GNS Science emeritus scientist Dr Nick Mortimer, of Dunedin, was appointed to the voluntary role this week.
Dr Mortimer is not a total stranger to the geopark, having been involved in the past five years as an adviser and public speaker.
He was excited about furthering that involvement as a patron.
"It’s a new adventure for me and I think it suits the stage of my career.
"I’m very much looking forward to it."
Dr Mortimer said the role of patron was very fluid.
"It’s fairly open-ended. We’ll work things out as we go, really.
"I don’t have an active management role in the geopark, that’s pretty clear, but I can play a sort of advisory or a mentoring role."
Dr Mortimer is a Dunedin-based geologist with expertise in petrology and geochemistry.
Most of his scientific research has been around the hidden continent Zealandia or Te Riu-a-Maui.
"There’s no better place than the Waitaki district to illustrate New Zealand’s roots in Gondwana and the drowning of the continent."
He hoped the geopark would become "a magnet" for tourism in the district.
"It’s a real showcase for all New Zealand, actually.
"It’s New Zealand’s first geopark, so it stands out in that regard.
"Lynley [Browne, geopark manager] and Sasha [Morriss, geoscientist] and the board are very much leading the way on that."
Waitaki Whitestone Geopark Trust chairman Mauriri Kimura-McGlinchey said in a statement he was very pleased with Dr Mortimer’s appointment.
"His knowledge, reputation and expertise within the field of geology will enrich the geopark in a multitude of ways, from our reputation domestically to our standing on the world stage."
