Mount Taranaki, together with its parasitic cone of Fanthams Peak, dominates the topography of the Taranaki Peninsula. The ancestral Taranaki volcano has probably existed for at least 130,000 years, repeatedly forming and collapsing over its history. The lava around Dawson Falls has been dated as 18,000 years old. The lava flows that formed the upper cone have been dated as no older than 7,000 years. Fanthams Peak has lava flows dated as 3,200 years old. The lava forming the dome of Mount Taranaki was emplaced in 1755 CE.