Maungawhau

Today we went out and about in our city. One of our adventures was a walk around Mount Eden. We had only been there once a few years ago, and that was before I had this camera, so I was especially keen to see it again! Spectacular 360 degree views of Auckland and its harbours are seen from the summit, and I got many great shots.


Maungawhau/Mount Eden is the highest volcano in Auckland city at 196 metres high. Being centrally located, it is both a prominent feature of the Auckland scene and a suitable vantage point from which to view the city and the other cones.

The Maori name for the mountain, "Maungawhau", means "Mountain of the Whau tree". Whau (entelea arborescens) is a small tree which occurs in coastal forests.

Mount Eden Domain is protected from damage, as an archaeological site, by the Historic Places Act 1980. During the period of Maori inhabitation, the lower slopes of Maungawhau were used as gardens and living terraces. Early Maori and European activity has already drastically altered the form of Maungawhau, and what remains is a precious tangible record of Maori history. One significant feature is the large, well preserved crater, some 50 metres deep, contained within the summit cone.