The Waihi Fault Zone is a seismically active area of the central North Island of New Zealand whose earthquakes have been associated with significant loss of life.

Together they make up the south western intra-rift faults of the Tongariro Graben in the Taupō Rift.

Some northern fault strands also pass through the presumed extinct Kakaramea-Tihia Massif volcano, although this is still associated with geothermal activity at the Hipaua Steaming Cliffs.

There is now good evidence from LiDAR that it extends to the north in a three fault complex another 14 kilometres (8.7 mi) on land or even beyond the shore line of Lake Taupo.

[4] Large landslides have occurred in the Hipaua Steaming Cliffs area of the Waihi fault escarpment and it is likely that some the large historical loss of life by New Zealand standards from these landslides has been related to earthquake activity on the fault.