Otuataua Stonefields
From Auckland Council website
Location
- 56 Ihumatao Quarry Road, Mangere
- 21.1km - 27 minutes drive from Downtown Auckland
This is one of the city’s last volcanic areas where you can see the large-scale stonework and earthwork remains that show how people once lived and worked. The 100-hectare area was established to protect and preserve the archaeological remains of the communities that thrived on this land for hundreds of years.
How to get there
Car
From Downtown Auckland, from Queen Street, continue onto Upper Queen St, Turn right onto Ian Mckinnon Drive and continue onto Dominion Rd. Merge onto the Southwestern Motorway/State Highway 20 via the ramp to Manukau/Airport. Take exit 9 on the right to merge onto George Bolt Memorial Drive/State Highway 20A. From George Bolt Memorial Drive, which is the main road to the airport from Mangere, turn slightly left onto Ascot Road, continue onto Oruarangi Road and then turn right into Ihumatao Road. Go down this road almost to the end, turn right into Oruarangi Road and then take the first left into Ihumatao Quarry Road.
Get directions with Google Maps.
Bus
Visit the Maxx website or phone 
09 366 6400.
Amenities and activities
Bird life
Native birds are scarce but you may hear a fantail (piwakawaka), tui, New Zealand pigeon (kereru) or silvereye(tauhouo). The coastline adjacent to the reserve is home to sea bird species such as the South Island pied oystercatcher, godwits and knots. Two species of native skink - the copper and ornate - are present.
Cultural norms
The reserve is waahi tapu (a sacred place) to descendants of Te Wai O Hua and Waikato Iwi of the Tainui waka (canoe). Please be respectful while visiting. Tangata whenua have especially requested that you do not consume food on the reserve although water bottles are acceptable. Please do not walk on the top of Puketaapapa volcano, a site of particular traditional significance. Instead, follow the walk marker posts around the northern side.
Dogs
Dogs may be controlled either on a leash or off a leash.
Toilets
There are none on the reserve. The nearest toilets are on Oruarangi Road at the Oruarangi Creek mouth and landing which is 1km north of the main entrance gates.
Wild life
Some of the species of original native rock forest you can see include karaka, mahoe,porokaiwhiri, whau, titoki, puriri, ngaio and various ferns. The reserve is also home to a rare and highly endangered plant called mawhai or the native cucumber, which has not been recorded growing elsewhere on the New Zealand mainland since 1866.
Walks
There are three walks. Some of the walks require a reasonable level of agility because they pass over rocks and uneven surfaces.
Historical walk
Maori lived and gardened at Otuataua for centuries, and European families farmed here for over 100 years. This walk will show you some of what has been left behind, and can give you an insight as to how these people lived and worked on the land.
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Distance
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1.8km
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Time
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30-40 minutes
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Botanical walk
The area has some of the few remaining pockets of original native vegetation in the greater Auckland region, as well as many exotic plant species introduced by the European settlers. Along this walk, you will also see the remains of both Maori and European gardening and farming areas.
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Distance
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1km
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Time
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20-25 minutes
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Geological walk
This walk will explore some of the features of the reserve’s unique geology. All three volcanoes are thought to have been part of the same eruption event. They erupted about 20,000 years ago and today scoria rock and lava bombs from these eruptions are still evident throughout the reserve
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Distance
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1km
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Time
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30-45 minutes
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