The Tūpuna Maunga Authority will be closing Auckland’s ancestral maunga (mountains) during Guy Fawkes from Saturday 2 November to Tuesday 5 November 2024 to protect them from fires. This will be the sixth consecutive year the Authority has closed the Maunga.
The closures come after a history of devastating fires caused by fireworks on Maungarei / Mt Wellington, Maungawhau / Mt Eden and Te Pane o Mataoho / Te Ara Pueru / Māngere Mountain.
Despite the successful closures in recent years, we continue to identify concerning incidents involving the dangerous use of fireworks and have seen suspicious fires requiring emergency services.
Authority Chair, Paul Majurey explains the need for these measures: “The Tūpuna Maunga are of immense cultural, historical, and spiritual importance, and we have a duty to protect them. The continued threat posed by fireworks is serious, and these closures significantly reduce the risk of fire-related damage during Guy Fawkes”.
The Authority will have security teams patrolling the Maunga throughout the closure period and signage to remind the public of the restrictions.
All Tūpuna Maunga, listed below, will be closed from Saturday 2 to Tuesday 5 November 2024, from 6 pm through to the usual gate opening times.
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Maungakiekie / One Tree Hill
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Maungarei / Mount Wellington
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Maungawhau / Mount Eden
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Maungauika / North Head
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Ōwairaka / Te Ahi-kā-a-Rakataura / Mount Albert
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Ōhinerau / Mount Hobson
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Ōhuiarangi / Pigeon Mountain
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Ōtāhuhu / Mount Richmond
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Pukewīwī / Puketāpapa / Mount Roskill
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Te Kōpuke / Tītīkōpuke / Mount St John
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Takarunga / Mount Victoria
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Te Pane o Mataaho / Te Ara Pueru / Māngere Mountain
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Te Tātua a Riukiuta / Big King
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Matukutūruru / Wiri Mountain
The Authority will also have security teams located on the Maunga Wednesday 6 November to Sunday 10 November.
The Tūpuna Maunga Authority continues to urge the Government to ban public sales of fireworks.
Paul Majurey says, “As long as fireworks remain available to the public, we have no option but to restrict access to the Maunga to prevent destructive fires and the extensive damage they cause. The Authority, alongside Auckland Council, the SPCA, and numerous other organizations across the country, will keep pressing the Government to tighten restrictions on the public sale of fireworks.
It's crucial that fireworks are only used in controlled environments, allowing people to enjoy them safely through organized public displays, while reducing the risk to people, property, and our sacred Maunga.”
