Takarunga / Mt Victoria - improvements are coming...

There’s nothing like a lockdown to cement our appreciation for the wide-open space, expansive views, and the spiritually uplifting experience of traversing one of our beautiful Maunga. In Devonport, locals are lucky that their daily lockdown hīkoi can include not just one, but two of Tāmaki’s culturally significant geographic taonga.

I’m privileged to be one of the six elected Council members on the Tūpuna Maunga Authority, sitting alongside mana whenua representatives, collectively making decisions that strengthen the spiritual, ancestral, cultural, customary and historical significance of those maunga. In our August hui, some decisions were made that will improve the visitor experience on one of our local sites of significance, Takarunga. You may be interested to learn what changes are afoot.

Following the successful pedestrianization of the summit road to the tihi and the upgrade to the tihi track in 2018, the Authority has seen more users spend more time on this maunga, and when our borders do open again, we know that Takarunga is a highly frequented visitor destination. For these reasons the Authority members have decided to progress a few more changes in response. This work falls under Mana Whai A Rēhia / Recreational Value, which is one of the 7 Tūpuna Maunga Strategies that inform, guide and manage the activities that take place on the Maunga.

What has been proposed and agreed is:

• The provision of wharepaku/toilet will be installed at the back edge of the tennis courts along with seating and native planters.  
• A reduction of the now redundant carparking at the tihi: This will create a new grassed amenity area for people to enjoy. Some carparks will be retained to allow for limited mobility users. 
• A new reinforced grass access to the Port of Auckland facility. 
• Native planting screening the Ports of Auckland facility, along with painting the fencing a more recessive colour so that it doesn't dominate the landscape.
• Existing seating, which is at the end of their life, will be replaced with new tables and seating. A formed path to the seating will allow unrestricted access for people with limited mobility.
• The steel relief map, made by Devonport’s own Richard Tong, will be updated with Māori place names for all the Maunga and the motu (islands) and it will become the focus of a circular path leading from the turning area.
• Existing plantings at the tihi will be invigorated with native species and additional planting of Puriri, Taraire and Kohekohe (broadleaf forest species) will be completed around the courts and on the lower flanks.

In addition, the lower loop track will be renewed and upgraded. This will complete the track upgrades and will protect the maunga from further erosion. The track will be a compacted aggregate surface, shaped to ensure water is kept off the track. Where the track is steep, timber boxed steps will be built and filled with compacted aggregate and timber handrails will be included where they add comfort to the user.

In terms of time frame, these changes will go through the usual consenting process and it is hoped construction will begin mid 2022.