Sasha Says - Website and Diatomites

Real Radio: Time to talk Geopark. Joined as usual by the Geoeducator Sasha Morriss. Sasha, what are we talking about this week?

Geoeducator: Hi, Dan. Yeah, this week I'd just like to talk a little bit about our Web site that we are continuously updating at the moment. Now, the Web site for people that don't know is www.whitestonegeopark.nz. Now on the web site you can learn everything about the Waitaki Whitestone Geopark right from the overall picture, to the development, to the history of Zealandia. So right down to specific individual Geosites themselves.

Real Radio: So there's lots and lots of information on here, lots of ideas for people to be able to explore the district.

Geoeducator: Now, today, I'd just like to touch very briefly on one particular area that's of a huge amount of interest to people and that's the diatomites. Now the diatomites are an algae. It's casing has been transformed into silica, and they form a very distinct layer within the Waitaki District. Now they're older than the Otekaike Limestone. So they're older than Elephant Rocks. And they were used extensively during the Victorian era for kind of parlor entertainment. So people would arrange them in various composition, arrangements I guess. They'd make beautiful, beautiful displays. Now you can come into the shop and we've got some pictures of some of those little arrangements. Now, also on our Website, we've recently put on a clip, a video that we've had made, that was, of course, voiced over by yourself Dan. It's been put together by Golding Arts for us, and that's on the diatomite in this region, its importance, and what it's been used for. So it covers right through from the geological history, right through to the Victorian era and it's use then. So it's a great little short clip. I suggest that people get online, get onto Facebook - have a look at it there, or you can come into our shop. So the shop is open Monday through Friday, 12:30 to 4:30. And we have a clip running on the diatomite as well, what is, its significance to the area, and its really important place in the social history of the Oamaru District as well as.

Real Radio: Great. Thanks, Sasha. We'll catch up next time.

Geoeducator: Thank you. Thanks Dan.

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Website of Whitestone Geopark