Puketāpapa facts for kids
Puketāpapa, also known as Pukewīwī and Mount Roskill, is a cool volcanic hill in Auckland, New Zealand. It's also the name of the area around the hill.
About Puketāpapa: A Volcanic Hill
Puketāpapa was formed about 20,000 years ago. This happened because of volcanic activity deep underground. The top of the hill is 110 metres high. You can find it in Winstone Park, which is in the southwest part of the Mount Roskill area.
Puketāpapa is one of many old volcanoes in Auckland. These volcanoes are all part of the Auckland volcanic field. The hill itself is a "scoria cone." This means it was built up by fire-fountaining from two holes, or craters. Hot lava also flowed from the bottom of the hill towards the north and northwest.
Puketāpapa's History as a Māori Pā
Long ago, Puketāpapa was an important place for Māori. It was used as a pā, which is a fortified village. This means it was a safe place with defenses. The Māori names for the hill are Puketāpapa, which means "the flat-topped mountain," and Pukewīwī.
In 1961 and 1962, the main southern crater was dug out. It was then filled with a reservoir to hold water. Today, this reservoir isn't used for everyday water. It's kept ready only for emergencies.
Modern Changes: Roads and Pathways
Since 2009, a big road called State Highway 20 has been built near Puketāpapa. People talked a lot about how this road might affect the hill. Plans were made to help protect the area.
A special pathway for bikes and walkers, called the Waikaraka Cycleway, also runs next to the road. There were some discussions about how much it would cost to finish this path. However, many people wanted the path to be built. They pointed out that much of the cost was for things like new toilets, walls, and artwork. These things made Winstone Park nicer for everyone.
The cycle path part itself was not very expensive. After six months of building, the path and park facilities opened. This happened on July 25, 2010. Now, people can enjoy cycling and walking in the area.
