Maungawhau Mt Eden management plan

Contents | Section A: Introduction | Section B: Management of the physical landscape | Section C: Erosion | Section D: Visitor experience | Section E: Buildings and structures | Section F: Leases, licences, permits and easements | Section G: Management structure | Section H: Background information

Section A: Introduction

A1 Introduction

"Auckland is a city nurtured in a nest of volcanoes - a thriving striving bustling city uniquely founded on a site of natural turbulence."
(Searle 1981: viii)

Maungawhau-Mt Eden is one of the most significant sites in Auckland city, archaeologically, culturally and geologically. Of the features that define Auckland city Maungawhau-Mt Eden is the most prominent and most accessible, and is an iconic landmark enjoyed by the population of Auckland and visitors alike. An estimated 1.2 million visitors per year visit Maungawhau-Mt Eden. Layers of ecology and European heritage also contribute to its significance.

Maungawhau-Mt Eden is the highest and one of the larger scoria cones in the Auckland volcanic field, which underlies much of Auckland city and gives the city much of its distinctive character. The Auckland volcanic field erupted from approximately fifty volcanoes at various times over the last 250,000 years. A proposal has been submitted to the Department of Conservation (DOC) to include the Auckland volcanic field on the nomination list of sites for UNESCO world heritage status. This proposal is currently under review by DOC.

The history of Maungawhau-Mt Eden began approximately 15,000 years ago when it is believed to have erupted through the lava flows of the earlier Maungakiekie-One Tree Hill volcano. It has a central scoria cone (atop the volcano's vent) surrounded by a field of lava flows. Much of the lower slopes and lava flow field are now hidden beneath the relatively dense urban development of the suburbs of Mt Eden, Epsom and Newmarket.

In ancient times the mountain was occupied and modified for living and defence by Maori. During the period of Maori inhabitation, the lower slopes of Maungawhau-Mt Eden were used as gardens and living terraces. The mountain and its earthworks are one of the largest constructed fortresses in the southern hemisphere. The tribes of Tamaki have maintained and continue to exercise their customs, ritual, song, and karakia at Maungawhau. Section 4 of the Maungawhau-Mt Eden conservation plan provides individual Iwi accounts of the rich Maori history of Maungawhau-Mt Eden which describe its cultural and historic significance.

During and shortly after the period of European settlement, Maungawhau-Mt Eden was largely used for recreational and utilitarian purposes, including surveying, grazing by cattle, water supply, quarrying and military use during World War 2.

A1.1 Administration

The area that is subject to the provisions of this management plan is known as Maungawhau-Mt Eden Domain. This is now a 27.47 hectare crown land reserve administered by the Auckland City Council, the extent of which is illustrated in Figure 1 and the legal description and history of acquisition are provided in Appendix C3.

In April 2006, an Agreement in principle was reached between the crown and Ngati Whatua o Orakei. The process leading to the Agreement in principle is currently under formal scrutiny by the Waitangi Tribunal.

Figure 1: Area of the Maungawhau-Mt Eden management plan

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A1.1.1 Auckland City Council

The volcanic cones are recognised as an 'amazing natural landscape' in Auckland City Council's long term vision for the city. Auckland City Council has identified as a key focus the protection and enhancement of the city's volcanic cones, with Maungawhau-Mt Eden and Maungarei-Mt Wellington at the top of the list for improvements in Auckland City's Long-term Plan 2006-2016.

The open space and volcanic cones targeted rate has been introduced by Auckland City Council to ensure that people have easy access to well-kept, diverse open spaces and to protect the volcanic cones. Of this $2 million has been allocated to the protection and enhancement of Maungawhau-Mt Eden over the next three years. In response to the introduction of this targeted rate a volcanic landscape programme has been established by Auckland City Council, to ensure the integrated management of the volcanic cones, under which the management of Maungawhau-Mt Eden is identified as a priority, and under which this management plan has been prepared.

A1.2 Statutory context

The site is protected from damage by the Historic Places Act (1993), the Reserves Act (1977), Auckland City District Plan - Isthmus Section and the Auckland Regional Policy Statement.

A1.2.1 Historic Places Act 1993

Maungawhau-Mt Eden is an archaeological site which meets the definition of an archaeological site under the provisions of the Historic Places Act and therefore cannot be destroyed, damaged or modified without an Authority from the Historic Places Trust. The Maungawhau-Mt Eden conservation plan has been prepared under the provisions of the Historic Places Act.

