Last updated November 2026
Reaching about 66 metres above Devonport, Takarunga / Mount Victoria is one of the fourteen Tūpuna Maunga, the ancestral mountains of Tāmaki Makaurau.
The name is often given as “hill standing above”, a reference to its height over neighbouring Takararo / Mt Cambria, which was later largely quarried away. The volcanic cone was an important pā for many years, and its terraces and kūmara pits can still be seen.
Later it carried a signal station for the port from 1841 and a gun fort from 1885, and it has been a public reserve since 1880. The Tūpuna Maunga Authority looks after it, private vehicles are not allowed on the summit, and you walk up from the Kerr Street entrance.
Practical Information
- Address
- 16 Kerr Street, Devonport, Auckland
- Distance from the city
- In Devonport, on Auckland’s North Shore
- Height
- About 66 metres
- Managed by
- Tūpuna Maunga Authority (Ngā Mana Whenua o Tāmaki Makaurau and Auckland Council), with Auckland Council handling day-to-day management
- Opening hours
- Gates 7am to 8.30pm in summer, 7am to 7pm in winter (changing with daylight saving)
- Vehicles
- No private motor vehicles on the summit or summit road (rule since March 2018); same-day access code for people with limited mobility and their drivers on 09 379 1340
- Dogs
- Under control; may be off leash. Pick up after your dog.
- Facilities
- Visitor car parks inside the Kerr Street entrance (time limits enforced)
- Status
- Tūpuna Maunga Authority: Takarunga / Mt Victoria page
About Takarunga / Mount Victoria
Takarunga is a scoria cone, built by fire-fountaining eruptions. The Tūpuna Maunga Authority notes that lava flows from its southern base ran as far as the Devonport foreshore. Takararo, the smaller cone it once stood above, was largely quarried away and is now Cambria Reserve. The name Takarunga, “hill standing above”, refers to its height over Takararo.
For many years the maunga was an important Māori pā. The authority says terracing and kūmara pits are still visible, with the terraces on the northern slopes and storage pits higher up, a record of the people who lived and gardened here. Auckland Council asks visitors to keep to the formed tracks and sealed paths to protect them.
Under the Ngā Mana Whenua o Tāmaki Makaurau Collective Redress Act 2014, Takarunga and the other Tūpuna Maunga were transferred to the thirteen iwi and hapū of Ngā Mana Whenua o Tāmaki Makaurau.
The Tūpuna Taonga Trust holds it for their common benefit and for the people of Auckland, and the Tūpuna Maunga Authority, with equal members from mana whenua and Auckland Council, governs it.
Signal Station, Fort and Reserve
European settlers named the hill Mt Victoria after Queen Victoria, and it was also known as Flagstaff Hill, after the signal station for the Port of Auckland that was set up on the summit in 1841. The hill became a public reserve in 1880. A signalman’s house on the hill is now home to the Michael King Writers Centre.
It was also used for defence. The authority says a muzzle-loader gun fort dates from 1885, and the maunga stayed in military use until after the Second World War. A disappearing gun remains on the maunga, along with buildings from that war. Near the top, colourful “mushroom” vents mark a buried reservoir.
Visiting the Maunga
The main entrance is on Kerr Street, where there are visitor car parks with enforced time limits. From there it is a walk to the summit: since March 2018, private motor vehicles (motorbikes and scooters included) have not been allowed on the summit or the road up.
People with limited mobility, and the person driving them, can call 09 379 1340 for a same-day code that opens the barrier arm on the summit road.
The gates are open from 7am to 8.30pm in summer and 7am to 7pm in winter. Dogs are welcome under control and can be off the lead, but owners must pick up after them and put the waste in a bin.
Where to Learn More
Tūpuna Maunga Authority: Takarunga / Mt Victoria: history, gate hours, vehicle access and dog rules for the maunga.
Tūpuna Maunga Authority: About us: how the fourteen ancestral maunga of Tāmaki Makaurau are owned and governed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Takarunga / Mount Victoria?
In Devonport on Auckland’s North Shore. The entrance address is 16 Kerr Street.
How high is it?
The summit is about 66 metres high.
Can I drive to the top?
No. Private motor vehicles have not been allowed on the summit or summit road since March 2018. People with limited mobility can call 09 379 1340 for a same-day access code.
What are the gate hours?
7am to 8.30pm in summer and 7am to 7pm in winter, changing with daylight saving.
Are dogs allowed?
Yes. Dogs must be under control and may be off leash; pick up after your dog.
What does the name Takarunga mean?
It is often described as “hill standing above”, referring to its height over neighbouring Takararo / Mt Cambria.
Why was it called Flagstaff Hill?
A signal station for the Port of Auckland was set up on the summit in 1841, which gave the hill that name.
Who looks after the maunga?
The Tūpuna Maunga Authority, made up equally of Ngā Mana Whenua o Tāmaki Makaurau and Auckland Council, with the council doing day-to-day management.
Spotted something incorrect on this page? Let us know.