Wikipedia

Kakepuku

Kakepuku (Te Kakepuku ō Kahu[2]) is a volcanic cone which rises from the plain between the Waipā and Puniu rivers, about 3 km (2 mi) NW of Te Kawa[3] and 8 km (5 mi) SW of Te Awamutu in the Waikato region of New Zealand's North Island.

Kakepuku
Kakepuku from the south as seen from the North Island Main Trunk railway (Dec 2011)
Highest point
Elevation449 m (1,473 ft)[1]
Prominence394 m (1,293 ft) Edit this on Wikidata
Coordinates38° 3' 57.51"S, 175° 14' 59.6358"E
Naming
English translationascending belly of Kahurere (flying cloak or hawk)
Geography
LocationNorth Island, New Zealand
Topo mapBE33 Pirongia http://www.topomap.co.nz/NZTopoMap/nz53324
Geology
Age of rockPliocene
Mountain typeVolcano (extinct)
Last eruption2.5 million years ago
Climbing
Easiest routefrom Kakepuku Rd

History edit

Kakepuku was named Te Kakepuku ō Kahu ('the hill over which Kahu climbed') by Kahupeka, the bereaved widow of Uenga (decendent of Hoturoa, ariki of the Tainui waka). Following Uenga's death, Kahupeka left Kāwhia and set forth with her son Rākamaomao, naming many peaks across the Waikato region.[4] Kakepuku translates as: 'to climb the swollen belly'. In Māori pūrākau (legend), Kakepuku travelled north in search of his father, until he reached the Waipa plain and fell in love with Te Kawa, daughter of Pirongia and Taupiri Mountains. However, he had a rival in Karewa, who also stood nearby. The mountains fought, Karewa lost and, pursued by Kakepuku's rocks, fled into the Tasman Sea, now also known as Kārewa / Gannet Island. So Kakepuku remains guarding Te Kawa.

DOC says, "Tainui settlement in the Kakepuku area began about 1550AD, although there were probably earlier people's present - notably Ngati Kahupungapunga (see history of Tokoroa)." It is in the Ngāti Maniapoto area (see also http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/ngati-maniapoto/1). Four pā sites are hidden under forest or regenerating bush.[5] The District Plan lists 40 sites of pits, terraces and pās on Kakepuku,[6] predominantly on the north side.[7] Ferdinand Hochstetter, who visited in 1859, said the top of the mountain was known as Hikurangi, arch of heaven.[8]

Waipa County Council built the lookout tower in 1977.[9]

Geology edit

 
Kakepuku (2nd pink area from bottom right) is one of a line of volcanoes in the Alexandra Volcanics. This map is geologically out of date.

Kakepuku (449 m asl) is a basaltic dome volcano located at the eastern edge of the Alexandra Volcanic Group, a Plio-Pleistocene volcanic field stretching from Waikeria to the Whāingaroa-Karioi area.[10] Alongside Te Kawa, the Kakepuku dome was constructed during two distinct stages of eruptions at 2.7 and 2.3 million years ago,[11] with most of the dome apparently constructed during the initial eruptive phase. Most of the volcano is composed of ankaramite basalt, a rare type of lava with megacrysts of clinopyroxene that is also found on Karioi, Mount Pirongia and Te Kawa. The steep dome structure of Kakepuku is the result of the high viscosity of its ankaramite lava. The chemical composition of Kakepuku's lavas indicate an origin from the subducted Pacific slab.[12] Aeromagnetic survey data indicates that numerous other small volcanoes lie buried beneath river sediment to the west and southwest of Kakepuku.[13]

Walking track edit

DOC says,[14] "From the car park there is a new walking track to the summit. This incorporates the mountain biking track for part of the way. This track is an old farm road and is of an even gradient. The bottom 3/4 of this track is also able to be used by mountain bikers. Once at the top continue along a ridge through a fine remnant of original forest in the ancient crater and finally onto the summit itself (449 m, marked with a trig)."

