42:
174:
182:
529:, 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.
607:
538:
674:. 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 (
624:
265:
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
669:
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
524:
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
264:
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
706:
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
424:
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
259:
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
88:
519:
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
614:
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.
686:
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.
589:
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
480:
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
485:
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
817:
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.
707:
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.
678:). 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.
631:
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
553:
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
456:
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
1143:
1133:
800:
1095:
921:
1107:
1101:
1007:
489:(early Māori settlers on the neighbouring Kāpiti Coast) are reputed to have taken refuge in the Tararua mountains after they were displaced by the
126:
1128:
550:
1073:
251:
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'.
925:
894:
838:
784:
632:
1138:
433:
on mist-shrouded tops, the Tararua Range has a wide diversity of vegetation, ranging from alpine tussock grasslands and subalpine
504:(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
899:
691:
430:
173:
119:
181:
41:
525:
on it. In 1881 36,000 acres of the Tararua Block, including key catchment areas for four rivers, was classified as
248:
240:
1043:
586:
1123:
107:
512:. In spite of such intrusions, the mountain range remained the home of distant gods or hostile wild men (
461:
661:
244:
412:
Other notable peaks in the range are Jumbo Peak (1,405 m) and Mount Holdsworth (1,470 m).
716:
636:
546:
229:
420:
The western slopes of the ranges are subject to prevailing moisture-carrying winds, channelled by
236:
63:
87:
1069:
834:
780:
695:
675:
606:
591:
574:
225:
112:
17:
566:
426:
261:
209:
1047:
266:
537:
671:
644:
554:
277:
The 15 peaks in the Tararua Range of 1,500 m or higher are (from north to south):
217:
161:
1117:
221:
165:
744:
565:
The only all-weather road right across the range is the Pahiatua Track, which joins
526:
509:
501:
202:
505:
1063:
659:
In April 1933, the Tararua Range was the focus of what later came to be known as
208:
The Tararua Range runs northeast–southwest for 80 km (50 mi) from near
955:
549:
covers more than three-quarters of the Tararua Range. It is administered by the
521:
494:
486:
453:
421:
213:
666:
500:(tribal groups). The Ngati Mamoe survivors attained a mythical status as the
141:
128:
648:
640:
623:
490:
469:
442:
47:
465:
570:
594:
running from Ōtaki Forks in the west, over Mount Hector and exiting via
452:
The forest in the northern part of the Tararua Range consists mainly of
595:
577:
road was permanently closed in 2017 due to recurring large landslides.
698:
and a friend Marcella Jackson, who died of hypothermia in June 2009.
446:
438:
70:
665:
when Mr. Eric Hill, Miss Morva Williams, Mr. Bert O’Keefe and Dr.
622:
605:
536:
513:
434:
220:
begins. It is separated in the north from the southern end of the
180:
172:
1040:
981:
243:) at 1,570 m (5,150 ft). Other prominent peaks include
516:). As such, it was a special place to be respected but avoided.
457:
497:
482:
670:
than two weeks for them to find a route down the untracked
690:
Other deaths included those of the Chief Executive of the
425:
reputation of being composed of gloomy bush, impenetrable
627:
Waiohine River gorge, route of the 'Hill and Sutch' party
441:, or beech or lowland broadleaf forests with emergent
92:
North Island New Zealand and position of Tararua Range
228:. Most of the Range is wilderness, protected as the
1008:"Family farewell tramper who died in Tararua Range"
157:
118:
106:
98:
79:
69:
59:
54:
34:
27:Mountain range in the North Island of New Zealand
888:
886:
8:
201:, is one of several mountain ranges in the
747:. Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand
185:Clem Creek flowing into the Waiohine River
31:
235:The highest peak in the Tararua Range is
738:
736:
734:
732:
573:. It is now used more heavily since the
279:
1006:Schwanecke, Gianina (13 January 2023).
728:
1065:Tararua: The Story of a Mountain Range
585:The Tararua Range serves as a popular
551:New Zealand Department of Conservation
7:
893:Macdonald, Nikki (26 October 2010).
247:at 1,537 m (5,043 ft) and
956:"History of LandSAR in New Zealand"
895:"Lost: How tramp turned to tragedy"
801:"Vegetation in Tararua Forest Park"
745:"Wellington places – Tararua Range"
177:Tararua Range from Mount Holdsworth
1134:Landforms of the Wellington Region
960:New Zealand Land Search and Rescue
25:
643:, and the Southern Crossing from
1062:Maclean, Chris (December 1994).
216:, where the northern tip of the
86:
40:
1144:Landforms of Manawatū-Whanganui
980:Mike McGavin (27 August 2010).
862:Maclean (1994), pages 68 and 78
743:Maclean, Chris (3 March 2011).
1129:Mountain ranges of New Zealand
1041:http://www.tararua-race.org.nz
692:National Museum of New Zealand
18:Mount Holdsworth (New Zealand)
1:
541:Ōtaki River near Ōtaki Forks.
