Story: First peoples in Māori tradition

This prominent hill rises to 521 metres in the Coromandel Range. The name Motutere (floating island) was given by the chief Ruamano, who was descended from Tamatekapua, chief of the Te Arawa canoe. Māori explorers soon learned to avoid the tangled vegetation of the valleys, and travelled mainly along the ridges. Even so, a reasonable day’s travel might cover only five kilometres before dusk descended and shelter from the patupaiārehe had to be found. Hilltops like Motutere would be avoided at such times.