Ihumatao Fields

At Otuataua Stonefields we briefly walked through the Historical Walk and the Botanical Walk

and then headed down to part of the Watercare coastal walkway which provides access to the

Mangere Ihumatao foreshore. Ihumatao is an extinct volcano and means 'nose of Mataoho',

god of volcanoes. Villa Maria Estate, New Zealand's largest privately owned winery

is situated inside Ihumatao on the Ihumatao Peninsula.

Quote for the week

Usually I think if there is something imperfect in a photograph it makes the picture more real. Photographs that are slick, smooth and perfect seem less honest to me. - John Loengard,

"Pictures under discussion" by John Loengard, ISBN: 0817455396

Looking across the stonefields from the Heritage walk. Dairy farming was

established in this area in 1870 mainly by four settler families : The Elletts,

Rennies, Mendelssohns and Wallaces. These farmers built dry stonewalls with

skills they brought with them from Scotland. Manukau Heads are faintly

visible in the background

Rectangular gardening plots can be seen in some areas of Otuataua. These gardens

contain earth and stone mounds. The natural heat absorbing properties of the

rocks were used to stimulate the growth of kumara, yams, hue (bottle gourd)

and taro. This practice added one month to the growing season, extending

it from spring to mid-autumn

Freshwater springs and swampy ground are seen around the edges of the

stonefields as it emerges from beneath the lava flows. Mangere

Mountain can be seen in the background

Part of the Watercare Coastal Walkway. This area is rich in cultural history

and stretches 7 kilometres from Ambury Park to the Otuataua Stonefields

This is an area of international ornithological significance with two

bird hides overlooking restored shell banks and roosting

areas of wading birds. One Tree Hill can be seen

to the left, behind the bird hide

This walkway offers great views and access to flora which ranges from

lowland flax, saltmarsh ribbonwood, needle grass, speckled sedge

and cabbage tree

Ihumatao Fossil Forest

At the end of Renton Road, off Ihumatao Road, lies two fossilised forests imprisoned in mud and peat. These huge logs and stumps on the eastern shore of Manukau Harbour are visible at low tide. The older Kauri forest was destroyed by changing groundwater, turning the area into a swamp. The younger forest was obliterated by the eruptions of Ihumatoa or Maungataketake Volcano.