Mount Eden/Maungawhau

Maungawhau, meaning mountain of the whau tree, is 196 metres high and the highest natural point in Auckland. Less than ten minutes south of the city centre, a climb up to the summit is a must-do - you will be rewarded by panoramic 360-degree views over the city and harbour.

The volcano has an oval base caused by three in-line craters. Its ancient lava flows covered 5.6 square kilometres and its 'bubble' contained enough lava to fill 32,000 Olympic swimming pools.

Maori people lived on Maungawhau until around 1700, when the Waiohua tribe defeated the Tamaki people and the pa (fortification) was abandoned. Changes to the natural shape of the cone are clearly visible today, providing historic evidence of Maori terracing, food pits and house sites.