Conservation edit

Kakepuku Mountain Conservation Project covers 198 ha including Kakepuku Mountain Historic Reserve (administered by DOC), adjacent Waipa District Council reserve and private land. The project was established in 1995 out of concern for the health of native bush on Kakepuku Maunga. The aim has been to reduce possum, rat and goat populations to levels where minimal impact on forest and native birds would occur. 30 North Island robins were reintroduced in 1999 and later the New Zealand falcon, weedy portions on the fringe of the mountain were replanted with native plants and tūī and kererū are also present. Plants in the reserve include tawa, rewarewa, kohekohe, mangeao and pukatea.[15] Kakepuku also has filmy fern and king fern. Gold-striped gecko and Auckland green gecko are also on the mountain.[16]

Gallery edit

  •  
    Kakepuku summit lookout tower - Pirongia, Maungatautari, Lake Ngaroto and Mount Tarawera are among the places visible from the top
  •  
    The lookout was rebuilt in 2014. It had been closed for a while due to rot
  •  
    Kakepuku from the north as seen from the Karamu Walkway
  •  
    Kakepuku (449m) from the west, as seen from Wharauroa (850m), Mount Pirongia
  •  
    Kakepuku and Te Kawa from Ouruwhero Rd (south)
  •  
    View to west of Te Kawa tuff ring (foreground), Kakepuku (middle distance) and Pirongia in distance

References edit

  1. ^ "Waitomotomo Stream, Waikato - NZ Topo Map". topomap.co.nz. Retrieved 2015-06-24.
  2. ^ Board., New Zealand Geographic Board. New Zealand Lottery Grants (1990). He korero pūrākau mo ngā taunahanahatanga a ngā tūpuna = Place names of the ancestors, a Maori oral history atlas. New Zealand Geographic Board. ISBN 0-477-00049-5. OCLC 945230809.
  3. ^ "Te Kawa, Waikato". NZ Topo Map. Retrieved 2019-05-07.
  4. ^ Board., New Zealand Geographic Board. New Zealand Lottery Grants (1990). He korero pūrākau mo ngā taunahanahatanga a ngā tūpuna = Place names of the ancestors, a Maori oral history atlas. New Zealand Geographic Board. ISBN 0-477-00049-5. OCLC 945230809.
  5. ^ "New Zealand historic heritage: Our work". doc.govt.nz. Retrieved 2015-06-24.
  6. ^ "Appendix N3 - Archaeological Sites". Waipa District Plan. 1 November 2016.
  7. ^ "NZAA Site Viewer". archsite.eaglegis.co.nz. Retrieved 2021-06-29.
  8. ^ "1867 - von Hochstetter, Ferdinand. New Zealand - CHAPTER XV: The Waipa and the West Coast". www.enzb.auckland.ac.nz. Retrieved 2021-06-29.
  9. ^ Jane Luiten (January 2011). "Local Government in Te Rohe Potae" (PDF). Waitangi Tribunal.
  10. ^ Briggs, R. M. (January 1983). "Distribution, form, and structural control of the Alexandra Volcanic Group, North Island, New Zealand". New Zealand Journal of Geology and Geophysics. 26 (1): 47–55. doi:10.1080/00288306.1983.10421521. ISSN 0028-8306.
  11. ^ Briggs, R. M.; Itaya, T.; Lowe, D. J.; Keane, A. J. (October 1989). "Ages of the Pliocene—Pleistocene Alexandra and Ngatutura Volcanics, western North Island, New Zealand, and some geological implications". New Zealand Journal of Geology and Geophysics. 32 (4): 417–427. doi:10.1080/00288306.1989.10427549. hdl:10289/5260. ISSN 0028-8306.
  12. ^ McLeod, O.E.; Brenna, M.; Briggs, R.M.; Pittari, A. (January 2022). "Slab tear as a cause of coeval arc-intraplate volcanism in the Alexandra Volcanic Group, New Zealand". Lithos. 408–409: 106564. Bibcode:2022Litho.40806564M. doi:10.1016/j.lithos.2021.106564. ISSN 0024-4937. S2CID 245091601.
  13. ^ McLeod, Oliver Emerson. Geology of the Karioi Volcano, Aotearoa. [In prep]. Geoscience Society of New Zealand.
  14. ^ "Kakepuku Track: Walking and tramping in Kakepuku Mountain Historic Reserve". doc.govt.nz. Retrieved 2015-06-24.
  15. ^ "Volunteer: Getting involved". doc.govt.nz. Retrieved 2015-06-24.
  16. ^ "Technical Report 2013/16 Significant natural areas of the Waipa district: terrestrial and wetland ecosystems" (PDF). Waikato Regional Council.

External links edit

38°04′S 175°15′E / 38.067°S 175.250°E / -38.067; 175.250

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