31:
163:
171:
518:, subject to protection. Additional watersheds were added over the following decades, to create a Crown conservation reserve in excess of 250,000 acres. The scenic beauty of the Tararua Range made the mountains a popular subject for paintings during the Victorian period – though largely romanticized and usually undertaken from a distance. By the 1920s, with the neighbouring countryside largely settled, the potential of the range as an area for outdoor recreation rather than for exploitation began to be recognised.
596:
527:
663:. The group was noticed to be missing after a week, at which time a search developed that eventually involved roughly 200 people and solicited many donations from members of the public. The search was the first in New Zealand to involve radio communications and aircraft, and is generally considered to be one of the major contributing events towards the formation of New Zealand's voluntary Land Search and Rescue service (
613:
77:
254:
of a level plain. About 10 million years ago parts of this relatively low-lying area were thrust up, creating a mountainous backbone for the southern part of the North Island. Subsequent erosion contributed to the present pattern of parallel ranges divided by deep river valleys. The ranges provide a back-drop for the
658:
went missing for more than two weeks during an attempt to traverse from Te
Matawai Hut to Mount Holdsworth during winter. An accident while sidling the Broken Axe Pinnacles prevented the group getting to Mt Holdsworth in a day as planned. Then bad weather forced them off the ridge tops. It took more
513:
Hapuakorari, the exact location of which remained uncertain. European settlers, like their Māori counterparts, found the steep ridges and deep valleys of the
Tararua Range difficult of access and intimidating in scale. The range accordingly escaped the development of the fertile plains that bordered
253:
to
Wellington. A number of ranges radiate out from the mountains, the largest of which is the Main Range linking the twin clusters of northern and southern peaks. The summits of the ranges average between 1,300 and 1,500 metres in height. This consistency indicates that the region was once part
695:
The
Tararua Mountain Race, following a track of 35.4 km (22.0 mi), from Kaitoke to Ōtaki Forks, has been held annually since 1990. The running race involves a total ascent of 2,250 m (7,380 ft) plus a slightly longer descent, and requires the deployment of 50 volunteers as
413:
to the south. These are the source of an annual rainfall of approximately 5,000 mm, resulting in the dominance of conifers, ferns and shrubs on the western side of the ranges. By contrast, the pattern on the eastern side is one of open beech forest in a drier environment. In spite of a
248:
The
Tararua Range is divided into two distinct northern and southern regions. Each of these is dominated by a central mountain peak: Arete in the north and Hector in the south. A total of ten rivers rise on the mountain slopes, providing water for the surrounding rural and urban areas from
508:
In the 1870s a large portion of the ranges was sold to the New
Zealand Government by a coalition of the Iwi in possession of the surrounding region. Specifically excluded from this "Tararua Block" purchase was an area of 1,000 acres reserved to protect the
603:
The hills include 6 campsites. They are accessible by car, although visitors may need to travel over gravel roads that contain occasional fords. Campsites are generally located within the foothills of the range, alongside a river or stream.
675:
A combination of steep terrain, dense bush, difficult river crossings and changeable winter weather conditions has caused over twenty-two tramping deaths in the
Tararua Range since 1970, most recently one in January 2023.
578:
location for the greater
Wellington district. It is one of the most frequently entered ranges in the country, with between 120,000 and 150,000 people visiting each year. Among the many tramping tracks is the well-known
469:
The rugged terrain and frequently harsh weather of the
Tararua Range served to discourage any substantial attempt at penetration by early Māori. Although there is archaeological evidence of exploration by
474:
hunters as early as the twelfth century, the mountains remained a massive physical divide between the tribal settlements located along rivers, lakes and coastlines to the east and west. Some of the
806:
If you think the vegetation of the
Tararua Range is just gloomy bush, impenetrable leatherwood, and wet snow tussocks on the mist-shrouded tops you will be pleasantly surprised if you look closer.
696:
marshals, search and rescue teams, first aid helpers, and support staff. It frequently encounters adverse weather and is not regarded as a suitable event for inexperienced participants.
