Pukekawa — the Domain Volcano

New Zealand is a land of volcanoes The springs provided Auckland’s first leading the Ngapuhi from the North and earthquakes. Volcanic activity has piped water supply in 1866. The and Potatau Te Wherowhero leading played a major role in shaping New Domain Wintergarden’s fernery occu- the local Ngati Whatua. A sacred Zealand since its earliest origins, pies a disused scoria quarry on the Totara tree planted by Princess Te around 500 million years ago. north side of the small central scoria Puea Herangi to commemorate the Auckland City is built on an active field cone. battles and the eventual settlement of of small basalt volcanoes. Forty-eight the dispute stands on Pukekaroa sur- have erupted within 29km of the city Maori Use of Pukekawa rounded by a palisade. centre over the last 150 000 years. The The Domain has been altered signifi- Later Use of Auckland’s most recent eruption, 600 years ago, cantly by contact with humans. When Volcanoes formed Rangitoto Island at the en- Maori people arrived in Auckland they trance to Auckland Harbour. Because cleared the land for gardens, particu- Pukekawa was part of the land which of the intensity of past volcanic and larly choosing the fertile north-facing Ngati Whatua sold to the Europeans geologic activity within the Auckland who by 1860 had drained and filled region another eruption possible. slopes of the volcanic cones. Later their descendants looked to more per- the swamp and turned it into cricket Auckland Domain Volcano manent settlements, so that parts of fields. A quarry was established at the north end of the scoria mound for a (Pukekawa) the hill slopes were terraced to provide family homes and storage pits as well time. The old quarry is now used as a Auckland Museum is built in the as gardens. The claims for land grew fernery. No sign of the old vents that Auckland Domain on the rim of a vol- formed the scoria mound are left. cano that erupted 100 000 to 150 000 stronger. Tribes and hapu sought wid- er occupation throughout Tamaki, its years ago, making it one of Auckland’s The volcanic scoria cones and lava gravelly volcanic soil becoming oldest volcanoes. The volcano began flows provided the only source of hard life with a large explosion or series of famous for growing kumara. From rock within easy reach of the growing explosions. The bank surrounding the about 1400 AD the higher volcanoes settlement of Auckland. Over the playing field with the Museum on one became defended hill forts, mostly to years dozens of quarries have active- side and the Hospital on the other is a protect the stored crops, while on the ly nibbled, bitten and gulped at our tuff ring made from a mixture of fine lower slopes terracing was extended scoria, or lapilli and original basement volcanic heritage to satisfy the city’s to feed an increased population, rock. A small lava flow to the west, out- endless demand for building aggre- including large numbers of colonial side the tuff ring in the region of the gate, road metal and solid fill. Today migrants. medical school and a small scoria about 20% (2 million tonnes) of New cone formed by fire fountaining in the Pukekawa was an ideal site for Maori Zealand’s aggregate for concrete and centre completed this activity. habitation with the flat swampy crater roads is quarried from Auckland’s The volcano consists of a wide explo- providing eels and plenty of water. basalt lava flows. The largest quarry is sion crater containing a small central Pukekawa means “hill of bitter memo- still actively digging into several thick scoria cone. The crater floor was ini- ries” and refers to tribal battles fought flows on the northwest side of Mt tially a lake. Over thousands of years, here until 1828 between Hongi Hika Wellington. it filled with alluvium and plant remains to become a swamp. In European times the swampy floor has been drained and smoothed to form playing fields. A semi-circular tuff ring, formed by the accumulation of volcanic ash, surrounds the explosion crater. The Domain duck ponds are fresh water springs, derived from ground water draining the Crater Lake and swamp. Pukekawa — the Domain Volcano

A self-guided walk

Crater Tuff ring Stand on the top of the tuff ring [A] by Reservoir the museum and walk halfway across Tennis beneath hill the playing fields [B] which are part of Tuff the volcanic crater. The museum is on S ring the crater rim, so is the hospital on the Explosion crater other side. Museum Explosion crater Central (playing fields) Now walk to the side of the lava cone (playing scoria cone A fields) D near the toilets [C]. B C E What rock is the lava known as? What S colour is the lava? What is its texture? Tuff ring S Tuff ring Walk up the scoria cone to its highest Kiosk S point near the palisade surrounding Rotunda Duck ponds Tuff ring the sacred totara planted to honour the F Domain S G Maori chief Te Wherowhero. Walk Drive around the top until you feel you have S Auckland Hospital looked at all of the crater [D]. The sco- H Grounds ria cone is almost central. S Nursery Tuff ring Why? Scoria cone I S High-ground tuff Show what the shape of the crater would look like from the air by shading Low-ground tuff Tuff exposure the outer tuff ring on the map. One part (on pathway) S Millennium Sculptures has eroded away. What caused the erosion there? The main vent is hidden — what happened Auckland Domain to it? Why were they placed there by council the tuff deposits on the right, beside a Fernery staff? big rimu. Visit the Fernery [E] through the back Basalt blocks were used to form steps What colours make up the tuff layers? of the Wintergardens. on the path [H] (as well as the edges of The green colour is not part of the tuff. What lava type was quarried here? many roads in Auckland). What could be causing this colour? Why do you think concrete was used Where do you think the stream lava blocks came from and who would have to line the bottom of the Fernery ponds Can you see any layers? What do you quarried and shaped them? and not the other rocks that are there? think might have caused the different layers to form? These rocks are not from the Domain, Duckponds but from another volcano near by. Take the Glade path uphill up the steps and back to the road [I]. Follow the road Walk between the two ponds. Cross Which volcano? the road at the kiosk end of the duck- back up past the Nursery. You can now look at the rotunda, the sculptures, and ponds [F]. Look for the “Forest Walks” Tuff deposits sign [G]. Walk down the track called gardens or return to the museum. A Take the right hand track just before Lover’s Walk. self-guided sculpture walk is available the second bridge over the stream. from the Museum Information Desk. Look at the basalt blocks that lie in the Just before the track divides again (the stream. Glade and Lover’s Walk Link), look at © Auckland Museum 2005