Pukekohe Hill
Pukekohekohe
Pukekohe Hill seen in a 1912 postcard
Highest point
Elevation222 m (728 ft)[1]
Coordinates37°13′44″S 174°53′36″E / 37.228917°S 174.893246°E / -37.228917; 174.893246
Geography
LocationAuckland, North Island, New Zealand
Parent rangeSouth Auckland volcanic field
Geology
Volcanic arc/beltSouth Auckland volcanic field

Pukekohe Hill[2] (known traditionally as Pukekohekohe)[3] is one of the most prominent volcanoes of the South Auckland volcanic field in New Zealand. The shield volcano erupted approximately 550,000 years ago, making it one of the youngest known volcanoes of the field.

Geology

Pukekohe Hill is one of the youngest known volcanoes in the South Auckland volcanic field, erupting an estimated 550,000 years ago.[4] It is a gently-sloping shield volcano, which lies near the centre of the volcanic field.[5] The hill is composed almost entirely of basalt lava flows.[1]

History

The traditional Māori name Pukekohekohe ("Hill of Kohekohe") refers to Dysoxylum spectabile, also known as the New Zealand mahogany tree, which used to be a prominent part of the native bush on in the area.[3] Prior to European settlement, the hill was important to Waiohua tribes including Ngāti Tamaoho, Ngāti Te Ata and Te Ākitai, due to the strategic views and quality soil. The northern slopes of the hill were home to some of the largest croplands (māra kai) for the Tāmaki Māori people who settled here.[3]

In 1853, the hill became a part of Te Awa nui o Taikehu, a reserve the Crown created for Te Ākitai Waiohua during land sales.[3] After the Invasion of the Waikato, the land was confiscated in 1865, after which the European town of Pukekohe was built to the north of the hill.[3] The hill is the namesake of the town.[6] People who had lived in Te Awa nui o Taikehu returned to the area in the 1870s, often working as labourers in the market gardens on the former lands of the reserve.[3]

In the early 1900s, the northern slopes of Pukekohe Hill became the main source of potatoes and onion crops in New Zealand. The soil was renowned for being fertile, as three annual crops of potatoes and onions could be harvested annually.[5] The hill is one of the most prominent landforms in Pukekohe, and the peak was kept as a nature reserve, in order to preserve the scenic view at the peak.[1] The peak is topped with a grove of mature tōtara trees.[5]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Hayward, Bruce W. (January 2014). Geological Heritage of the Pukekohe area (PDF) (Report). Auckland Council. Retrieved 6 March 2023.
  2. ↑ "Pukekohe Hill". New Zealand Gazetteer. Land Information New Zealand. Retrieved 21 October 2022.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Ngati te Ata (waiohua) Cultural Values Assessment Report: Auckland Metro Rail Programme – Papakura to Pukekohe Electrification (P2P) (PDF) (Report). Kiwirail Holdings. February 2021. Retrieved 6 March 2023.
  4. ↑ Hayward, Bruce W. (2017). Out of the Ocean, Into the Fire. Geoscience Society of New Zealand. pp. 207–211. ISBN 978-0-473-39596-4.
  5. 1 2 3 Cameron, Ewen; Hayward, Bruce; Murdoch, Graeme (2008). A Field Guide to Auckland: Exploring the Region's Natural and Historical Heritage (Revised ed.). Random House New Zealand. p. 271. ISBN 978-1-86962-1513.
  6. ↑ "This Is Us" (PDF). Pukekohe Business Association. Retrieved 6 March 2023.
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