Whangarei
17.89°C
About
Otatara Pa Historic Reserve encompasses one of the most outstanding defensive and settlement complexes in New Zealand.
The views from this site are outstanding. You can see Napier, across to Cape Kidnappers and out to the sea. It is possible on a clear day to see Ruapehu in the centre of the North Island. It’s no wonder that Otatara was the most prized pa in Hawke’s Bay and its ownership was so strongly contested.
The track starts at the Springfield Road car park where visitors pass under the carved waharoa (gateway) to enter the pā. As the track heads uphill, you will pass restoration work including palisades and pouwhenua, and archaeological features such as tūāpapa, whare and rua kūmara.
Enjoy the expansive views and reflect on why the site was chosen for its strategic position. Take time to read the story of Ōtātara Pā, depicted by the Turauwha Pou – part of the Te Ara o Nga Tipuna (Pathways of our Ancestors) project. Continue downhill to Churchill Drive. From here you can exit the reserve or return on the same track to the Springfield Road car park.
Ōtātara Pā Historic Reserve is one of the largest and most ancient Māori pā sites in Hawke’s Bay. Today the reserve encompasses one of the most outstanding defensive and settlement complexes in New Zealand.
Please respect these sacred sites
Sites of battles, deaths or burials are considered wāhi tapu (sacred) by Māori. Feel free to wander and look but treat the pā areas with respect. All archaeological and physical features of the pā are protected by law.
Respect our cultural heritage: do not consume food on the pā, and keep to the track. Above all, remember “Toitū te whenua” – leave the land undisturbed.
Ōtātara Pā Historic Reserve
Free
