast, NZ.

Westland Tai Poutini National Park represents a remarkable intersection of glacial power and lush temperate rainforests along New Zealand's West Coast. As a protected national park, it showcases dramatic alpine scenery and the unique characteristic of glaciers descending to low elevations. Users can explore the mapped boundaries and the distinct natural landscapes that define this significant protected area, offering a clear view of its place within the region's geography.

Area: 1,319.8 km²
Established: 1960
IUCN: II
Relief: Mountain

Westland Tai Poutini National Park Atlas

MoriAtlas Explorer

Explore the Geographic Boundaries of Piopiotahi (Milford Sound) Marine Reserve

Trace the protected marine environment and layered fiord topography of this New Zealand site. MoriAtlas provides a clear look at the landscape context and scientific importance of this marine reserve within the rugged geography of the Fiordland region.

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Piopiotahi (Milford Sound) Marine Reserve Atlas

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