Fifty-six thousand five hundred years ago Puke o Tara erupted. Its lava flowed south to the Otara Town Centre. Today we stand near its remains. This volcanic hill Puke o Tara also known as Te Puke o Tara or Smales Mount was once a significant site for Ngati Tai ki Tamaki. It was their pa a fortified village. For centuries Ngati Tai cultivated the land around Puke o Tara. They built extensive stonefield gardens.
The name Puke o Tara means hill belonging to Tara. Tara might refer to a Waiohua ancestor and taniwha. Or perhaps to the 19th-century chief Tara Te Irirangi. The area also held another name Ngakopi o Toi the karaka berries of Toi. This referred to a karaka grove planted near Greenmount by Toi-te-huatahi.
European settlement began in 1851. William Goodfellow bought Otara Farm. He built a homestead. Reverend Gideon Smales also settled nearby. East Tamaki became farmland. Crops like wheat were grown. Dairy farming became more common later. The Auckland Southern Motorway was constructed in the 1950s. This led to Otara’s development as a suburb. The New Zealand Government created a state housing project.
Puke o Tara itself was quarried in the mid-20th century. Much of the hill was removed. It reduced the hill’s height. It originally reached 89 meters above sea level. Now only remnants remain.
Puke o Tara’s story isn’t just about volcanic activity and quarrying. It’s about people. It’s about Ngati Tai’s history. Their connection to the land continues. It’s about the impact of European settlement. It’s about the creation of Otara a suburb built on the legacy of Puke o Tara. Let us remember the hill’s past. Let us reflect on its significance. Puke o Tara’s story is part of Otara’s story. It’s a part of Auckland’s history.