Castle Hill

This area has special significance to Nga-i Tahu, with ties that stretch unbroken from distant ancestors to present generations.

Kura Ta-whiti literally means "the treasure from a distant land", referring to the kumara that was once cultivated in this region. Kura Tawhiti was claimed by the Nga-i Tahu ancestor Tane Tiki, son of celebrated chief Tuahuriri. The nearby mountains were famed for kakapo, and Tane Tiki wanted their soft skins and glowing green feathers for clothing to be worn by his daughter Hine Mihi.

Such stories link Nga-i Tahu to the landscape. The traditional knowledge of trails, rock shelters and rock drawings, and places for gathering kai (food) in the area known as Kura Tawhiti form an integral part of past and present tribal identity.

Kura Tawhiti has To-puni status, which is a legal recognition of the site's importance to the Nga-i Tahu tribe. The term comes from the traditional custom of chiefs extending power and authority over areas or people by placing a cloak over them.

The existing status of the land as a conservation area is unchanged, but To-puni status ensures that Ngai Tahu values are recognised, acknowledged and respected and Ngai Tahu take an active role in management. It recognises Nga-i Tahu mana whenua and rangatiratanga and symbolises the tribe's commitment to conservation.

Landforms - Sculptures in stone
The geology of the rocks at Kura Ta-whiti is tertiary limestone, mudstone, sandstone and tuffs. Limestone is formed from layers of organic sediment, deposited in deep oceans far from land. The layers are compressed into soft, soluble rock.

The area was once under a large, shallow inland sea that began to infill some 30 million years ago. Pressure over time caused extensive uplift and folding and faulting of the Torlesse and Craigieburn Ranges.

Thrust up from their origin, the limestone rock was eroded by water into these distinctive sculptured landforms, called a karst landscape.

This place is very popular with climbers and people who like bouldering.

I thought it was absolutely stunning. 🗻🌞Lue lisää