667:). It was covered intensely by media at the time, and when the group finally returned they sparked strong public debate regarding the responsibilities of those who enter the wilderness.
620:
The Tararua Range is significant in the history of tramping in New Zealand, due to its accessibility for people in Wellington and nearby towns. Two of the most popular tracks are the
542:
and extends from the Pahiatua Track in the north, to the Rimutaka Saddle in the south. The main entrance on the eastern side of the ranges is at Holdsworth, and on the west side from
445:
and miro indigenous woodlands. Further south species such as beech are widely seen. Finally, along the west slopes of the ranges facing the Tasman Sea, mixed native species such as
789:
1084:
650:
233:
1096:
1090:
996:
478:(early Māori settlers on the neighbouring Kāpiti Coast) are reputed to have taken refuge in the Tararua mountains after they were displaced by the
115:
240:
at 1,529 m (5,016 ft), which is named after the scientist Sir James Hector. Its Māori name is Pukemoumou, or 'hill of desolation'.
914:
1122:
1132:
883:
910:
422:
on mist-shrouded tops, the Tararua Range has a wide diversity of vegetation, ranging from alpine tussock grasslands and subalpine
1117:
493:(fairy folk) of the Tarurua Range. In the 1820s the Muaūpoko in turn were forced to flee to the ranges when under attack by the
539:
1062:
827:
773:
621:
1127:
514:
on it. In 1881 36,000 acres of the Tararua Block, including key catchment areas for four rivers, was classified as
888:
680:
419:
1032:
108:
501:. In spite of such intrusions, the mountain range remained the home of distant gods or hostile wild men (
237:
401:
Other notable peaks in the range are Jumbo Peak (1,405 m) and Mount Holdsworth (1,470 m).
162:
229:
409:
The western slopes of the ranges are subject to prevailing moisture-carrying winds, channelled by
664:
575:
170:
1112:
96:
30:
450:
8:
705:
625:
535:
218:
266:
The 15 peaks in the Tararua Range of 1,500 m or higher are (from north to south):
225:
52:
1058:
823:
769:
684:
580:
101:
733:
563:
554:
The only all-weather road right across the range is the Pahiatua Track, which joins
214:
555:
415:
250:
198:
1052:
1036:
648:
In April 1933, the Tararua Range was the focus of what later came to be known as
197:
The Tararua Range runs northeast–southwest for 80 km (50 mi) from near
944:
538:
covers more than three-quarters of the Tararua Range. It is administered by the
255:
660:
206:
150:
76:
633:
595:
543:
1106:
489:(tribal groups). The Ngati Mamoe survivors attained a mythical status as the
210:
154:
130:
117:
515:
498:
490:
191:
526:
494:
510:
475:
442:
410:
202:
583:
running from Ōtaki Forks in the west, over Mount Hector and exiting via
483:
441:
The forest in the northern part of the Tararua Range consists mainly of
655:
566:
road was permanently closed in 2017 due to recurring large landslides.
687:
and a friend Marcella Jackson, who died of hypothermia in June 2009.
637:
629:
479:
458:
431:
36:
454:
559:
654:
when Mr. Eric Hill, Miss Morva Williams, Mr. Bert O’Keefe and Dr.
209:
begins. It is separated in the north from the southern end of the
1029:
970:
612:
584:
232:) at 1,570 m (5,150 ft). Other prominent peaks include
505:). As such, it was a special place to be respected but avoided.
435:
427:
59:
502:
423:
659:
than two weeks for them to find a route down the untracked
446:
679:
Other deaths included those of the Chief Executive of the
414:
reputation of being composed of gloomy bush, impenetrable
616:
Waiohine River gorge, route of the 'Hill and Sutch' party
486:
471:
909:
430:, or beech or lowland broadleaf forests with emergent
81:
North Island New Zealand and position of Tararua Range
217:. Most of the Range is wilderness, protected as the
997:"Family farewell tramper who died in Tararua Range"
16:Mountain range in the North Island of New Zealand
1104:
877:
875:
1050:
968:
872:
190:, is one of several mountain ranges in the
994:
736:. Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand
690:
174:Clem Creek flowing into the Waiohine River
881:
404:
224:The highest peak in the Tararua Range is
727:
725:
723:
721:
611:
594:
562:. It is now used more heavily since the
525:
169:
161:
995:Schwanecke, Gianina (13 January 2023).
