Te Tatua-a-Riukiuta
Volcanic cone with pa terraces and kumara pits, the sole survivor of three peaks quarried for red scoria.
Location
About this audio guide
This guide to Te Tatua-a-Riukiuta, also known as Three Kings, in Auckland starts with a puzzle: the hill takes its name from three volcanic cones, yet only one remains today. It traces the eruption some 31,000 years ago, the pa terraces and kumara pits cut into these slopes by the descendants of the Tainui priest Riukiuta, and the discovery that the cones were made of red scoria prized for roads and driveways. Stand among the pa terraces still cut into the earth beneath your feet as you listen.
This audio guide was created using AI.
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