Didn’t U2 write a song about a place like One Tree Hill Domain? The song from the 1987 album Joshua Tree is indeed about this very place. It was dedicated to Greg Carroll. He was a New Zealander who befriended Bono in Auckland in 1984. Carroll became a roadie for the band. He moved to Dublin. Sadly he died in a motorcycle accident. The song references the night Carroll took Bono to One Tree Hill Domain.
Welcome to One Tree Hill Domain. It is a place of immense cultural and historical significance. This 182-metre volcanic peak offers stunning views. You can see both of Auckland’s harbours from here.
Maungakiekie is the Maori name for One Tree Hill. It means “mountain of the kiekie vine”. Maori also knew it as “totara that stands alone”. This area was home to the Te Wai o Hua tribe from the early 1700s. Other Maori tribes also trace their ancestry to this mountain.
Before European times, Maungakiekie was the largest and most important Maori pa. It is estimated that up to 5,000 people lived here. The chief Kiwi Tamaki used its strategic position. He demanded tribute from travelers. They passed from Northland to the rest of the North Island. The position between the Waitemata and Manukau Harbours was ideal. It offered a wide variety of seafood. The volcanic soil was fertile. The inhabitants terraced the slopes. This made One Tree Hill relatively easy to defend.
Around 1740-1750 AD the Waiohua were defeated. This was in a war against the Ngati Whatua. The pa was abandoned around 1795 AD. This happened after the death of Te Taou leader Tuperiri.
In 1845 the Ngati Whatua sold land to Thomas Henry. This included One Tree Hill. The government excluded 115 acres of the hill itself. This became One Tree Hill Domain. In 1853, Brown and Campbell bought Henry’s land. This became Cornwall Park in 1901.
Today One Tree Hill Domain is a 118-acre park. It is owned by the Nga Mana Whenua o Tamaki Makaurau Collective. The Nga Mana Whenua o Tamaki Makaurau Authority administers it. One Tree Hill Domain adjoins Cornwall Park. Together they create 540 acres of public green space.
The summit of One Tree Hill is always accessible by foot. In 2008 road access was closed at night. This was due to anti-social behavior.
One Tree Hill Domain is high and central. The city has long used it for water reservoirs. The first was built in 1900. Five more were built underground.
Cornwall Park adjoins One Tree Hill Domain. Sir John Logan Campbell gave it to a private trust. This was for public use.
In 2014, the volcano was officially named Maungakiekie / One Tree Hill. Ownership was given to the Tamaki Makaurau Collective. It is now co-governed by the collective and Auckland Council. This is for the benefit of the iwi and all Aucklanders.
At the summit is an obelisk. It serves as a memorial to Maori. A bronze statue of a Maori warrior stands before it. Richard Atkinson Abbot designed the stone obelisk. It was completed in 1940. The unveiling was delayed until after World War II. This respected Maori custom. They do not hold such ceremonies during times of bloodshed.
Beneath the obelisk is the grave of Sir John Logan Campbell. He provided money for the obelisk. His grave is a plain granite slab. It is ornamented by a bronze wreath.
Campbell believed Maori would die out. He thought a memorial would perpetuate their memory. By the 1930s, this was not the case. Some considered the term “memorial” inappropriate.
The Stardome Observatory is also within One Tree Hill Domain. It has two telescopes and a planetarium. The observatory discovered asteroid 19620 Auckland.
When Auckland was founded, a tree stood near the summit. It gave One Tree Hill its English name. Two accounts say it was a pohutukawa. A pakeha settler cut it down in 1852. The settler acted out of vandalism or needed firewood. A radiata pine was planted in the 1870s to replace it.
Maori activists attacked the remaining tree with chainsaws. They wanted to highlight injustices. The tree could not recover and was removed. In 2016, nine young totara and pohutukawa were planted.
One Tree Hill Domain stands as a testament to Auckland’s rich history. It is a place where Maori and European stories intertwine. As you explore this domain remember the past. Think about the future.