Remember the kererū. Early European settlers named this volcanic cone Pigeon Mountain. They saw many kererū feeding on the pigeonwood trees here. But before that, Māori knew it as Ōhuiarangi. Now we stand before Ōhuiarangi, also known as Pigeon Mountain.
This Tūpuna Maunga is an ancestral mountain. It rises 58 meters high. It is located near Howick and Bucklands Beach. It is part of Auckland’s volcanic field. This place holds layers of history. Let’s unravel its story.
About 24000 years ago, this volcano erupted. Explosions formed a large crater. A tuff ring spanned 500 meters. You can still see parts of this ring. Look north and east. See the houses along Half Moon Rise. They sit on the crest of the original tuff ring. Smaller craters also formed. One lies buried under Pigeon Mountain Road. Another forms Heights Park.
Ōhuiarangi has traditional names. One is Te Pakuranga-Rāhihi. This refers to a legendary battle. The battle was between the supernatural Tūrehu people. Another name is Pukepane. Ōhuiarangi means the desire of Rangi. It refers to Huiarangi. She was an early Tāmaki Māori ancestress. She was the daughter of Tāmaki. Her granddaughter was Maruiwi. When Toi-te-huatahi visited Tāmaki Makaurau, Huiarangi was prominent. She was a figure in the early settlement.
The slopes of Pigeon Mountain became important for agriculture. Extensive stonefield gardens were built. The hill was a location for snaring kererū. A defensive pā was constructed at the peak. Over time people settled here. They identified as the iwi Ngāriki. In the 17th century, the Ngāi Tai warrior Kapetaua attacked the pā. Later his people built a smaller pā on the hill. The hill was occupied until the early 1820s. During the Musket Wars, the Ōhuiarangi pā was evacuated. A tapu was placed on the land.
Quarrying began in 1913. It continued until the 1970s. The entire north half of the volcano was removed. Fencibles first quarried it. They needed roading metal. In the 1920s, the Shaw brothers worked here. They used draught horses to pull a dray. It was loaded with metal.
In 1848, John Campbell and James Smyth spread metal. They worked on the road from Howick to Panmure. They earned 5 shillings per day. At that time, the mountain was called Pigeon Tree Hill.
The 5-acre farm to the south belonged to the Fitzpatrick family. They arrived in 1847 on the Minerva ship. They lived in a raupo hut for two years. They had 12 children. Nine survived. The children attended Pakuranga school. Later Fitzpatrick bought more land. His farm expanded to 20 acres. A photo of the Pakuranga Cricket club shows six Fitzpatrick players. His original fencibles cottage was used in the 1960s. Two grandsons were caretakers of the sports ground. The cottage is now at the Howick Historical Village.
In 1929, a freshwater spring was uncovered. Water was piped to Howick. It cost £9340. In the 1960s, students found artifacts and skulls here. The north face has a 30-meter drop. A playing field sits on a scoria base in the southwest corner. A kindergarten and Scout hall are on the quarried side.
In 2014, the Treaty of Waitangi settlement occurred. Ownership of the 14 Tūpuna Maunga was vested to the collective. This included Ōhuiarangi / Pigeon Mountain. The land is held in trust. It is for the benefit of Ngā Mana Whenua o Tāmaki Makaurau and the people of Auckland. The Tūpuna Maunga Authority administers the Tūpuna Maunga. Auckland Council manages the Tūpuna Maunga under the direction of the TMA.
A plan aims to restore the hill. Native vegetation and wildlife habitats are being restored. Around 112 exotic trees have been removed. 33000 new native trees and shrubs are being planted. The work enhances sightlines to the summit. It preserves historic features.
Today, long shallow drains can be seen. They separated traditional gardening areas. These run down the eastern slopes. Terracing from the pā is visible on the highest parts.
Remember the name Ōhuiarangi. It means the desire of Rangi. It connects us to the past. It reminds us of the ongoing restoration. It is a symbol of Auckland’s history.