731:
1105:
1054:Tararua: The Story of a Mountain Range
670:
574:The Tararua Range serves as a popular
540:New Zealand Department of Conservation
521:
718:
882:Macdonald, Nikki (26 October 2010).
817:
763:
236:at 1,537 m (5,043 ft) and
945:"History of LandSAR in New Zealand"
884:"Lost: How tramp turned to tragedy"
790:"Vegetation in Tararua Forest Park"
734:"Wellington places – Tararua Range"
643:
166:Tararua Range from Mount Holdsworth
13:
1123:Landforms of the Wellington Region
949:New Zealand Land Search and Rescue
14:
1144:
1078:
632:, and the Southern Crossing from
261:
1051:Maclean, Chris (December 1994).
205:, where the northern tip of the
75:
29:
1133:Landforms of Manawatū-Whanganui
1023:
1014:
988:
969:Mike McGavin (27 August 2010).
962:
937:
928:
903:
851:Maclean (1994), pages 68 and 78
732:Maclean, Chris (3 March 2011).
1118:Mountain ranges of New Zealand
1030:http://www.tararua-race.org.nz
863:
854:
845:
836:
811:
782:
757:
748:
681:National Museum of New Zealand
1:
711:
569:
530:Ōtaki River near Ōtaki Forks.
971:"Re-living the Sutch Search"
243:
201:to the upper reaches of the
64:1,570 m (5,150 ft)
7:
1020:Dominion Post, 15 July 2009
869:Maclean (1994), pp. 106–107
699:
607:
599:Waiohine Gorge campsite map
426:to forests of montane miro/
182:, often referred to as the
10:
1149:
1099:Department of Conservation
1093:Department of Conservation
1087:Department of Conservation
1045:
911:Department of Conservation
794:Department of Conservation
590:
464:
1097:Tararua Southern Crossing
1091:Tararua Northern Crossing
860:Maclean (1994), pp. 68–71
754:Maclean (1994), pp. 26–30
534:The 116,535 hectare
228:(not to be confused with
146:
107:
95:
87:
73:
68:
58:
48:
43:
28:
23:
549:
842:Maclean (1994), page 41
691:Mountain running racing
617:
600:
531:
405:Climate and vegetation
175:
167:
1128:Kāpiti Coast District
915:"Tararua Forest Park"
615:
598:
529:
173:
165:
1057:. Whitcombe Press.
706:Tararua Forest Park
671:Tramping fatalities
536:Tararua Forest Park
522:Tararua Forest Park
219:Tararua Forest Park
127: /
35:Tararua Range from
1035:2013-05-04 at the
618:
601:
532:
328:Pukeamoamo / Mitre
226:Pukeamoamo / Mitre
176:
168:
53:Pukeamoamo / Mitre
44:Highest point
1064:978-0-473-02613-4
820:New Zealand Atlas
766:New Zealand Atlas
685:Seddon Bennington
622:Northern Crossing
581:Southern Crossing
399:
398:
160:
159:
109:Range coordinates
1140:
1075:
1073:
1071:
1039:
1027:
1021:
1018:
1012:
1011:
1009:
1007:
992:
986:
985:
983:
981:
966:
960:
959:
957:
955:
941:
935:
932:
926:
925:
923:
921:
907:
901:
900:
898:
896:
879:
870:
867:
861:
858:
852:
849:
843:
840:
834:
833:
818:McKenzie, D. W.
815:
809:
808:
803:
801:
786:
780:
779:
764:McKenzie, D. W.
