My Lake Taupo formation theory

 

I served for the Navy Hydrographic branch for 27 years.  I practically know the geography ashore and at sea of all Aotearoa (and Pacific Islands).  I consider myself a semi-professional geologist.

Between 1993 and 2002 I was posted to a shore post in the navy but spent most of the year flying to and from Dunedin, Christchurch and Wellington. After a few flights to the west of the Central Plateau mountains I noticed the shape of Lake Taupo. I knew the history as told (large Caldera Volcano Cone) and eruption around 3548BCE.  Doing my sums if Taupo was a volcano the mount would have been several miles high. Also, Caldera cones tend to have circular crater whereas Taupo is heart shaped.

My theory is that the supposed Taupo eruption was a celestial body flying from the East Northeast (over Tauranga) and crashing into the current lake area and disintegrating at the western shore’s areas.  The weakening of the Earth’s Crust from the impact meant volcano’s sprouted (Ruapehu, Tongariro, Ngauruhoe and Tarawera.)

Corroboration.  At the time of the impact, Egyptian hieroglyphics depicted a darkening of the skies for 180 days and there is anecdotal evidence suggesting a loud bang was heard.  Word has it Aboriginal tribes on Australia’s east coast depict a large tsunami (my guess is at least 15 metres) at about the same time.