New Zealand's indigenous Maori, a Polynesian people, make up around 15% of
the population.
For more than six centuries the Mount was occupied by local
Maori people and habitation terraces, storage pits, defense ditches, bank
systems and middens are still visible today.
The wide base track takes around 45 minutes to walk, with views of ocean and
inner harbor, sheltered beaches and rocky outcrops to be enjoyed along the way.
Protected
offshore islands and oceanic reserves ensure New Zealand's unique plants and
wildlife are preserved. New Zealand's wildlife includes the Kiwi, a flightless
bird, after which both the people and the fruit are named. There are also unique
varieties of parrots, frogs and reptiles. New Zealand has no native land mammals
other than bats. These are no snakes.
