Mount Eden & Eden Garden, Auckland

Mount Eden & Eden Garden: Massive & Mesmerizing!

Auckland, New Zealand

August 21, 2023

At 643 feet tall, Maungawhau or Mount Eden is the highest volcano in Auckland.

Maungawhau is a large, elongated scoria (dark-colored igneous rock with abundant round bubble-like cavities known as vesicles) cone consisting of two overlapping cones which erupted in close succession about 28,000 years ago. The older, lower cone had its crater filled with scoria with the second eruption. The southern cone is the youngest and tallest, an impressive crater 590 feet in diameter and 164 feet deep!

The hike took about 1.5 hours round trip, relatively easy except for all the stairs! But once you ascend to the summit you are met with a beautiful boardwalk to walk around the crater you can enjoy spectacular views of the city and its harbours.

You can see One Tree Hill from Mt. Eden!

The summit point on Mt. Eden.

The cone craters.....

The Eden Gardens

This 5.5 acre garden situated on the eastern slopes of Mt. Eden. It is a charming little spot within the city. This is where I was first introduced to the Tui bird and instantly fell in love. These quirky little birds have a distinct call, similar to sounds from a Star Wars movie. They are known for the distinctive tuft of white feathers at its throat, like pom pom balls. Maori legend says that this tuft signifies the mark of a coward. The Maori god Tanemahuta asked one of the birds to go to live on the forest floor to take care of the pests. The bird that volunteered would lose his colorful plumage and his ability to fly. The tui and the other birds who declined all received a punishment. The tui received the white feathers. And the bird that volunteered to live on the forest floor – that was the kiwi, of course.

Tui, New Zealand native bird, in a Kowhai Tree. They LOVE these trees that are usually seen lining the neighborhood streets. Their "singing call" is very distinctive, almost like Star Wars ping-pings and R2D2 chirps! I LOVE THEM!