A prominent hill, 2,218 ft above sea level, it lies 8 miles north of Dunedin in Waikouaiti County, Otago Province. It is a prominent landmark visible from Dunedin City and most parts of the district, and was named after Captain W. Cargill, leader of the Otago colonists who arrived at Otago Harbour in the John Wickliffe on 23 March 1848. This is one of the volcanic hills surrounding Dunedin City; the summit portion consists of a basaltic plug with columnar, spheriodal, and tabular structures, and the flanks consist of gently sloping lava flows. A scenic motor road which runs from Waitati along the eastern slopes of Cargill to Dunedin presents magnificent views of Otago Harbour, the city, and its environs.
by Bryce Leslie Wood, M.SC., New Zealand Geological Survey, Dunedin.