A1.2.2 Reserves Act 1977

Maungawhau-Mt Eden is classified as a reserve under the provisions of the Reserves Act 1977. Approximately 10.5ha of the upper portion of Maungawhau-Mt Eden is classified as a Historic Reserve, under Section 18 of the Reserves Act, for the purposes of protecting and preserving in perpetuity the place, objects, and natural features of historic, archaeological, cultural, educational, and others of special interest.

The remainder of the reserve is classified for recreation purposes in accordance with Section 17(2) of the Reserves Act. This provides for recreation and sporting activities, the physical welfare and enjoyment of the public, for the protection of the natural environment and beauty of the countryside, with emphasis on the retention of open spaces and on outdoor recreational activities, including recreational tracks in the countryside. The reserve classification is illustrated on the plan contained in H2: History of land acquisition.

A1.2.3 Auckland Regional Policy Statement

The Auckland Regional Policy Statement has policies and methods relating to 'matters of significance to Iwi', for the protection of cultural heritage and sites of natural heritage value and for sites of geological significance. The Auckland Regional Policy Statement does protect views to volcanic cones, but not from cone to cone. The District Plan rules (referred to below) must not be inconsistent with the Regional Policy Statement.

A1.2.4 Auckland District Plan - Isthmus Section

Part five of the District Plan contains objectives, policies and rules relating to the protection of the city's heritage. These include provisions in respect of landforms, trees, sites of geological and archaeological significance, sites of Maori heritage importance and volcanic view protection. Maungawhau-Mt Eden is zoned for open space activities with most of the reserve zoned open space 1 (conservation) and the remainder, which comprises of the Tahaki Reserve and an area around the depot and kiosk, zoned open space 2 (informal recreation). The surrounding area is zoned residential 2a, 3a and 5. The provisions of the District Plan provide specific objectives, policies and rules for any proposed development and activities within these zones.

The following diagram identifies key legislation, policy documents and plans which provide the context for the management of activities and protection of the values of Maungawhau-Mt Eden.

Figure 2: Statutory and policy context of the management plan

Figure 2: Statutory and policy context of the management plan (77k PDF)

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A1.2.5 Conservation plan

A conservation plan for Maungawhau-Mt Eden has been prepared which provides a description of the important cultural and natural components of Maungawhau-Mt Eden, the values and significance of the mountain, and provides a framework of objectives and policies to guide the management of those values. The role of the conservation plan is discussed further in section A3.

A2 Management plan process

The Maungawhau-Mt Eden Management Plan is a statutory document which has been prepared in accordance with Section 41 of the Reserves Act 1977. This management plan is the result of a review of the Maungawhau-Mt Eden Management Plan 1986. Policies formulated within the conservation plan are incorporated within this management plan as a basis for the long term protection and enhancement of the reserve's significant cultural heritage values. For a complete picture of the development and heritage values of the reserve, both plans and their appendices should be read together.

Alongside the preservation of its significant heritage values, the management plan seeks to enhance visitor experience. Enhanced visitor management will enable people to discover the significance of the site and enjoy a safe recreational environment in a manner consistent with the preservation of the reserve's heritage values. In order to achieve its objectives, the management plan indicates a number of significant, long term changes to the reserve and the way it is managed.

Management plans are required under the Reserves Act 1977 to outline a council's general intentions for use, development and maintenance of its reserves. The aim of this legislation is to ensure that reserve development and enjoyment are based on sound principles and that, through involvement with the development of management plans, the needs of the public are clearly identified.

The process followed in the production of this management plan is in accordance with the provisions of the Reserves Act 1977. The steps involved in this process are shown below.

Figure 3: Management plan process

Figure 3: Management plan process (37k PDF)

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A3 Management plan approach

As identified in section A1.2.2 above, the upper portion of the reserve that is subject to the provisions of this management plan is classified a historic reserve and the lower portion is classified as a recreation reserve under s.18 and s.17 of the Reserves Act 1977, respectively.

For the purposes of the management of Maungawhau-Mt Eden council has undertaken a practical approach to outlining its intentions for the management of the use, development, protection and maintenance of the reserve in this management plan by providing for the management of the site in its entirety. Council recognises that both the historic and recreation reserve classifications have separate purposes and have therefore identified separate 'values' for each classification, which are detailed below. These values are carried through to the objectives and policies identified in Section B of this management plan. These objectives and policies will be applied to the management and protection of Maungawhau-Mt Eden to the extent that they are compatible with the primary purpose of either reserve classification, i.e. historic or recreation, in accordance with s.18(2)(c) and s.17(2)(b) of the Reserves Act 1977, respectively.