982:"Re-living the Sutch Search"
212:to the upper reaches of the
75:1,570 m (5,150 ft)
1031:Dominion Post, 15 July 2009
880:Maclean (1994), pp. 106–107
610:Waiohine Gorge campsite map
437:to forests of montane miro/
193:, often referred to as the
1160:
1110:Department of Conservation
1104:Department of Conservation
1098:Department of Conservation
922:Department of Conservation
805:Department of Conservation
1108:Tararua Southern Crossing
1102:Tararua Northern Crossing
871:Maclean (1994), pp. 68–71
765:Maclean (1994), pp. 26–30
545:The 116,535 hectare
239:(not to be confused with
84:
39:
853:Maclean (1994), page 41
702:Mountain running racing
628:
611:
542:
416:Climate and vegetation
186:
178:
1139:Kāpiti Coast District
926:"Tararua Forest Park"
626:
609:
540:
184:
176:
1068:. Whitcombe Press.
717:Tararua Forest Park
682:Tramping fatalities
547:Tararua Forest Park
533:Tararua Forest Park
230:Tararua Forest Park
138: /
46:Tararua Range from
1046:2013-05-04 at the
629:
612:
543:
339:Pukeamoamo / Mitre
237:Pukeamoamo / Mitre
187:
179:
64:Pukeamoamo / Mitre
55:Highest point
1075:978-0-473-02613-4
831:New Zealand Atlas
777:New Zealand Atlas
696:Seddon Bennington
633:Northern Crossing
592:Southern Crossing
410:
409:
171:
170:
120:Range coordinates
16:(Redirected from
1151:
1086:
1084:
1082:
1050:
1038:
1032:
1029:
1023:
1022:
1020:
1018:
1003:
997:
996:
994:
992:
977:
971:
970:
968:
966:
952:
946:
943:
937:
936:
934:
932:
918:
912:
911:
909:
907:
890:
881:
878:
872:
869:
863:
860:
854:
851:
845:
844:
829:McKenzie, D. W.
826:
820:
819:
814:
812:
797:
791:
790:
775:McKenzie, D. W.
772:
766:
763:
757:
756:
754:
752:
740:
662:The Sutch Search
655:The Sutch Search
567:Palmerston North
280:
262:Palmerston North
210:Palmerston North
205:of New Zealand.
153:
152:
150:
149:
148:
143:
139:
136:
135:
134:
131:
90:
44:
32:
21:
1159:
1158:
1154:
1153:
1152:
1150:
1149:
1148:
1114:
1113:
1096:Tararua history
1092:
1080:
1078:
1076:
1061:
1059:
1054:
1053:
1048:Wayback Machine
1039:
1035:
1030:
1026:
1016:
1014:
1005:
1004:
1000:
990:
988:
979:
978:
974:
964:
962:
954:
953:
949:
944:
940:
930:
928:
920:
919:
915:
905:
903:
892:
891:
884:
879:
875:
870:
866:
861:
857:
852:
848:
841:
833:. p. 815.
828:
827:
823:
810:
808:
799:
798:
794:
787:
774:
773:
769:
764:
760:
750:
748:
742:
741:
730:
725:
713:
704:
684:
657:
621:
604:
583:
563:
535:
478:
429:, and wet snow
418:
307:South Bannister
275:
269:coastal plain.
257:
245:Mount Bannister
146:
144:
140:
137:
132:
129:
127:
125:
124:
94:
93:
50:
28:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
1157:
1155:
1147:
1146:
1141:
1136:
1131:
1126:
1116:
1115:
1112:
1111:
1105:
1099:
1091:
1090:External links
1088:
1074:
1058:
1055:
1052:
1051:
1033:
1024:
998:
986:Windy Hilltops
972:
947:
945:Maclean (1994)
938:
913:
882:
873:
864:
855:
846:
839:
821:
792:
785:
779:. p. 48.
767:
758:
727:
726:
724:
721:
720:
719:
712:
709:
703:
700:
683:
680:
672:Waiohine River
656:
653:
620:
617:
603:
600:
582:
579:
575:Manawatū Gorge
562:
559:
534:
531:
477:
474:
472:are dominant.
