VISITS RECOMMENDED BY LOC MEMBERS

Aotearoa New Zealand’s largest city, Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, was an important Māori settlement for hundreds of years before briefly becoming the official capital of the British colony of New Zealand, and then – until the present day – the largest city and the centre of commercial activity of the country; the first port of new immigrants, as well as the site of continuing contestation between Māori, Māori iwi and the government.

Tāmaki’s Māori histories

A great place to start exploring the histories of Auckland is through the lens of its long Māori history. June/July is a good time to visit the city as it’s the time of the Māori New Year, or Matariki (the full programme for the Matariki Festival in Auckland, from 7 June to 13 July, will be published on www.matarikifestival.org.nz).

You can start your exploration from the south (close to the airport), with Ihumātao in Māngere, an important archaeological site, a beautiful landscape for a stroll, but also still a place of contestation as witnessed by recent land protests.

Like Ihumātao, Bastion Point on the shores of Waitemata, is a site of long history and recent contestation.

Tāmaki’s most iconic feature are its many volcanic cones – maunga. On a nice day, go for a long walk starting from Māngere Mountain (Te Pane-o-Mataaho, near Ihumātao) over to Maungakieie (surrounded by the large Cornwall Park and working farm), Ōwairaka (Mt Albert) and Maungawhau (Mt Eden) – to mention just the largest ones.

At the waterfront, visit Ngāti Whātua Orākei’s house of learning Te Wharekura (house of learning), to learn about the history and present of this local iwi (tribe) and its land.

Catch a ferry across the harbour for a short ride to Rangitoto Island, the youngest and largest of all the maunga, and walk up the hill on scoria for beautiful views of the harbour.

Many histories of colonial and postcolonial Tāmaki

Continuing onto the history of colonial and modern Auckland, start with the Auckland Museum in the Domain for a broad overview of many histories of this city before choosing the angle that interests you the most.

Auckland’s role as a military base and maritime centre, e.g. at Torpedo Bay Navy Museum and Maungauika/North Head Historic Reserve in the scenic colonial village of Devonport (short ferry ride from city centre) and Maritime Museum (city centre, in the Waitemata harbour). Red Boats (from Westhaven) can take you to Motuihe island, one time quarantine location with interesting WWI history (and a beautiful island with newly restored forest). New Zealand Warbirds Association (history of aviation) operates from Ardmore Airport.

Auckland’s science and technology histories e.g. can be traced through MOTAT (Museum of Transport and Technology) and Bob Doran Museum of Computing (at the University of Auckland). Stardome Observatory and Planetarium below Maungakiekie organizes guided ‘tours’ of the night sky including with Zeiss telescope on Friday and Saturday evening (must be booked in advance).

For industrial histories, visit the North Shore’s Chelsea Sugar Factory that organizes guided tours. Te Toi Uku Clay Works, New Lynn, West Auckland, tells the stories of clay heritage including of New Zealand’s most famous industrial pottery brand, Crown Lynn. West Auckland is also the home of viticulture and orchards; many wine labels, wineries (e.g. Soljan’s Estate) and street names record the history of Dalmatian settlers who arrived in the late 19^th century. Histories of Asian settlement are scattered around the city (Auckland Museum is a great start for exploring this history!) – many market gardens of South Auckland, formerly tended by Chinese migrants, have been turned into residential and industrial land. However the city’s iconic Dominion Road is something of Tamaki’s “Chinatown” and a great place for tasting a variety of Asian regional – mostly Chinese and South East Asian - cuisines; for the communities and cuisines of the Indian subcontinent, go to the nearby Sandringham Road area.

Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki holds a unique art collection, but is also situated in a beautiful building in the city’s central Albert Park. It is also a wonderful place to explore various histories of the city, for instance through its Taimoana exhibition.

For histories of plant collecting, exchanging, distributing and growing, start with Auckland Domain’s Winter Gardens (while visiting the Auckland Museum). The extensive Auckland Botanical Gardens are located in South Auckland, not too far from the Airport and is a beautiful site . There are many gardens that are open to the public – from the centrally located Eden Garden under Maungawhau (Mt Eden) that can be accessed by public transport to the famous Ayrlies Garden is located about 40 minutes drive out of the city.

Outside the city, there are 31 regional parks; many of them were colonial farmsteads with long histories and extensive land holdings – my favourites are Scandrett, Tawharanui and Scott’s Landing. Visits require vehicle but some are located within Auckland public transport reach (e.g. Long Bay). If you prefer going for a walk or hike in the native rainforest, then Waitakere Ranges in the west are the

Many islands of the gulf are now protected from predators and are excellent spots for bird watching (e.g. Tiritiri Matangi).