Taranaki (Egmont) volcano is an isolated steep andesitic stratovolcano located in the SW part of the North Island of New Zealand. Credit: PA The last major eruption of Taranaki occurred around 1854… We are in an unusually long (although not unprecedented) lull in activity. The western side of the Taranaki region is a volcanic landscape, constructed from the products of eruptions. It's estimated that the volcano has erupted over 160 times in the last 36,000 years. Taranaki civil defense authorities have begun training an army of 500 volunteers for when, not if, Mt Taranaki erupts, and for major weather events. Egmont Volcano last erupted about 200 years ago at the culmination of eight eruptions in the preceding 300 years. Contrary to popular opinion Mount Taranaki is neither extinct nor dormant - but an active volcano with a 50 percent chance of erupting within the next 50 years. Mt Taranaki last erupted around 1854, at the culmination of several eruptions in the preceding few hundred years. New modelling's revealed a significant eruption could knock out power to the entire region - and send volcanic mudflows to the coastline. Scientists are seeing an increase in the likelihood The last one was in 1655, so it's in the post. It is the second highest peak on the North Island and one of the most active volcanoes in New Zealand and has last erupted in 1854. Mount Taranaki has erupted in some way - usually between moderate and large eruptions - about once every 500 years. This is far greater frequency than previous realised. “Mt Taranaki began forming about 130,000 years ago and moderate to large eruptions have occurred on average every 500 years with smaller eruptions occurring about 90 years apart. Although the 2518m Mt Taranaki, New Zealand's second-highest volcano, has shown little or no sign of activity for two centuries, our new research suggests it has erupted at least once every 90 years on average for the past 9000 years, with a major eruption every 500 years. The last major eruption of Taranaki occurred around 1854. Both have been dormant since the early 17th century. The volcano has a history of avalanches and lahars, produced from explosive eruptions. The western 1500 km2 of Taranaki is a volcanic landscape that has been constructed from the products of volcanic eruptions principally derived from Mt Taranaki/Egmont (hereafter referred to as Egmont Volcano). Taranaki is the second tallest mountain on the North Island. Mt Taranaki is an isolated cone in SW of the North Island of New Zealand. 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