Twin Craters / Ngahopua Track, Lake Okataina, Rotorua Lakes

Walk #180, 17th Dec 2025

This walk is near Lake Okataina in the Rotorua Lakes area. The track follows a crater rim and leads to views over two lakes, Lakes Rotongata and Rotoatua. The views are better away from the viewing area.

I give it 3 stars because the views in most part are blocked by trees.

Walk: Rotorua 30

Related walk:

Lake Okataina

Links

Ngahopua Track (Twin Lakes Track)

I recommend the Te Auheke Track (Cascades Track) instead.

The NZ Motor Caravan site provides this helpful info:

Time: 40 min loop
Distance: 1.5 km

The track passes a sheer cliff face which is covered with moss and ferns. At night, thousands of glow worms can be seen. The picturesque Cascade Falls (around 10 m high) pour water over and around many rock protrusions and inspired the track’s name: Te Auheke means ‘tumbling water’.

Getting there: Start at the back of the field behind the Outdoor Education Centre.

North Egmont, Taranaki

Walks #165-167, 20th March 2025

There are four short walks around the North Egmont Visitor Centre.

The Nature Walk led on to the Ngatoro Loop Walk, a walk through sub-montane forest called “the Goblin Forest.” The ferns and mosses flourish because of the high rainfall.

Just behind the Visitor Centre is a historic camphouse, which was originally a military barracks during the land wars in the 1860s. It was moved to the site in the 1880s.

After lunch we did the Veronica Loop Track.

Before going uphill we passed the Ambury memorial, a memorial to climber Arthur Ambury who gave his life in 1918 in a heroic attempt to save his climbing partner.

The Veronica Loop track is a well-formed track. It goes up the mountain for half an hour and then there’s a junction for Holly Hut. The return walk via the loop track is harder.

Holly Hut Lookout

At the junction of the Holly Hut track, there’s a lookout ten minutes further up the mountain. We chose not to do it because of the lack of visibility.

There were no birds to be heard on either track, the forests were silent.

The trees are sub-alpine Totara (the red bark) and Kamahi. The trees with spiky fronds are Cabbage trees, the Maori call them ‘Toi.’

Walk: Taranaki 9

History

Te Kāhui Maunga, the ancient people of the mountains

The earliest ancestors of the Taranaki people were Te Kāhui Maunga – the people of the mountains.

Mt Taranaki was named after Rua Taranaki, the first in a line of chiefs.

Te Ara: Taranaki Tribe.

Related Walks

Dawson Falls Walks, Taranaki

Paritutu Rock, New Plymouth

Links

North Egmont Walks

Ambury Monument Walk

NZ Topo Map

Milford Beach to Takapuna

Walk #136, 21st Sept 2024

This was the first real day of spring after NZ and Australia experienced a polar blast from a storm in Antartica. It was a good afternoon for the walk between Milford and Takapuna with lots of people and dogs enjoying the beach.

We started on the sand at Milford Beach and further on we hopped onto a raised footpath which we followed around to Thornes Beach. After that we had to do a bit of rock hopping. The walk ended at the Takapuna Boat ramp.

Sections of this walk traverse private property, owners have allowed this. See the link below for information from the Auckland City Council.

It’s an interesting area geologically. There are petrified logs along the beach from the eruption of the Pupuke volcano 140,000 years ago.

On our way back we walked past Lake Pupuke, Auckland’s only remaining freshwater crater. The lake is only 200m from the sea.

Walk: Auckland 7

Lake Pupuke from the air, photo by Marianna Haworth

History

In the Maori tradition of the Auckland Mahurangi and Gulf Islands Districts the earliest people was “a race of giants”, known as Tipua, or Kahui Tipua, who occupied both sides of Tamaki Isthmus, at Mangere, Waitakere, and the North Shore of the Waitemata.

Mataaho, a deity associated with volcanoes, unleashed his powers, causing the home of the
Tipua to sink into a chasm, which filled with water forming what is now known as Lake Pupuke. At the same time, the island of Rangitoto emerged from the sea offshore.

The Tipua fled, but Mahuika, a goddess with “fingers of fire” pursued them and cast them into subterranean regions. The places where they sank are the volcanic craters on the shores of Shoal Bay called respectively Te Kapua-o-Matakamokamo at Awataha, and Te Kapua-o-Matakerepo near Northcote.

The Maewao, Patupaiarehe people

“Onemaewao”, the traditional name for Milford Beach on the mainland shore opposite Rangitoto commemorates the Maewao, who, according to George Graham, were a group of fairies who used to gather shellfish there, but later perished when “caught in the sunlight.” Local traditions state that the Patupaiarehe people occupied the Gulf Islands including Hauturu and Motutapu and travelled around the islands of the inner Hauraki Gulf between sunset and sunrise in their canoe Te Rehu o te Tai.

The “Traditional History Overview of the Mahurangi and Gulf Islands Districts”
Document Wai 1040 #A036

Links

Auckland City Council: Milford to Takapuna Walk

The Kahui Tipua: Wi Pokuku, a Ngai Tahu leader and teacher at the Moeraki Whare Wananga said Te Kahui Tipua (a race of giants) and Te Kahui Roko were brought to NZ with the Waitaha. That the Kahui Tipua came out with the Waitaha is also maintained by the South Island Wairewa tribe.

