Date visited: 10 August 2021
Elevation: 77m
Volcanic history
Pukekawa is believed to have erupted around 75,000 years ago during the Pleistocene epoch. The eruption would have produced lava flows and ash deposits that contributed to the formation of the cone-shaped hill we see today. The name Pukekawa is said to mean “sour hill”, because the soil couldn’t grow kumara. However, the first Māori King, Pōtatau Te Wherowhero, thought it meant “hill of bitter memories”, probably because of battles fought there between Ngāpuhi and Ngati Whatua tribes. Another idea still is that Pukekawa is short for “the hill of the kawakawa tree”, which still grows nearby.
Our visit
We’d been to the museum a week prior to this with our friends, and left something quite important behind, so we went back to get it and to check out the volcanic features of Pukekawa.
The museum is situated on the crater rim, as is apparent when viewed from below. The floor of the crater is a sports field, and Aucklanders will no doubt remember when it became a lake during the flood of January 2023. This was a good thing, though, because had the crater not contained the excessive rain, there would’ve been worse flooding in the surrounding suburbs.
Since we were here, we also had to visit the Wintergardens, the duck pond and the best trees.
I had enough forethought this day to bring some tasty peas with us to feed the ducks, but on trying to do so we were set upon by a flock of quite aggro pigeons who seemed to want the peas for themselves, so we thought it best to move on.
The Domain is also home to what we call the Best Trees. I wonder how old these trees are and how long it took for them to grow that big? I was unable to find any information on the history of trees, unfortunately.
Aside: My earliest childhood memory involves feeding the ducks (probably not the same ones) at this pond around 1982-3. I don’t remember there being any pigeons.
Here’s the best of the best trees.
The Edwardian-style rotunda in the Domain was built in the early 1900s (see the Our Auckland website for more information) and in 2023 was repainted in its original colours (which to me don’t look too different from the colours in this photo from 2021, but anyway).
The Wintergardens turned 100 years old in October of 2021 and have recently been restored and “seismically strengthened”.
One of them was still closed and all covered up this day, but the remaining one had some carnivorous plants in it, which was what I really wanted to see.
This is a pitcher plant, or Sarracenia spp. It eats insects and small frogs.
I always leave the Domain thinking I haven’t quite seen everything I wanted to see, but one can’t hang around in the Wintergardens too long, because they are (or at least this one with the carnivorous plants was) extremely humid.
Directions and facilities
There are a variety of public facilities in the area, including within the museum itself, but also by the duck pond. To find Pukekawa by car, put “Auckland Domain Parnell” into the GPS. If coming from the south, you will need to take the Khyber Pass exit on the motorway.
As for parking options at the Domain, it’s a bit of a free-for-all on the streets surrounding the museum, but there is paid parking underneath the museum that is rarely full on weekdays (it could be a different story on the weekends, however).
Happy adventuring,
