A blessing of the new-look Pāpāmoa Hills Cultural Heritage Regional Park was held on Saturday.
A blessing of the new-look Pāpāmoa Hills Cultural Heritage Regional Park was held on Saturday.
A new-look Pāpāmoa Hills Cultural Heritage Regional Park has officially opened with new tracks, car park, seating area, interpretive panels and toilets.
The occasion, which attracted 170 people, was organised by Te Uepu, the shared decision-making entity for the park.
Te Uepu is made up of representatives from park owners, regional council, and Waitaha, Ngā Pōtiki, Ngāti Pūkenga and Ngāti Hē.
The council’s land management officer, Hayden Schick, said with more than 100,000 visitors per year, the need for upgrades became apparent when the old car park was regularly at capacity.
“The project has been years in the making and we’re proud of what we’ve achieved alongside our mana whenua partners.
The upgrades include a new car park that provides more than 80 additional spaces.
“Their input has been invaluable to understanding the significance of the whenua here. Sharing the story of the landscape was at the heart of the project, with the benefits of increased car parking, safety, and facilities an additional bonus.”
The upgrades include a new carpark that provides more than 80 additional spaces, a visually stunning tomokanga (entryway), a 3D map of the park, new seating area, toilet block and interpretive panels, while wayfinding signs are dotted across the 182ha park.
There are 1630 individual archaeological features recorded in the park, predominantly tuku (terraces) and papatahi (platforms), pits, middens and defensive earthworks such as maioro (ditches).
“The number of archaeological features present in such a small area is very unusual for Aotearoa New Zealand and reflects why it is necessary to protect these sites and tell the story of this important cultural landscape,” Schick said.
Pāpāmoa Hills Cultural Heritage Regional Park.
Regional councillor, Kat Macmillian, said in a world where open spaces increasingly came under pressure from encroaching development, the conservation of the park for its heritage, recreational and ecological values was an important part of a vibrant region.
“The park is a taonga that deserves to be safeguarded while being shared with the public.
“This is the basis of Te Uepu’s partnership, to work together to uphold the social, cultural and environmental protection of the whenua so that it can continue to be enjoyed now and for future generations.”
Track upgrades include the construction of a wheelchair-friendly short loop track and a 1500m walkway connecting the new carpark and existing walkway.
The latter meanders alongside the Maraeroa pā site offering more spectacular views, the statement said.
An 80m staircase has also been built as an option for a more direct route within the new track.
The old carpark will continue to remain open for use.