417:
414:
408:
407:
404:
400:
399:
396:
392:
391:
388:
384:
383:
380:
376:
375:
372:
368:
367:
364:
360:
359:
356:
352:
351:
348:
344:
343:
340:
336:
335:
332:
328:
327:
324:
320:
319:
316:
312:
311:
308:
304:
303:
300:
296:
295:
292:
288:
287:
284:
274:
273:Mountain peaks
271:
256:
253:
226:Manawatū Gorge
218:Remutaka Range
195:Tararua Ranges
169:
168:
162:Remutaka Range
159:
155:
154:
142:40.8°S 175.4°E
122:
116:
115:
110:
104:
103:
100:
96:
95:
91:
85:
82:
81:
77:
76:
73:
67:
66:
61:
57:
56:
52:
51:
45:
37:
36:
26:
24:
14:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1156:
1145:
1142:
1140:
1137:
1135:
1132:
1130:
1127:
1125:
1124:Tararua Range
1122:
1121:
1119:
1109:
1106:
1103:
1100:
1097:
1094:
1093:
1089:
1087:
1077:
1071:
1067:
1066:
1056:
1049:
1045:
1042:
1037:
1034:
1028:
1025:
1013:
1009:
1002:
999:
987:
983:
976:
973:
961:
957:
951:
948:
942:
939:
927:
923:
917:
914:
902:
901:
900:Dominion Post
896:
889:
887:
883:
877:
874:
868:
865:
859:
856:
850:
847:
842:
840:0-86863-466-2
836:
832:
825:
822:
818:
806:
802:
796:
793:
788:
786:0-86863-466-2
782:
778:
771:
768:
762:
759:
746:
739:
737:
735:
733:
729:
722:
718:
715:
714:
710:
708:
701:
699:
697:
693:
688:
681:
679:
677:
673:
668:
664:
663:
654:
652:
650:
646:
642:
638:
634:
625:
618:
616:
608:
601:
599:
597:
593:
588:
580:
578:
576:
572:
568:
560:
558:
556:
552:
548:
539:
532:
530:
528:
523:
517:
515:
511:
507:
503:
499:
496:
492:
488:
484:
475:
473:
471:
467:
463:
459:
455:
450:
448:
444:
440:
436:
432:
428:
423:
415:
413:
406:1,529 m
405:
402:
401:
398:1,510 m
397:
394:
393:
390:1,540 m
389:
386:
385:
382:1,531 m
381:
378:
377:
374:1,521 m
373:
370:
369:
366:1,535 m
365:
362:
361:
358:1,546 m
357:
354:
353:
350:1,545 m
349:
346:
345:
342:1,571 m
341:
338:
337:
334:1,538 m
333:
330:
329:
326:1,504 m
325:
322:
321:
318:1,505 m
317:
314:
313:
310:1,513 m
309:
306:
305:
302:1,537 m
301:
298:
297:
294:1,500 m
293:
290:
289:
285:
282:
281:
278:
272:
270:
268:
263:
254:
252:
250:
246:
242:
238:
233:
231:
227:
223:
222:Ruahine Range
219:
215:
211:
206:
204:
200:
196:
192:
191:Tararua Range
183:
175:
167:
166:Ruahine Range
163:
160:
156:
151:
123:
121:
117:
114:
111:
109:
105:
101:
97:
89:
83:
78:
74:
72:
68:
65:
62:
58:
53:
49:
43:
38:
35:Tararua Range
33:
30:
19:
1079:. Retrieved
1064:
1060:
1036:
1027:
1015:. Retrieved
1011:
1001:
989:. Retrieved
985:
975:
963:. Retrieved
959:
950:
941:
929:. Retrieved
916:
904:. Retrieved
898:
876:
867:
858:
849:
830:
824:
816:
809:. Retrieved
804:
795:
776:
770:
761:
749:. Retrieved
705:
694:Te Papa: Dr
689:
685:
660:
658:
630:
613:
584:
564:
544:
527:State Forest
518:
510:Te Rauparaha
502:patupaiarehe
479:
451:
419:
411:
403:Mount Hector
276:
258:
249:Mount Hector
234:
207:
203:North Island
198:
194:
190:
188:
147:-40.8; 175.4
29:
811:31 December
645:Ōtaki Forks
555:Ōtaki Forks
522:sacred lake
487:Ngati Mamoe
460:, tarrier,
427:leatherwood
422:Cook Strait
371:Middle King
355:Girdlestone
347:Peggys Peak
214:Hutt Valley
145: /
102:New Zealand
1118:Categories
991:13 January
965:13 January
723:References
667:Bill Sutch
581:Recreation
435:shrublands
395:Angle Knob
379:South King
363:North King
286:Elevation
241:Mitre Peak
158:Borders on
113:Wellington
1081:8 October
931:7 January
906:8 October
649:Masterton
641:Wairarapa
506:Ngāti Toa
491:Rangitane
470:kahikatea
443:podocarps
323:Lancaster
299:Bannister
255:Geography
80:Geography
71:Elevation
48:Wairarapa
1044:Archived
711:See also
647:to near
619:Tramping
587:tramping
571:Pahiatua
495:Muaūpoko
431:tussocks
387:McGregor
133:175°24′E
1057:Sources
1017:5 March
751:16 July
639:to the
602:Camping
596:Kaitoke
508:led by
476:History
331:Brocket
224:by the
199:Tararua
130:40°48′S
99:Country
1072:
837:
807:. 2012
783:
466:tōtara
447:kamahi
439:kamahi
267:Kāpiti
108:Region
1012:Stuff
637:Levin
635:from
561:Roads
514:maero
462:mataī
315:Arete
291:Logan
1083:2019
1070:ISBN
1019:2023
993:2012
967:2012
933:2019
908:2019
835:ISBN
813:2012
781:ISBN
753:2012
676:LSAR
569:and
493:and
468:and
458:rimu
454:tawa
445:and
283:Name
189:The
164:and
60:Peak
498:iwi
483:moa
197:or
1120::
1010:.
984:.
958:.
924:.
897:.
885:^
815:.
803:.
731:^
651:.
598:.
557:.
464:,
449:.
232:.
1085:.
1021:.
995:.
969:.
935:.
910:.
843:.
789:.
755:.
20:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
