Maungakiekie / One Tree Hill summit becomes vehicle-free

The tihi (summit) of Maungakiekie / One Tree Hill will permanently close to all motor vehicles, including motorbikes and scooters from late next week.

The exception is continued vehicle access for people who have limited mobility and are unable to safely walk to the tihi; they or their drivers can obtain an access code for the gate for the day of their visit.

For those who can walk to the tihi, parking is available near the summit road entrance. Access through to Cornwall Park remains unchanged.

The changes were announced in early March and can now be implemented following the completion of the reconfigured summit road entrance.

Paul Majurey, Chair of the Tūpuna Maunga Authority says the changes are not about restricting access but rather enabling access in a way that respects the significance of the place.

“We know that the astounding 360-degree views of Tāmaki Makaurau from the top of Maungakiekie are prized by all who visit. This change is only going to enhance that experience. Taking cars away – with the exception of limited mobility folk - gives visitors a chance to think about the maunga as more than just a vantage point; on the short stroll to the tihi they have time to gaze over the ancient terraces, reflect on the history of this site, and hopefully feel a stronger connection to it.”

“We saw exactly that happen at Maungawhau / Mt Eden when we pedestrianised the tihi there in January 2016, and we believe we will see the same at Maungakiekie,” Majurey says.

The Auckland maunga were among the largest and most notable pā (fortified villages) in Aotearoa. Occupied by Ngā Mana Whenua o Tāmaki Makaurau for a millennium, they were the most extensive network of monumental and defendable settlements throughout the Pacific. They were home to many iwi / hapū, and were sites of birth, marriage, battle and burial.

Maungakiekie was one of the largest pā in the region and some of the best-preserved records of early Māori life in Tāmaki Makaurau can be seen there in the many terraces and pits shaped for dwellings, agriculture and defence.

The historic significance and the continued cultural connection over time sets the Auckland volcanic landscape apart from others around the world, and for this reason the Auckland maunga were placed at the top of New Zealand’s list for world heritage status several years ago.

“To Mana Whenua, the tihi of a maunga holds great spiritual and cultural significance and has always been a place to be treated with respect and reverence. Honouring these values alongside creating an enhanced experience for pedestrians is at the heart of the vehicle access changes,” says Majurey.

“The health and safety of visitors was also a consideration. The Maungakiekie summit road, which is extremely narrow in places, has long been criticised as one of the most unsafe roads for visitors on any of the Auckland maunga, with pedestrians, cyclists and vehicles all competing for space. Near misses are regularly reported.”

The Tūpuna Maunga Authority announced a decision in November 2016 that the tihi of Maungakiekie / One Tree Hill, Takarunga / Mt Victoria, Pukewīwī / Puketāpapa / Mount Roskill, Maungarei / Mt Wellington and Ōwairaka / Mt Albert would become pedestrian-only spaces. The changes were also signalled in the Tūpuna Maunga Integrated Management Plan which was publicly notified and the subject of a public submission and hearing process in 2016.
The tihi of Takarunga / Mt Victoria closed to vehicles in March and the tihi of Pukewīwī / Puketāpapa / Mt Roskill has had the ring road removed, reinstating a fully grassed area for visitors to enjoy.

Maungarei / Mt Wellington and Ōwairaka / Mt Albert will be pedestrianised this year.

More information about the Tūpuna Maunga Authority, including the Tūpuna Maunga Integrated Management Plan, can be found at www.maunga.nz.

ENDS

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