Why does Australia have no volcanoes and New Zealand do? Australia has no active volcanoes because Australia is on a single tectonic plate (see image) Currently there are approximately 57-65 volcanoes in Australia and of these only one is active. No eruptions have been recorded in the last century. Volcanoes are located on the boundaries of tectonic plates. Because Australia is located in the center of the Australian plate and it is impossible for new volcanoes to form. There is evidence that Australia may have been on a fault line due to the numerous dormant volcanoes across the country. This gives us further evidence that Pangea also exists. New Zealand has many volcanoes because it is located on two separate tectonic plates, the Australian and the Indo-Pacific, which cut right through Wellington. In the North Island, the Indo-Pacific Plate lies beneath the Australian Plate. This forms a subduction zone as the denser crust goes beneath the less dense crust. In the South Island the opposite happens. Because of this arrangement of plates, it creates many unusual land features in New Zealand such as the Alpine Fault and the Puysegur Trench. New Zealand is also located on the Ring of Fire, a horseshoe-shaped volcanic formation in the Pacific Ocean. This means that New Zealand is home to many of the world's volcanoes. Benefits Living or visiting Mount Ruapehu offers a unique landscape created by this volcano. People visit the area for many reasons, such as skiing, hiking, kayaking, and mountain biking. These activities bring visitors to the region from across New Zealand and the world. Mount Ruapehu is a cone volcano that offers a fantastic landscape for skiing and being in the mountains. Tourists also came to see a 'live, act...... means of paper......plate that melts and becomes liquid rock or more commonly known as magma. When a magma reservoir forms, it will rise through a weak point in the crust, towards the Earth's surface. When this magma reaches the surface it is called lava. Mount Ruapehu Mount Ruapehu is a composite volcano. This means that it was formed as a result of eruptions that spewed lava and very viscous volcanic rock. Due to the viscosity, the rocks and lava cool rapidly, forming a composite volcano, giving it the shape of a cone. My Opinion I believe that when it comes to living near Mount Ruapehu, the problems outweigh the benefits. Most of the problems I have listed are potentially life-threatening. As Mount Ruapehu is one of New Zealand's most active volcanoes, these situations are likely. I believe that while there are some advantages to living near Mount Ruapehu, the problems are worse.