Harold Wellman

[2] In the mid-1930s Wellman began his geological study while working in mineral exploration for the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research.

In 1940 Harold Wellman first identified that the Southern Alps was related to a fault line which ran for approximately 650 km (400 miles).

[3] This displacement was inferred by Harold Wellman due in part to the similarity of rocks in Southland and Nelson on either side of the Alpine Fault.

[4] Wellman also proposed in 1964 that the Alpine Fault was a Cenozoic structure, which was in conflict with the older Mesozoic age accepted at the time.

This idea coupled with the displacement on the fault proposed that the Earth's surface was in relatively rapid constant movement and helped to overthrow the old geosynclinal hypothesis in favour of plate tectonics.