Welcome to the archive images of Tamaki Makaurau
 
 
Week 40
30 July 2003
 
 
Maungawhau
 
Located on the border between the suburbs of Mt Eden and Epsom, lies Maungawhau, the original name for Mt Eden and one the most famous landmarks in Auckland.  Maungawhau means "Hill or mountain of the Whau plant" and the name Mt Eden is in honour of George Eden, the first Earl of Auckland.  Whau refers to a small native tree of New Zealand.  This volcano's summit is the highest on the Auckland isthmus - 196 above sea level - which provides panorama views over Auckland and the Waitemata Harbour.   This was one of the reasons why Maungawhau was chosen by Maori as a strategically defensible fortress.   More than 1.2 million people and 270,000 vehicles visit this volcano every year.  Maungawhau has a complicated scoria cone structure with 3 main craters in a row.  Basaltic lava covered an area of 5.6 square kilometres.  Groundwater which soaks through the porous basaltic lava flows, resurfaces at Western Springs
 
 
 
 
Maungawhau is the principal triangulation station for Auckland surveys
and has been since 1870
 
 
 
 
One of numberous storage pits
 
 
 
 
More storage pits and occupation terraces.  Maori lived here until
the 1700's when the pa (fortified village) was abandoned
 
 
 
 
A view of the obelisk on Maungakiekie (One Tree Hill)
 
 
 
 
Manukau Harbour and Waitakere Ranges
 
 
 
 
Auckland Harbour bridge - connecting Auckland City and the North Shore
with Westhaven Marina in the foreground
 
 
 
 
Orakei Basin in the foreground with the Coromandel showing in the far back
 
 
 
 
The view across the crater towards Auckland City
 
 
 
 
A close up of Auckland City and Sky Tower
 
 
 
 
Devonport showing Mt Victoria and North Head with part
of Rangitoto Island behind
 
 
 
 
A close-up of Auckland War Memorial Museum in Auckland Domain
 
 
 
 
A friendly request not to enter the crater in three languages .......
 
 
 
 
.... sadly, many do, whilst others choose to obey and only watch
 
 
 
 
View towards the trig station and carpark
 
 
 
 
The largest of the 3 craters is known as Te Ipu a Mataahou, a Maori god
which means "The food bowl of Mataahou"
  
 
 
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