Motutere / Castle Rock is a mountain south-east of
Coromandel,
Waikato, New Zealand.
["NZ Topo Map"]
Latitude: -36.807 Longitude: 175.562. Retrieved 13 January 2015. It was used for rock climbing, with a number of high bolted routes.
Geography
Castle Rock is a prominent peak in the
Coromandel Range that lies south-east of Coromandel town,
["Castle Rock"]
Te Ara – The Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Retrieved 13 January 2015. north of a peak also called Motutere and south of an unnamed peak in the headwaters of the westward-flowing Pukewhau Stream.
[
The mountain is a volcanic plug made from remnants of solidified magma, the softer surrounding rock having been eroded away.][
]
Māori exploration
''Motutere'' means "floating island" a name bestowed by Ruamano, a descendant of Tama-te-kapua. Māori explorers of the area tended to travel along the hill ridges, so avoiding the thick vegetation in the sheltered valleys. Once dusk came they would seek shelter in order to avoid the patupaiarehe who they believed inhabited these hills. The summit of Motutere would be eschewed after dark for this reason.["Story: First peoples in Māori tradition. Motutere (Castle Rock)"]
Te Ara – The Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Retrieved 13 January 2015.
In 2018, the name of the peak was officially gazetted as Motutere / Castle Rock, to incorporate its original Māori name.
Climbing
, there are 17 different ascents for rock climbers to attempt at the summit of Castle Rock. Routes include Kookmeyer, Budda Wall and the Quiet Earth Wall, with bolted climbs of up to on solid rock. Access is via a forestry track that leaves the 309 Road near the Waiau Waterworks visitor centre and involves a 25–40 minute walk in. The track is also suitable for cycling and at the top ridge there are fine views of Great Mercury Island
The Mercury Islands are a group of seven islands off the northeast coast of New Zealand's North Island. They are located off the coast of the Coromandel Peninsula, and northeast of the town of Whitianga.
History
The Ngāti Karaua (a hapu of ...
, Cuvier Island, Great Barrier Island and the Firth of Thames. In 2018, two deaths lead iwi to place an indefinite rāhui on the crag."Iwi closes popular Coromandel climbing spot Castle Rock after two deaths"
NZ Herald. Retrieved 9 November 2020.
Notes
References
{{Thames-Coromandel District
Mountains of Waikato
Thames-Coromandel District
Rock formations of Waikato
Volcanic plugs of New Zealand