Castles of the Underworld

A spectacular look at the strange and wonderful world of New Zealand’s limestone areas. Crafted over thousands of years the rocks and caves hold a bewildering variety of decorations, wildlife and information that link the world below to the one above.

Produced by NHNZ

In this spectacular look at the strange and wonderful world of New Zealand’s limestone caves we examine how extraordinary creatures have adapted to live in total darkness.

The bewildering variety of these fantastic landforms is the result of a special chemistry between the limestone and water. The process that forms and shapes the stone over thousands of years also records a wealth of information which science is now able to decipher.

Episodes From This Series

Wanted Alive

26 minutes / 1992

Colony Z

24 minutes / 1986

The Black Stilt – A Bird Surrounded by Change

48 minutes / 1984

The Black Robin – The Chatham Island Story

48 minutes / 1990

Lost World of the Poor Knights

48 minutes / 1992

Castles of the Underworld

46 minutes / 1992

Wild Horse, Wild Country

51 minutes / 1995

City Under the Sea

47 minutes / 1992

Bandits of the Beech Forest

52 minutes / 1996

Battle for Breaksea

26 minutes / 1989

Snares Gift from the Sea

24 minutes / 1984

Up With the Birds

24 minutes / 1982

Same Time Same Place

24 monutes / 1982

Swan Lake

24 minutes / 1985

Kakapo – Night Parrot

24 minutes / 1982

Sealion summer

24 minutes / 1982

Possum a New Zealand Nightmare

26 minutes / 1990

Sanctuary

23 minutes / 1990

Pukeko

26 minutes / 1989

Invaders in Paradise

51 minutes / 1999

The Mangroves

24 minutes / 1984

Islands of strange noises

30 minutes / 1980

Island Eaten by Rats

24 minutes / 1984

Tale of the Crayfish

48 minutes / 1987

Land of the Kiwi

48 minutes / 1987

Gull City

23 minutes / 1990