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View from Te Mata Peak, Hawke’s Bay

July 13, 2011 by  
Filed under Featured Content

According to Maori legend, Te Mata Peak and the hills south to Kahurānaki (near Havelock North) are formed by the body of Māori chief.

Te Mata o Rongokako was a giant of a man who fell in love with another chief’s beautiful daughter. In an attempt to dissuade his daughter’s suitor from the romance, the father set a series of difficult tasks that Te Mata o Rongokako accomplished one-by-one. On the final task, eating his way through a hill. He choked on a rock and fell dead on the spot.

Te Mata Peak is a peak south of Hastings in the Hawke’s Bay region of New Zealand. A sealed road leads to the popular lookout at the summit, as well as several trails for hikers and mountain bikers.

As the highest peak in the area, it offers views over the Heretaunga Plains, and Hawke’s Bay, including Napier. On a clear day, the view stretches as far as Mount Ruapehu and Mahia Peninsula.

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License. You will find this image in the Featured Content Gallery on the front page of the website.

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