Hapuakohe Range Explained

Hapuakohe Range
Location:Waikato, New Zealand
Map:New Zealand
Label Position:bottom
Coordinates:-37.414°N 175.3964°W
Elevation M:535
Age:Jurassic
Geology:Greywacke

Hapuakohe Range of hills is aligned north–south, between the Waikato River and the Hauraki Plains in the Waikato region of New Zealand. It is separated from the Taupiri Range by an air-gap at Mangawara,[1] where the Waikato flowed about 20,000 years ago.[2]

The range is drained by the Waitakaruru and Whangamarino Rivers and their tributaries at the north end. Further south, tributaries of the Piako River drain the east side of the range and streams flow to the Waikato on the west.

The 1865 confiscation boundary ran along the range.[3] [4] The boundary between Waikato and Ohinemuri (from 1920 Hauraki Plains) counties followed a similar line,[5] [6] as does the current boundary between Waikato, Hauraki and Matamata Piako Districts.[7] [8]

Named summits and road

From north to south, the features named on the LINZ map are:

Geology

As shown on this GNS map, the Hapuakohe Range is mainly formed of greywacke of the Jurassic Manaia Hill Group (shown as Jm on map). Overlain with volcanic ash, they've mainly formed clay podzol soils, with poor drainage, which are prone to sheet erosion, particularly on grazed, steep land.[17]

Cenozoic intrusive rocks surface at either end of the range; Tahuna unit (Mkt) at the south end[18] is 6–7 Ma basaltic andesite and pyroxene andesite, with eroded remnants of lava flows and volcanic breccias. Miranda Unit (Mkm), at the north end, is 13–10 Ma, also of basaltic and pyroxene andesite, but including dacite, tuff and hornblende.[19]

Hapuakohe Walkway

There is a 24.8km (15.4miles) Department of Conservation walkway[20] along the range, allowing excellent views of Mt Te Aroha, Firth of Thames, Huntly power station, hill country south of Auckland and the Waikato Plains.[21]

Ecology

The Hapuakohe Range includes Hapuakohe Conservation and Ecological (970ha) areas,[22] Mangapiko Valley (321ha) and Matahuru (1336ha)[23] scenic reserves,[24] the southern 1140acres being protected since 1906 under the 1903 Scenery Preservation Act.[25] A warm, humid climate influences growth, with rainfall of 120cm (50inches) to 160cm (60inches) a year.

The natural vegetation was kauri forest, often mixed with podocarps, and, at the southern end, with hard beech, with rimu–tawa forest at higher levels and kahikatea on the flood plains. Tanekaha, rewarewa, mingimingi, prickly mingimingi, silver fern, wheki, kanuka and pūriri are also common and there is some taraire. All the large kauri trees have been logged, but now about 42% of the native vegetation is protected from clearance, some 58% of the rest being kanuka and manuka scrubland, mainly on the eastern foothills.[26]

No detailed survey of native animals seems to have been done. Kererū and copper skinks are present. Longtailed bats, NZ falcon, Hochstetter's and Archey's frogs, forest gecko and green geckos are likely to be in the Range. Until the 1980s kokako were in the area, but thought to be locally extinct now, though numbers have recovered in the Hunua Ranges to the north.[27]

References

-37.414°N 175.3964°W

Notes and References

  1. Web site: HAPUAKOHE RANGE, Waikato. NZ Topo Map. en. 1 January 2019.
  2. Web site: The Geology of the Tuakau-Mercer Area, Auckland (Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New Zealand, 1948-01-01). paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. en. 21 November 2018.
  3. Web site: Sketch map of proposed Thames and Waikato railway. 1873. digital.liby.waikato.ac.nz. 2 January 2019.
  4. Web site: Index map of Ohinemuri County. www.aucklandcity.govt.nz. 2019-01-03.
  5. Web site: Waikato local government. Taonga. New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage Te Manatu. teara.govt.nz. en. 2 January 2019.
  6. Web site: Hauraki–Coromandel region - Local government, 1876–2010. teara.govt.nz. en. 3 January 2019.
  7. Web site: Whangamarino Ward. Waikato District Council. 3 January 2019.
  8. Web site: Hukanui Waerenga Ward. Waikato District Council. 3 January 2019.
  9. Web site: Trails Strategy. 2016. Waikato District Council.
  10. Web site: Draft Trails Strategy. 2016. Waikato District Council.
  11. Web site: 735 Matahuru Rd. Google Maps. en. 2019-01-03.
  12. Web site: 51 Ohinewai Rd. Google Maps. en. 2019-01-03.
  13. Web site: Traffic and Loading data. July 2018. Waikato District Council. 2019-01-02.
  14. Web site: PROPOSED WAIKATO DISTRICT PLAN. 11 June 2018. Waikato District Council.
  15. Web site: Maungakawa, Waikato. NZ Topo Map. en. 2019-01-04.
  16. Web site: Schedule 30.3: Maaori Site of Significance. 18 July 2018. Waikato District Council. 2 January 2019.
  17. Web site: 5.1 Accelerated Erosion*. Waikato Regional Council. en-NZ. 1 January 2019.
  18. Web site: Geology of the Waikato area 1:250 000 geological map 4. Edbrooke. S. W.. 2005. Institute of Geological & Nuclear Sciences. 2 January 2019. 21 July 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180721043747/https://www.gns.cri.nz/static/qmapdata/newmaps/QWaikato.zip. dead.
  19. Web site: Cenozoic sedimentary and volcanic rocks of New Zealand: A reference volume of lithology, age and paleoenvironments with maps (PMAPs) and database. Peter J.J. Kamp, Kirsty A. Vincent and Michael J.S. Tayler. 2015. University of Waikato.
  20. Web site: Hapuakohe Walkway. May 2016. Wilderness Magazine NZ. en-US. 1 January 2019.
  21. Web site: Hapuakohe Walkway. www.doc.govt.nz. en-nz. 1 January 2019.
  22. Web site: Hapuakohe Ecological Area hunting. www.doc.govt.nz. en-nz. 2 January 2019.
  23. Web site: Matahuru Scenic Reserve hunting. www.doc.govt.nz. en-nz. 1 January 2019.
  24. Web site: Mangapiko Valley Scenic Reserve hunting. www.doc.govt.nz. en-nz. 1 January 2019.
  25. Web site: Department of Lands: Scenery Preservation. Report for the Year Ended 31st March, 1906; together with Statement of Accounts and Schedules of all Lands acquired and reserved under "The Scenery Preservation Act, 1903". 1 Jan 1906.
  26. Web site: NATURAL HERITAGE OF THE HAURAKI DISTRICT. Kessels & Associates Ltd. Feb 2010. Waikato Regional Council.
  27. Web site: Hunua kōkako recovery project. Council. Auckland. Auckland Council. en. 2 January 2019.

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