HALSWELL QUARRY FROM THE QUARRYMAN'S TRAIL

Halswell Quarry lies on the northwest side of the extinct Lyttelton volcano. Volcanic activity between 7 and 9 million years ago formed the slabby jointed rock we know as Halswell stone. In Halswell stone, early settlers discovered a superb resource. The stone found here held great promise for building. Slabs were straight-edged, easy to shape and flaked off simply with a crowbar. Many notable Christchurch building were made of Halswell stone. Unfortunately many of these old stone building have not with stood the recent earthquakes and will have to be demolished. Hopefully some of this wonderful stone resource can be re used