Pukemako Scenic Reserve

Te Waikato Sanatorium at Pukemako, view of the main building circa 1910–1930

Pukemako Scenic Reserve is located in the Waipā District, northeast of the town of Cambridge, New Zealand.[1] Pukemako translates from Māori as “hill of the bellbird”.[2] The 63.9108 ha (157.927 acres) reserve was renamed from Maungakawa Scenic Reserve under section 61 of Ngāti Hauā Claims Settlement Act 2014 and the neighbouring 2.8328 ha (7.000 acres) Gudex Memorial Park Historic Reserve was renamed Pukemako Historic Reserve under section 62 of the Act. Both areas are now administered by a Board appointed by Ngāti Hauā and Waipā District Council.[3] Previously confusion had been caused, as a 495 m (1,624 ft) hill, a few kilometres to the north, is called Maungakawa.[4] Another 535 m (1,755 ft) Maungakawa hill in the Hapuakohe Range is also in Waikato.[5]

History

In 1868 10,000 acres (4,000 ha) was bought, or leased from Māori owners by Daniel Thornton,[6] and, after his death, a large house was put on what was later called Sanatorium Hill.[7]

Sanatorium

Pukemako scenic reserve and a remnant of the Sanatorium
Ruins of Te Waikato Sanatorium

Te Waikato Sanatorium for tuberculosis was officially opened in 1903 by Liberal Prime Minister, Sir Joseph Ward,[8] as one of the few the Public Health Department hospitals .[7] Closure came in 1921,[9] during the second Massey Ministry, when Health Minister James Parr said half the beds were empty.[10] He was supported by Cambridge Borough Council; the Mayor saying it was a burden on the state.[11]

Maungakawa Scenic Reserve

Pukemako Scenic Reserve was originally named after the former Maungakawa estate.[12] The reserve has a native bush walk and views over the surrounding area.[13] It was formed in 1953. The Gudex stone obelisk was erected on Pukemako hill, when 7 acres (2.8 ha) were set aside from the reserve to become Gudex Memorial Park in 1968. On a clear day Mt Ruapehu and Mt Taranaki are visible.[12] It commemorated the conservation work of M. C. Gudex.[4]

Wildlife

The reserve is one of Waikato Regional Council's HALO sites, using brodifacoum and cholecalciferol to reduce rats and possums to low densities. Copper skinks may be present, but none was seen in a lizard survey in March 2025.[14] Matai, rimu and kahikatea have been logged from the reserve and mahoe, fuchsia and kohekohe were damaged by possums from the 1950s, when mangeao was on all the higher ground, with many karaka and rewarewa, tree ferns, rata, Pseudopanax ferox and Nothopanax laetum. About 1890 kauri, puriri, pines, macrocarpa and oak were planted. Some of the oaks had as many as ten species of native ferns, orchids, and Astelia, and pines had Griselinia lucid. Trilepidea adamsii, a large-leaved native mistletoe, grew at its most southerly limit,[15] but, due to habitat loss, over-collecting, loss of pollinators, loss of dispersers, or possum browse,[16] it was last recorded in 1954 and is now presumed extinct. Pest control began in 2007.[2]

References

  1. ↑ "Cambridge to Pukemako Scenic Reserve". Google Maps. Retrieved 4 July 2026.
  2. 1 2 "Pukemako Scenic ReserveWaikato Botanical Society". waikatobotsoc.org.nz. 15 September 2019. Retrieved 4 July 2026.
  3. ↑ "Ngāti Hauā Claims Settlement Act 2014".
  4. 1 2 "Waikato places | Te Ara Encyclopedia of New Zealand". teara.govt.nz. Retrieved 4 July 2026.
  5. ↑ "Maungakawa, Waikato". NZ Topo Map. Retrieved 4 July 2026.
  6. ↑ "Thornton Family". Cambridge Museum. 8 June 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2019.
  7. 1 2 "12. – Waikato places – Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand". Retrieved 1 January 2019 – via teara.govt.nz.
  8. ↑ "Te Waikato Sanatorium Opened by Sir Joseph Ward". Waikato Times. 12 December 1903. Retrieved 1 January 2019 – via paperspast.natlib.govt.nz.
  9. ↑ "Waikato Sanatorium". Waikato Independent. 15 November 1921. Retrieved 1 January 2019 – via paperspast.natlib.govt.nz.
  10. ↑ "Waikato Sanatorium". Waikato Independent. 2 June 1921. Retrieved 1 January 2019 – via paperspast.natlib.govt.nz.
  11. ↑ "Closing Sanatorium". Waikaoto Independent. 23 June 1921. Retrieved 1 January 2019 – via paperspast.natlib.govt.nz.
  12. 1 2 "Gudex Memorial Maungakawa". Cambridge Heritage blog. Retrieved 1 January 2019.
  13. ↑ "Walking – Tracks – Maungakawa (Sanatorium Hill)". Cambridge i-Site. 2010. Archived from the original on 7 October 2011. Retrieved 8 July 2012.
  14. ↑ "Consent in respect of protected wildlife" (PDF). EPA. 2024.
  15. ↑ M. C. Gudex (1959). "Native Flora of Maungakawa-Te Miro".
  16. ↑ "Trilepidea adamsii". New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. Retrieved 4 July 2026.

37°52′S 175°32′E / 37.86°S 175.53°E / -37.86; 175.53

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