Boulder Bank
The Boulder Bank is a very unusual naturally formed landform in Nelson, New Zealand. It is a long stretch of rocky substrate which begins at the Mackay Bluff and ends at the Cut of the Nelson Harbour. Haulashore Island was once a part of the Boulder Bank, but the Cut made it an island, and it is no longer connected to the Boulder Bank. The Boulder Bank separates Tasman Bay and the Nelson Haven and is managed as a scenic reserve by the Department of Conservation. Land access is gained along Boulder Bank Drive, signposted at the northern end of Nelson Haven on.
Geology and geography
The Boulder Bank is composed of granodiorite. The source of this rock is Mackay Bluff. It is still debated what process or processes have resulted in this odd structure. Longshore drift, however, is the most accepted hypothesis for creation. The main objection to longshore drift as the explanation is that Tasman Bay does not receive enough wave action to move the large boulders in a south-westerly direction. Studies have been conducted since 1892 to determine speed of boulder movement. Rates of the top course gravel movement have been estimated at a year.Image:Boulder Bank Pano.jpg|thumb|centre|700px|Boulder Bank panorama from Kaka Hill, December 2007