Ōhuiarangi Pigeon Mountain

Ōhuiarangi, also known as Pigeon Mountain, was once a pā and the name translates to "the desire of Rangi". The maunga still features long, shallow boundary drains that separated traditional gardening areas and terracing from the pā on its highest parts.

The maunga erupted approximately 24,000 years ago, forming a crater and tuff ring that was 500 metres wide. European settlers named it Pigeon Mountain due to the large numbers of native wood pigeons residing in the area.

Like many of Auckland's maunga, Ōhuiarangi was extensively quarried, with the north side being completely quarried away before quarrying ceased in the 1970s. Only half of the original maunga remains today. However, efforts are underway to restore the ecology of the maunga, with around 112 exotic trees, including pest species, being removed and replaced with over 30,000 new native shrubs and trees over the next few planting seasons.

The restoration is being done in a non-dig approach to avoid ground disturbance, and new plantings are being carefully positioned to enhance sightlines to and from the tihi (summit). The restoration will have important ecological benefits and will also maintain historic features of the maunga.