What it is
Maungakiekie, often translated as mountain of the kiekie vine, was terraced in the 17th century and became the largest pā on the isthmus. A lone tōtara stood on the summit in pre-European times; a later tree gave the hill its English name. The Monterey pine planted by John Logan Campbell in 1875 was attacked with chainsaws in 1994 and 2000 and removed in 2001, and nine young tōtara and pōhutukawa were planted in its place in 2016.
The obelisk, completed in 1940 and funded by a bequest from Campbell, was unveiled in 1948 as a memorial to Māori, and Campbell's grave lies at its base. The hill rises from Cornwall Park, which Campbell gave for public use; together with the One Tree Hill Domain it covers about 220 hectares.
Getting there by bus
No stop is close to the summit; all the nearest ones are on the roads around Cornwall Park, and the walk up takes around 15 to 20 minutes. Greenlane Clinical Centre Main Entrance (stop 1097), about 650 metres from the top, is served by route 321, and Outside Greenlane Clinical Centre (stop 8067) by routes 321 and 65.
On Manukau Road to the west, Manukau Road/Greenwoods Corner (stop 8722) has route 30, and Banff Avenue (stop 8718) and Gardner Road (stop 8713) are served by routes 30 and 309. Campbell Road (stop 8244), on the southern side, has route 298.
