What earth processes shaped the landscape of Campbell Island? Undisputed evidence abounds of the Island’s fiery past, a volcanic complex built on a foundation of ancient schist, overlaid by a 120–60 million year old sedimentary sequence of rocks. Strong wave-driven marine erosion has carved the majestic cliffs that bound significant lengths of the Island’s coastline. But the contribution of glacial erosion and deposition in shaping the current largely peat-smothered landscape is less clear.

A systematic examination of the glacial-like geomorphic features and exposures will be undertaken to determine their likely origin, relative ages, and the influence that the glacial history, erosion and deposition had in forming the Island’s landscape, and its possible impacts on the Island’s flora.