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Story: Waikato places

Roadside Stories: Maungatautari, volcanic sanctuary

Some rare native birds can be found in the fenced wildlife sanctuary on Maungatautari, the sacred mountain of the Ngāti Raukawa people. The tribe takes its name from its founding ancestor, Raukawa – who was named after the raukawa perfume his mother wore for her night-time encounters with his father.

Listen to a Roadside Story about Maungatautari. Roadside Stories is a series of audio guides to places around New Zealand.

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How to cite this page

Nancy Swarbrick, Waikato places – Kakepuku to Maungatautari, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/interactive/35239/roadside-stories-maungatautari-volcanic-sanctuary (accessed 23 June 2026).

Story by Nancy Swarbrick, published 5 January 2012, updated 11 June 2015.