761:
755:
752:
746:
745:
743:
741:
729:
651:The Sutch Search
644:The Sutch Search
556:Palmerston North
269:
268:
251:Palmerston North
199:Palmerston North
194:of New Zealand.
142:
141:
139:
138:
137:
132:
128:
125:
124:
123:
120:
79:
33:
21:
20:
1148:
1147:
1143:
1142:
1141:
1139:
1138:
1137:
1103:
1102:
1085:Tararua history
1081:
1069:
1067:
1065:
1048:
1043:
1042:
1037:Wayback Machine
1028:
1024:
1019:
1015:
1005:
1003:
993:
989:
979:
977:
967:
963:
953:
951:
943:
942:
938:
933:
929:
919:
917:
908:
904:
894:
892:
880:
873:
868:
864:
859:
855:
850:
846:
841:
837:
830:
822:. p. 815.
816:
812:
799:
797:
788:
787:
783:
776:
762:
758:
753:
749:
739:
737:
730:
719:
714:
702:
693:
673:
646:
610:
593:
572:
552:
524:
467:
418:, and wet snow
407:
296:South Bannister
264:
258:coastal plain.
246:
234:Mount Bannister
135:
133:
129:
126:
121:
118:
116:
114:
113:
83:
82:
39:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1146:
1136:
1135:
1130:
1125:
1120:
1115:
1101:
1100:
1094:
1088:
1080:
1079:External links
1077:
1063:
1047:
1044:
1041:
1040:
1022:
1013:
987:
975:Windy Hilltops
961:
936:
934:Maclean (1994)
927:
902:
871:
862:
853:
844:
835:
828:
810:
781:
774:
768:. p. 48.
756:
747:
716:
715:
713:
710:
709:
708:
701:
698:
692:
689:
672:
669:
661:Waiohine River
645:
642:
609:
606:
592:
589:
571:
568:
564:Manawatū Gorge
551:
548:
523:
520:
466:
463:
461:are dominant.
406:
403:
397:
396:
393:
389:
388:
385:
381:
380:
377:
373:
372:
369:
365:
364:
361:
357:
356:
353:
349:
348:
345:
341:
340:
337:
333:
332:
329:
325:
324:
321:
317:
316:
313:
309:
308:
305:
301:
300:
297:
293:
292:
289:
285:
284:
281:
277:
276:
273:
263:
262:Mountain peaks
260:
245:
242:
215:Manawatū Gorge
207:Remutaka Range
184:Tararua Ranges
158:
157:
151:Remutaka Range
148:
144:
143:
131:40.8°S 175.4°E
111:
105:
104:
99:
93:
92:
89:
85:
84:
80:
74:
71:
70:
66:
65:
62:
56:
55:
50:
46:
45:
41:
40:
34:
26:
25:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1145:
1134:
1131:
1129:
1126:
1124:
1121:
1119:
1116:
1114:
1113:Tararua Range
1111:
1110:
1108:
1098:
1095:
1092:
1089:
1086:
1083:
1082:
1076:
1066:
1060:
1056:
1055:
1038:
1034:
1031:
1026:
1017:
1002:
998:
991:
976:
972:
965:
950:
946:
940:
931:
916:
912:
906:
891:
890:
889:Dominion Post
885:
878:
876:
866:
857:
848:
839:
831:
829:0-86863-466-2
825:
821:
814:
807:
795:
791:
785:
777:
775:0-86863-466-2
771:
767:
760:
751:
735:
728:
726:
724:
722:
717:
707:
704:
703:
697:
688:
686:
682:
677:
668:
666:
662:
657:
653:
652:
641:
639:
635:
631:
627:
623:
614:
605:
597:
588:
586:
582:
577:
567:
565:
561:
557:
547:
545:
541:
537:
528:
519:
517:
512:
506:
504:
500:
496:
492:
488:
485:
481:
477:
473:
462:
460:
456:
452:
448:
444:
439:
437:
433:
429:
425:
421:
417:
412:
402:
395:1,529 m
