If you look at the map of the area, the bit that pokes out - Bank's Peninsular, has 2 holes in it - Lyttelton Harbour and Akaroa Harbour.
These are 2 very old volcanoes!!!!!!
Just sleeping.
No volcano is actually dead - they're just asleep.
I'm not a geologist or volcanologist but if you track the quakes, they're all in a relatively small area, very close to the old volcanoes.
I think, if we were living there, I would be packing my bags!
Robyn