The towering Southern Alps - Roadside Stories

As the Pacific and Australian tectonic plates collide, they push up mountains -- including the Southern Alps, one of the world's fastest-growing ranges. These dramatic South Island peaks are home to the cheeky kea parrot and native alpine flowers. They attract sightseers, skiers and climbers -- including Everest conqueror Edmund Hillary, who learnt his mountaineering skills on their slopes. Mountains, http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/mountains Mountaineering, http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/mountaineering Edmund Percival Hillary, http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/biographies/6h1/1 On top of the world: Ed Hillary, http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/culture/edmund-hillary The Southern Alps and other axial ranges, http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/ecoregions/5 Aoraki/Mt Cook, http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/south-canterbury-places/1 Skiing, http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/skiing Kea plumage, http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/birds-of-open-country/2/2 Archival audio sourced from Radio New Zealand Sound Archives, http://www.soundarchives.co.nz/. Sound files may not be reused without permission from Radio New Zealand Sound Archives (Reference number sa-d-00502-01-s1-pm D502.1a). — Roadside Stories are a series of audio guides to places of interest on major road trips in New Zealand. Each guide tells the story of an attraction along the way -- its people, its history, its cultural and natural significance. For more information about Roadside Stories visit http://www.mch.govt.nz/roadside/