394:
391:
390:
387:1,510 m
386:
383:
382:
379:1,540 m
378:
375:
374:
371:1,531 m
370:
367:
366:
363:1,521 m
362:
359:
358:
355:1,535 m
354:
351:
350:
347:1,546 m
346:
343:
342:
339:1,545 m
338:
335:
334:
331:1,571 m
330:
327:
326:
323:1,538 m
322:
319:
318:
315:1,504 m
314:
311:
310:
307:1,505 m
306:
303:
302:
299:1,513 m
298:
295:
294:
291:1,537 m
290:
287:
286:
283:1,500 m
282:
279:
278:
274:
271:
270:
267:
259:
257:
252:
241:
239:
235:
231:
227:
222:
220:
216:
212:
211:Ruahine Range
208:
204:
200:
195:
193:
189:
185:
181:
180:Tararua Range
172:
164:
156:
155:Ruahine Range
152:
149:
145:
140:
112:
110:
106:
103:
100:
98:
94:
90:
86:
78:
72:
67:
63:
61:
57:
54:
51:
47:
42:
38:
32:
27:
24:Tararua Range
22:
19:
1068:. Retrieved
1053:
1049:
1025:
1016:
1004:. Retrieved
1000:
990:
978:. Retrieved
974:
964:
952:. Retrieved
948:
939:
930:
918:. Retrieved
905:
893:. Retrieved
887:
865:
856:
847:
838:
819:
813:
805:
798:. Retrieved
793:
784:
765:
759:
750:
738:. Retrieved
694:
683:Te Papa: Dr
678:
674:
649:
647:
619:
602:
573:
553:
533:
516:State Forest
507:
499:Te Rauparaha
491:patupaiarehe
468:
440:
408:
400:
392:Mount Hector
265:
247:
238:Mount Hector
223:
196:
192:North Island
187:
183:
179:
177:
136:-40.8; 175.4
18:
800:31 December
634:Ōtaki Forks
544:Ōtaki Forks
511:sacred lake
476:Ngati Mamoe
449:, tarrier,
416:leatherwood
411:Cook Strait
360:Middle King
344:Girdlestone
336:Peggys Peak
203:Hutt Valley
134: /
91:New Zealand
1107:Categories
980:13 January
954:13 January
712:References
656:Bill Sutch
570:Recreation
424:shrublands
384:Angle Knob
368:South King
352:North King
275:Elevation
230:Mitre Peak
147:Borders on
102:Wellington
1070:8 October
920:7 January
895:8 October
638:Masterton
630:Wairarapa
495:Ngāti Toa
480:Rangitane
459:kahikatea
432:podocarps
312:Lancaster
288:Bannister
244:Geography
69:Geography
60:Elevation
37:Wairarapa
1033:Archived
700:See also
636:to near
608:Tramping
576:tramping
560:Pahiatua
484:Muaūpoko
420:tussocks
376:McGregor
122:175°24′E
1046:Sources
1006:5 March
740:16 July
628:to the
591:Camping
585:Kaitoke
497:led by
465:History
320:Brocket
213:by the
188:Tararua
119:40°48′S
88:Country
1061:
826:
796:. 2012
772:
455:tōtara
436:kamahi
428:kamahi
256:Kāpiti
97:Region
1001:Stuff
626:Levin
624:from
550:Roads
503:maero
451:mataī
304:Arete
280:Logan
1072:2019
1059:ISBN
1008:2023
982:2012
956:2012
922:2019
897:2019
824:ISBN
802:2012
770:ISBN
742:2012
665:LSAR
558:and
482:and
457:and
447:rimu
443:tawa
434:and
272:Name
178:The
153:and
49:Peak
487:iwi
472:moa
186:or
1109::
999:.
973:.
947:.
913:.
886:.
874:^
804:.
792:.
720:^
640:.
587:.
546:.
453:,
438:.
221:.
1074:.
1010:.
984:.
958:.
924:.
899:.
832:.
778:.
744:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
_(cropped).jpg)
