Te Ahumairangi Hill

Te Ahumairangi (Tinakori) Hill as a misty backdrop to the Beehive

Te Ahumairangi Hill (formerly known as Tinakori Hill) is a hill running for 38 hectares through the Town Belt of Wellington, New Zealand. It was renamed Te Ahumairangi Hill as part of the Port Nicholson Block (Taranaki Whānui ki Te Upoko o te Ika) Claims Settlement Act 2009.^[1] The suburb of Wadestown lies to the north, with Wilton, and Northland to the west and south-west, and Thorndon to the east.

History

Originally, the whole ridgeline was called Te Ahumairangi. During early European settlement, a road was built along the base of the ridge, and according to tradition, the Māori labourers had to work through their meal breaks. In Māori, tina is a transliteration of "dinner" and kahore means "none". The complaint became the name of both the road and the hill, and was Anglicised to Tinakore and eventually Tinakori.^[2]

The hill was an important site for radio transmission, with 45 aerials along its length at one time, and a receiving station at the peak. The latter was demolished in 1975. There is now a microwave repeater which handles South Island television signals and cellphone coverage.

Storms in 2004 felled hundreds of trees and required the removal of 10.5 hectares of pines from the steep lower slopes the following year. 10,000 new trees have since been planted. Further storms felled more trees in June 2013 and parts of the Northern Walkway across the hill are currently closed.^[3]

A new lookout and car park were opened in November 2010.^[2]

References