Rising dramatically from Auckland’s landscape, Maungarei or Mount Wellington beckons. Have you ever wondered about the stories etched into its volcanic slopes?
Mount Wellington stands as the youngest onshore volcano. It formed around 10000 years ago in the Auckland volcanic field. It is the largest scoria cone in Auckland.
Before European settlement, this area was not densely forested. Instead, bracken scrub covered the land around Mount Wellington. The southern section had broadleaf and podocarp forests. Patches of clear scrubland also marked the landscape.
The isthmus south of Mount Wellington was settled by Ngāi Tāhuhu. They were descendants of Tāhuhunui-o-te-rangi. He captained the Moekākara waka. The area near the Tāmaki River shows evidence of extensive Māori gardening. Storage pits for root vegetables like kūmara have been found. This suggests the land was well-cultivated.
Mount Wellington historically supplied most of Auckland’s vegetables. This continued until the 1940s. Then, the land was turned into an industrial estate.
The traditional Māori name for Mount Wellington is Maungarei. It means “the watchful mountain”. Some say it means “the mountain of Reipae”. Reipae was a Tainui ancestress. She traveled to Northland as a bird. The mountain was used as a pā. You can still see food storage pits on its flanks. Terraced house sites mark the eastern side. The pā was occupied from at least 1400 AD.
Surveyor Felton Mathew named Mount Wellington after the Duke of Wellington. Much of the surrounding lava flow has been quarried. It was used for industrial aggregates. The large quarry once produced 7% of New Zealand’s roading aggregate.
Quarrying continued until 1967. After that, pine trees were planted. They covered the quarry face. The quarry has closed now. It is being redeveloped for the Stonefields housing subdivision.
A 45100-cubic-meter reservoir was built near the summit in 1963. It was the largest at the time. It is still the fourth largest in the city. The reservoir supplies the Saint Johns reservoir. It also supplies Glen Innes, Saint Johns, Saint Heliers, Kohimarama and Glendowie.
In 2014, a Treaty of Waitangi settlement occurred. The Crown and the Ngā Mana Whenua o Tāmaki Makaurau collective were involved. This collective included 13 Auckland iwi and hapū. Ownership of the 14 Tūpuna Maunga of Tāmaki Makaurau was vested to the collective. This included Maungarei or Mount Wellington.
The land is held in trust. It is for the common benefit of Ngā Mana Whenua o Tāmaki Makaurau. It is also for the other people of Auckland. The Tūpuna Maunga o Tāmaki Makaurau Authority administers the Tūpuna Maunga. Auckland Council manages the mountains under the Authority’s direction.
Since 2018, the summit of Maungarei has been accessible to pedestrians only. A barrier was installed across the access road.
As you stand here on Mount Wellington, remember its layered past. From ancient Māori settlements to its role in Auckland’s water supply, this maunga has played many parts. Its story continues to evolve, connecting the past with the present.