The Hope Fault is an active dextral (right lateral) strike-slip fault in the northeastern part of South Island, New Zealand. It forms part of the Marlborough Fault System, which accommodates the transfer of displacement along the oblique convergent boundary between the Indo-Australian Plate and Pacific Plate, from the transform Alpine Fault to the Hikurangi Trench subduction zone.^[1]

Quick Facts Etymology, Coordinates ...

Hope Fault
Map of the Marlborough Fault System
Location of the fault in New Zealand
Etymology	Hope
Coordinates	42°45′S 173°04′E
Country	New Zealand
Region	South Island
State	Canterbury
Cities	Kaikōura
Characteristics
Range	Southern Alps
Part of	Marlborough Fault System
Segments	Kelly, Hurunui, Hope River, Conway & Seaward segments
Length	243 km (151 mi)
Strike	~073 (WSW-ENE)
Displacement	8.1–23 mm (0.32–0.91 in)/yr
Tectonics
Plate	Indo-Australian, Pacific
Status	Active
Earthquakes	1888, 2016
Type	Strike-slip fault
Movement	Dextral
Age	Pleistocene-Holocene
Orogeny	Kaikoura
New Zealand geology database (includes faults)

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The Hope Fault branches off from the Alpine Fault south of Hokitika and then runs in a nearly straight line for about 230 kilometres (140 mi) to the east coast of South Island just north of Kaikōura, with an offshore continuation of at least 13 kilometres (8.1 mi). It consists of several segments, from the southwest end, the Kelly Fault, then the Hurunui, Hope River, Conway and Seaward segments.^[1] It takes its name from the Hope River, which follows the trace of much of the Hope River segment.^{[citation needed]}

The oldest fill in the Hanmer Basin is Pleistocene in age, which constrains the development of the Hope Fault to that period.^[6]

The most recent earthquake on the Hope Fault was the 2016 Kaikōura earthquake, which ruptured part of the Seaward segment.^{[citation needed]}

The previous earthquake was the 1888 North Canterbury earthquake, which ruptured the whole of the Hope River segment.^[1] Alexander McKay, a geologist working for the New Zealand geological survey, observed horizontal offsets in farm fences of between 1.5 and 2.6 metres along the fault. He was the first to associate a strike-slip displacement with an earthquake.^[7] The longest segment, the Conway segment, shows evidence of past earthquakes, although none have been recorded since European settlement in about 1850. Investigations show that at least three events have occurred, the most recent of which is dated to between 1720 and 1840.^{[citation needed]}

All segments of the Hope Fault are likely to experience future earthquakes, the largest such events, a possible magnitude 7.5, would be expected from the Conway segment or the Jordan Thrust.^[8]