Arataki Visitor Centre is a tourism and education centre in
West Auckland, New Zealand, often described as the gateway to the
Waitākere Ranges.[1][2][3] The centre provides information about the Waitākere Ranges, and organises educational events.
History
The Arataki Nature Trail, located near the site of the visitor centre, was first opened in 1974. The name Arataki is a
Māori language word, meaning an "instructional path".[4] The plant identification trail features examples of different species found in the
Waitākere Ranges.[5]
The visitor centre was opened in 1994,[4] with a design by
Harry Turbott.[6][7] The carved pou at the entrance of the centre depicts the ancestors of
Te Kawerau ā Maki, including Tiriwā (the namesake of the Waitākere Ranges name in Māori, Te Wao Nui a Tiriwa), followed by
Rakatāura / Hape (
tohunga of the Tainui),
Hoturoa, Maki (the namesake ancestor of Te Kawerau ā Maki) and his son and grandson.[8] The pou was removed in 2009 due to damage to the wood, and was replaced with a new pou constructed from fallen
kauri from the Waitākere Ranges.[9]
In late 2017, Te Kawerau ā Maki placed a
rāhui on the tracks of the Waitākere Ranges, due to the effects of
Kauri dieback on the forest,[10] followed by a formal closure of the tracks by
Auckland Council in April 2018.[11] The upper Arataki Nature Trail was one of the first tracks to reopen after track upgrades, in May 2018.[12]
Facility
The Arataki Visitor Centre is the start point for the Hillary Trail, a multi-day walk through the Waitākere Ranges to
Muriwai which opened in January 2010.[13][14] As of 2023, the full track remains closed due to the effects of
Kauri dieback.[15]
The visitor centre is also used as a gallery space, such as for nature photography,[16] and fibre installations by New Zealand weaver
Maureen Lander.[17]
^
abCameron, Ewen;
Hayward, Bruce; Murdoch, Graeme (2008). A Field Guide to Auckland: Exploring the Region's Natural and Historical Heritage (Revised ed.). Random House New Zealand. p. 177.
ISBN978-1-86962-1513.