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Story: Walking tracks

Mountain House

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Mountain House

In 1893 Mt Egmont (Mt Taranaki) became New Zealand’s second national park. It became popular to walk up the mountain and along its new tracks. By 1896, hikers could stay at the Mountain House. This was extended in 1898 to eight rooms, and with extra bunks could accommodate 50 people. The original house, shown here some time after 1900, burned down in 1911.

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Alexander Turnbull Library

Reference: Eph-B-POSTCARD-Vol7-038-btm

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page

Jock Phillips, Walking tracks – Walking for recreation, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/ephemera/12823/mountain-house (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Jock Phillips, published 2 March 2009, updated 1 April 2016.