Lost in time lies Purchas Hill. Purchas Hill a scoria cone volcano stands near Mount Wellington. It wasn’t always the barren landscape we see today. Thousands of years ago Purchas Hill erupted. Wet explosive eruptions created a tuff ring. Later dry eruptions built the cone itself. The cone reached fifty meters high. It predates Mount Wellington’s imposing cone. However Mount Wellington’s eruption significantly altered Purchas Hill. Much of Purchas Hill is gone today. Extensive quarrying removed most of the volcano.
Purchas Hill holds a fascinating history. The Ngāi Tai descendants of Te Kete-ana-taua lived here. They often clashed with the Ngāi Tāhuhu who resided near Mount Richmond. In the mid-1800s geologist Ferdinand von Hochstetter named it. He named it after Reverend Dr Arthur Guyon Purchas. Purchas had helped von Hochstetter with geological work in the area. The remaining parts of Purchas Hill sit in Stonefields a suburb of Auckland. Purchas Hill Drive now occupies the space where Purchas Hill once stood.
Imagine the vibrant life that once existed here. The battles between tribes. The cone towering over the landscape. The volcanic activity shaping the land. Today’s quiet emptiness contrasts with the dramatic past. The volcano lies mostly dormant. Its last eruption was about ten thousand years ago. Purchas Hill is a reminder of the powerful forces that shaped Auckland. It is also a testament to human impact on the environment. Few remnants remain of this once significant volcano. A quiet testament to a powerful past. The story of Purchas Hill whispers of fiery beginnings and a quieter present. This once proud volcano is largely lost. Yet its story endures.