Rangitoto Island

Walk 8: Rangitoto Island, 17 November 2018

Click here for the video

Rangitoto Island, a major Auckland landmark is said to have formed over 600 years ago from a volcanic eruption. It’s a popular destination for a day trip as it’s a short ferry ride across the harbour.

A great view of Auckland and the Hauraki Gulf can be had from Rangitoto’s summit. Although there’s no natural water source on the island there’s abundant bush and birdlife.

Rangitoto panorama -2

I was amazed at how the trees have colonised the volcanic scoria.

Although at first reluctant to buy an island that was ‘all rock’, in 1854 the Crown bought Rangitoto from its Māori owners for £15. In 1890 the island became a public domain and a popular destination for picnickers and boat day trippers.

Baches were built in the 1920’s and 30’s. Most were taken down as the place is a reserve but some have been left. I’m glad these baches were left as they add a bit of character to the island. Leaving a plaque in memorial of a bach is not the same.

The Collins bach is still in use.

Walk: Auckland 55

History

Māori know the island as ‘Nga Rangi-i-totongia a Tamatekapua’ which translates to ‘the day the blood of Tama-te-kapua was shed’. Tama-te-kapua was the chief of the Arawa canoe which arrived around 1350. He fought a major battle with the iwi (tribe) from the Tainui canoe at Islington Bay on Rangitoto which was allegedly caused over adultery, and the fight that followed left Tama-te-kapua’s face bloodied and bruised.

Source: DOC, History of Rangitoto Island

The account of adultery agrees with what is written in the Journal of the Polynesian Society: TAINUI VOYAGES FROM HAWAIKI TO RAROTONGA.

“From Hawaiki they came with “Te Arawa” canoe; Ngatoro-i-rangi was the “Tainui” navigator. When they arrived at Rarotonga the people of that place were urged to come along also, that is to say, the people called Te Aitanga-o-Whakaahu, younger brother of Puanga; but those people said “No”—they would not agree to leave their ancestral home and come hither—so they were left behind; also Rakataura of the “Tainui” crew, because of his thievish habits. Riu-ki-uta was now the navigator, because Tama-te-kapua had taken away on his canoe the “Tainui’s” navigator Nga-toro-i-rangi, also that man’s wife Kea-taketake.”

——-

The date of 1350 for the arrival of the canoe seems wrong. How can Rangitoto be formed 600 years ago if Tainui and Arawa anchored there and had a fight? The answer is that Rangitoto Island was already formed and inhabited before the arrival of the immigrants from Tainui and Arawa. The inhabitant’s footprints are preserved in the ash of adjacent Motutapu Island. Was the 600 year date given for the formation of Rangitoto Island made to fit the arrival of the Tainui and Arawa canoes?

See my page on The First People.

The Ngai Tai ki Tamaki tribe have clarified the matter. Rangitoto erupted more than once. The footprints preserved in the ash of adjacent Motutapu Island are likely to be from the Maruiwi people.

The Maruiwi

The explorer Toi was there long before the arrival of the Tainui canoe, and when Toi Te Huatahi arrived in Tāmaki he found it to be extensively settled already by the Maruiwi peoples as firstly evident by the many occupation fires visible from his arrival. Hence, Toi called this land Hawaiiki tahutahu, ‘Hawaiiki of Many Fires’.

Peretū was a key Maruiwi ancestor.

“Peretū (pere, dart; tū, pierced) was so named for his father died of a wound in battle caused by a hand-thrown dart, a weapon that was commonly used by these ancient peoples. The headland where Peretū resided is named Ō-Peretū (Fort Takapuna). Peretū had other Pā across Tāmaki, one such in the North being Te Raho-Para-a-Peretū at present day Castor Bay, North Shore, and another in the south known as Te Pounui a Peretū (Ponui Island).

At that time Peretū utilised Rangitoto for the purpose of a “Rāhui-Kākā” (Parrot Preserve), a bird then very abundant on that island. The many Kākā would thrive on the plentiful bush foods of Rangitoto for the island was covered in a forest of Rātā and Pohutukawa trees. For this reason the slopes of Rangitoto are known as “Ngā Huruhuru a Peretū” (The hairs of Peretū) in ancient times and today. Note that this period precedes the second eruption of Rangitoto.

Some of Toi’s crew stayed and intermarried with Peretū’s people. Uika, Toi’s cousin, was one who stayed in Tāmaki and intermarried. Uika settled at present day North Head, known thereafter as Maunga-a-Uika or Maungauika.

Also in these ancient times was the name Ngā Pona Toru a Peretū (The three knuckles of Peretū) which refers to the three summits of Rangitoto. Peretū had three fingers on each hand; this was not a deformity, but a sign of his descent from a godly ancestor.“

Source: Ngai Tai ki Tamaki, Tipua, Tūrehu and Patupaiarehe

Links

Rangitoto Island

Auckland: The people of the ocean