Taranaki

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Taranaki Maunga is simply phenomenal.

Watercolour painting of Taranaki Maunga by John Gully
Copyright: Gully, John, 1819-1888 :Mount Egmont or Taranaki / John Gully, 1875. Dunedin, Marcus Ward, 1877.. Gully, John, 1819-1888 :New Zealand scenery chomolithographed after original water-color drawings by John Gully with descriptive letterpress by Dr Julius von Haast. Dunedin, Henry Wise & Company ; London Marcus Ward & Co., 1877. Ref: PUBL-0010-13. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand.
Date:
Gully, John, 1819-1888 :Mount Egmont or Taranaki / John Gully, 1875. Dunedin, Marcus Ward, 1877.. Gully, John, 1819-1888 :New Zealand scenery chomolithographed after original water-color drawings by John Gully with descriptive letterpress by Dr Julius von Haast. Dunedin, Henry Wise & Company ; London Marcus Ward & Co., 1877. Ref: PUBL-0010-13. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand.
View of Taranaki Maunga looking across Lake Mangamahoe with birds flying past
Camera Model: Canon EOS R6
Date:
F-number: ƒ/4.000000 | Focal Length: 64mm
Exposure Time: 1/125 | ISO: 100
View of Taranaki Maunga looking across Lake Mangamahoe

The Te Papa-Kura-o-Taranaki (national park) surrounding it was defined as a 6-mile radius from the cone of the maunga, making a near complete circle of native bush. If you fly past (or even view it from space), the park boundary appears as the world’s biggest crop circle of deep green forest.

Aerial view of Te Papa-Kura-o-Taranaki from a flight to Te Whanganui-a-Tara
Camera Model: Pixel 6
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F-number: ƒ/1.9 | Focal Length: 7mm
Exposure Time: 1/33 | ISO: 185
Aerial view of Te Papa-Kura-o-Taranaki from a flight to Te Whanganui-a-Tara

Having had several options already thwarted by the weather, it was exciting to see the forecast for Taranaki clearing up. We hopped in the van after work on Friday and high-tailed it to the Dawson Falls visitor centre on the southern slope of Taranaki ready for the tramp the next day.

After a quick coffee (and questionable liquid breakfast choice of the tax-avoidant Sanitarium’s UP&GO™), we made a start.

Looking up at Taranaki Maunga from the car park of Dawson Falls visitor centre
Camera Model: Canon EOS R6
Date:
F-number: ƒ/2.8 | Focal Length: 24mm
Exposure Time: 1/60 | ISO: 100
Looking up at Taranaki Maunga from the car park of Dawson Falls visitor centre

We passed and then were passed by a few other climbers. We met one lady who made it up and down the main peak each day we were there!

A person walking through the snowfield looking across at Fantams peak
Camera Model: Canon EOS R6
Date:
F-number: ƒ/7.1 | Focal Length: 26mm
Exposure Time: 1/400 | ISO: 100
A person walking through the snowfield looking across at Fantams peak

After clearing the treeline and scrambling up through the snow, Syme hut emerged out of the snow field. The hut was named after Rod Syme, a well-regarded local tramper and agricultural instructor who contributed significant work in the area. I’ve heard the hut referred to as “the ice box” and when we go close, it was obvious why.

Syme hut encrusted with ice on the windward side
Camera Model: Canon EOS R6
Date:
F-number: ƒ/14.000000 | Focal Length: 70mm
Exposure Time: 1/60 | ISO: 100
Syme hut encrusted with ice on the windward side

The long drop looked like an equally daunting prospect to use, but was fun to summit with crampons!

Climbing the ice-covered support cable for Syme hut's long drop toilet
Copyright: Copyright © Matthew Cattin 2022
Camera Model: X-T4
Date:
F-number: ƒ/8.000000 | Focal Length: 16mm
Exposure Time: 1/1500 | ISO: 320
Climbing the ice-covered support cable for Syme hut's long drop toilet
View of Taranaki Maunga out of Syme hut with food and cooking utensils in the foreground
Camera Model: Canon EOS R6
Date:
F-number: ƒ/5.6 | Focal Length: 24mm
Exposure Time: 1/250 | ISO: 100
View of Taranaki Maunga out of Syme hut

After a cold night in the hut, we all stumbled outside just before dawn and were treated to the most brilliant sunrise I’ve ever seen.

Leaving Syme hut to see the sunrise
Camera Model: Canon EOS R6
Date:
F-number: ƒ/2.8 | Focal Length: 24mm
Exposure Time: 1/60 | ISO: 20000
Leaving Syme hut to see the sunrise
Taranaki maunga at sunrise with Syme Hut in the foreground and the moon overhead.
Camera Model: Canon EOS R6
Date:
F-number: ƒ/5.000000 | Focal Length: 59mm
Exposure Time: 1/160 | ISO: 100
Taranaki maunga at sunrise with Syme Hut in the foreground.
Sunrise cloud inversion with Ngāuruhoe and Ruapehu visible on the horizon
Camera Model: Canon EOS R6
Date:
F-number: ƒ/2.8 | Focal Length: 70mm
Exposure Time: 1/80 | ISO: 1600
Sunrise cloud inversion with Ngāuruhoe and Ruapehu visible on the horizon
Walking down through the bush with the national park and farmland in the distance
Camera Model: Canon EOS R6
Date:
F-number: ƒ/5.000000 | Focal Length: 70mm
Exposure Time: 1/250 | ISO: 100
Walking down through the bush with the national park and farmland in the distance

It was then time to pack up and head home. The walk down through the dense native forest felt like a very Narnian exit to the land of Taranaki.

The park is making steady progress towards becoming a predator-free environment as part of Aotearoa’s wider Predator Free 2050 goal; encouraging news after a series of incidents of violence and militant activity against these projects.

Moss-covered native trees in the forest of Te Papa-Kura-o-Taranaki
Camera Model: Canon EOS R6
Date:
F-number: ƒ/2.8 | Focal Length: 24mm
Exposure Time: 1/60 | ISO: 1250
Moss-covered native trees in the forest of Te Papa-Kura-o-Taranaki