A4 Role of the conservation plan

A conservation plan has been prepared for Maungawhau-Mt Eden. Kerr [1] comments that 'at its simplest, a conservation plan is a document which sets out what is significant in a place, and, consequently, what policies are appropriate to enable that significance to be retained in its future use and development'.

This management plan therefore derives key direction and support from the Maungawhau-Mt Eden conservation plan. All objectives and policies in this management plan are consistent with the conservation plan.

In addition to policy guidance, the Maungawhau-Mt Eden conservation plan acts as a technical document that discusses and evaluates the layers of significance of the site. These layers of significance can be collectively referred to as 'heritage values', including archaeological, Maori heritage, geological, European heritage, built heritage, landscape and ecological values.

A5 Management plan values

Due to Maungawhau-Mt Eden having both historic and recreation reserve classifications within its boundary, separate values are identified for each reserve classification, in accordance with s. 18 and s.17 of the Reserves Act 1977, respectively. While council recognises the primary purpose of each reserve classification it is council's intention to actively promote and protect the heritage values of the entire site.

A5.1 Historic reserve values

The three primary values identified in the conservation plan are the:

• archaeological values
• Maori heritage values
• geological values

These values are appropriate to the management of the portion of Maungawhau-Mt Eden which is classified as a historic reserve, with the following additional values managed and protected to the extent that they are compatible with the primary values outlined above. These values are:

• ecological values
• recreational values
• European history values
• landscape values

These values are consistent with the primary purpose of the historic reserve that is to protect and preserve in perpetuity the place, objects, and natural features of historic, archaeological, cultural, educational, and others of special interest.

These two hierarchical groupings are further emphasised in the principal objectives, identified in A6 below.

A5.2 Recreation reserve values

The primary purpose of the portion of Maungawhau-Mt Eden classified as a recreation reserve is to provide for recreation and sporting activities, the physical welfare and enjoyment of the public, for the protection of the natural environment and beauty of the countryside, with emphasis on the retention of open spaces and on outdoor recreational activities, including recreational tracks in the countryside. Therefore it is appropriate that the primary values of the recreation reserve are:

• recreational values

With the following additional values managed and protected to the extent that they are compatible with the primary recreational value:

• archaeological values
• Maori heritage values
• geological values
• ecological values
• European history values
• landscape values

This is further emphasised in the principal objectives, identified below.

A6 Principal objectives

Principal objectives have been developed which provide overall direction to the management of the site, as guided by the conservation plan. The objectives and policies outlined in the subsequent sections of this management plan provide support and more detail to these objectives.

The principal objectives are:

1. To respect and conserve the archaeological, geological, Maori heritage values of the reserve and to give precedence to these values in the management of the reserve.
2. To respect and protect the ecological, European heritage and landscape values of the reserve to the extent compatible with the respect and conservation described above.
3. To permit such free use of the reserve for recreational pursuits as are compatible with the archaeological, geological, Maori heritage values of the site.
4. To allow for the development of facilities to foster knowledge and appreciation of the significance of the reserve to the extent compatible with the archaeological, Maori heritage and geological values of the site.
5. To provide for the use, enjoyment, protection and maintenance of the recreation reserve in a manner consistent with the above objectives 1-4, in accordance with s.17(2)(b) of the Reserves Act 1977.
6. To facilitate change in the use and presentation of the reserve to support objectives 1-5 above in a way that ensures its long term sustainability.

A7 Management plan implementation

The objectives and policies identified in this management plan provide for the use, enjoyment, maintenance, protection, preservation and development of Maungawhau-Mt Eden Domain. To ensure that these objectives and policies are implemented and the general intent of the management plan is realised in practice, an action plan will be developed by Auckland City Council. This action plan is identified in Figure 2 above, which illustrates the statutory context within which it sits. The implementation context, principles and key outcomes of the action plan are outlined in Figure 4 below.

Although the action plan is a non-statutory document, the development, design and implementation of the action plan will be subject to the provisions of the Local Government Act 2002, in terms of decision making, participation and consultation.

Figure 4: Management plan implementation

Figure 4: Management plan implementation (49k PDF)

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Figure 5: Long term directions of the management plan

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 [1] Kerr, Janes Semple. 2000. The Conservation Plan. The National Trust of Australia. New South Wales.

Published May 2007