Kaitake represents some of the oldest inland volcanic activity on the Taranaki peninsula, being younger than only the Sugar Loaf Islands.

[1] Present-day seismicity and stress directions in eastern Taranaki are consistent with back-arc extension processes.

[1] The Taranaki Volcanic Lineament members as they decrease in age from northwest to southeast are:[1] "At the beginning of Hāwera time a fresh active center arose at Kaitake.

It shows no obvious structural relationship with the Sugar Loaves and appears to have been the first activity on a new line.

"[3] It can be postulated that all volcanoes in the Taranaki Volcanic Lineament have had a similar potential for instability and were stratovolcanoes of similar size and shape to the present Mount Taranaki between major collapse events given their debris plains.