Scandrett Regional Park

About

Scandrett Regional Park is a regional park located on the north east tip of the Mahurangi Peninsula, north of the city of Auckland, New Zealand. It encompasses Mullet Point and includes regenerating coastal forest, rocky headlands that protrude into Kawau Bay, Scandretts Bay beach and a precinct of historic farm buildings. The people of Auckland own the park through the Auckland Council.

Scandrett Regional Park is a 44 hectare park bordering Scandretts Bay. The north-east point of the park is called Mullet Point.

The Māori name for Scandretts Bay is Purahurawai, meaning 'the expansive sparkling waters'; Mullet Point is Mātairoa, referring to the 'extensive sea views' from this strategic headland pā (fortification).

In pre-European times this place was known for its plentiful marine and coastal forest resources, particularly kanae or mullet, muri ( pioke ) or school sharks, and whale and dolphin species. In recent years, whales have again been seen in the vicinity of Mātairoa/Mullet Point.

Local tradition says the land was occupied by ancient peoples known as Ngāti Kui, Tūtūmaiao and Tūrehu, and that the famous ancestor and voyager, Toi Te Huatahi, visited Mahurangi some eight centuries ago. His association is recalled in names of many islands and waters in the area. Some of his descendants settled with the earlier occupants, and are ancestors of the iwi (tribal groups) still associated with the district.

The hapū (sub tribal groups) of Ngāti Manuhiri, Ngāti Rongo and Ngāti Kahu, including their smaller sub-groupings, claim mana whenua (traditional land rights) in the Mahurangi – Matakana area. Those hapū are related to the larger iwi of Ngātiwai and Ngāti Whātua, and are tied to several of the famous ancestral voyaging canoes, like the Tainui, Arawa, Moekākara and Māhuhukiterangi canoes.

A series of conquests from the early 1600s led to Te Kawerau leader Maki dividing up the entire Mahurangi area among his three eldest sons, Manuhiri (Ngāti Manuhiri), Ngawhetu (Ngāti Rongo), and Maeaeariki (Ngāti Raupō, Ngāti Kahu and Ngati Kā), including the land that now makes up Scandrett Regional Park.

Over time, all of these closely related hapū made alliances with Ngāti Whātua, Ngāi Tāhūhū and Ngāti Manaia (Ngātiwai) and occupied the Mahurangi area in peace for several generations.

Fighting between the Te Kawerau ā Maki and Marutūahu tribal confederations, over control of the fishing resources of the eastern coastline between the Whāngaparāoa peninsula and Matakana, began in the 1720s and continued sporadically throughout the century.

The Marutūahu tribes occupied the Hauraki Gulf and did not want control of land, rather the famed tauranga mangō or shark fishing grounds north of Whāngaparāoa, including Purahurawai / Scandretts Bay and Moanauriuri / Kawau Bay, where thousands of school sharks were caught and dried in late summer for winter food. The Te Kawerau hapū (Ngāti Manuhiri, Ngāti Rongo, Ngāti Raupō and Ngāti Kā) remained on their Mahurangi lands, but clashed with the Marutūahu tribes, who continued to harvest Mahurangi shark until the Musket Wars stopped this, from around 1821.

Today, Marutūahu iwi still assert ancestral associations with the Mahurangi district, including through the Waitangi Tribunal. Representatives of the Te Kawerau hapū work with Auckland Council as kaitiaki (guardians) over regional parkland in Mahurangi. Ngāti Manuhiri were consulted in the acquisition of Scandrett Regional Park; were part of the opening in 2004; and continue to act as kaitiaki.

Mātairoa / Mullet Point was occupied by Māori for many generations, evidenced by visible archaeological features including two headland pā, tūāpapa (house terraces), rua (food storage pits), ahu otaota (shell middens), rubbish dumps (from food waste), and groves of harakeke (flax), karaka and tawāpou.

Centuries of continuous Māori settlement was centred in the same area where the Scandrett family had their home and gardens, behind Purahurawai / Scandretts Bay. This area was warm, relatively sheltered, had easily worked soils and permanent water sources from several small streams leading to the beach.

Associated seasonal occupation sites are found on the ridge overlooking Martins Bay, and a large pā on the headland adjoining the regional park, at the north-western end of Purahurawai / Scandretts Bay. Protected by a deep double ditch, the pā would have been occupied by Rangatira (chiefs) and provided shelter in times of conflict. The name of the pā is not recorded, but has the locality name: Purahurawai.

Mātairoa / Mullet Point takes its name from the headland pā located on its northern extremity, which is protected by seaward steep cliffs and by a defensive landward ditch. Although its earthworks are hard to make out from years of farming, this was less of a defensive site, more a lookout point over the seaways to the north and south, and for spotting fish and whales.

Crops in the bay would have included kūmara, hue (gourds), uhi (yams), taro and aruhe (the root of the bracken fern). The stream wetlands would have provided food like raupō pollen, pūkeko and ducks; and building and weaving materials like raupō, kuta and harakeke or flax. The former coastal forest would have been an important source of food, medicine and building & fishing materials. Plants like whau, ngaio, nīkau palm, toetoe, karaka, tawāpou, pōhutukawa; and birds like tūī, kūkupa (native pigeon) and kākā. Māori harvested the area’s marine resources all year round, including fish, kōura (crayfish), pipi, tuatua, tuangi (cockle) and tipa (scallop), kina, pāua, kūtai (mussel), tio (rock oyster), pūpū (catseye) and kākara (whelk). Occasional stranded whales provided food and bone.

Fighting between the Te Kawerau ā Maki and Marutūahu tribal confederations, over control of the fishing resources of the eastern coastline between the Whāngaparāoa peninsula and Matakana, began in the 1720s and continued sporadically throughout the century.

The Marutūahu tribes occupied the Hauraki Gulf and did not want control of land, rather the famed tauranga mangō or shark fishing grounds north of Whāngaparāoa, including Purahurawai / Scandretts Bay and Moanauriuri / Kawau Bay, where thousands of school sharks were caught and dried in late summer for winter food. The Te Kawerau hapū (Ngāti Manuhiri, Ngāti Rongo, Ngāti Raupō and Ngāti Kā) remained on their Mahurangi lands, but clashed with the Marutūahu tribes, who continued to harvest Mahurangi shark until the Musket Wars stopped this, from around 1821.

Today, Marutūahu iwi still assert ancestral associations with the Mahurangi district, including through the Waitangi Tribunal. Representatives of the Te Kawerau hapū work with Auckland Council as kaitiaki (guardians) over regional parkland in Mahurangi. Ngāti Manuhiri were consulted in the acquisition of Scandrett Regional Park; were part of the opening in 2004; and continue to act as kaitiaki.

Mātairoa / Mullet Point was occupied by Māori for many generations, evidenced by visible archaeological features including two headland pā, tūāpapa (house terraces), rua (food storage pits), ahu otaota (shell middens), rubbish dumps (from food waste), and groves of harakeke (flax), karaka and tawāpou.