The Tapuae-o-Uenuku / Hector Mountains are a

mountain range A mountain range or hill range is a series of mountains or hills arranged in a line and connected by high ground. A mountain system or mountain belt is a group of mountain ranges with similarity in form, structure, and alignment that have arise ...

in the New Zealand region of

Otago Otago (, ; mi, Ōtākou ) is a region of New Zealand located in the southern half of the South Island administered by the Otago Regional Council. It has an area of approximately , making it the country's second largest local government reg ...

, near the resort town of Queenstown and just south of the more famous

Remarkables The Remarkables ( mi, Kawarau) are a mountain range and skifield in Otago in the South Island of New Zealand. Located on the southeastern shore of Lake Wakatipu, the range lives up to its name by rising sharply to create a remarkable backdrop ...

. For most of its length, the mountains run adjacent to the southern reaches of

Lake Wakatipu Lake Wakatipu ( mi, Whakatipu Waimāori) is an inland lake (finger lake) in the South Island of New Zealand. It is in the southwest corner of the Otago region, near its boundary with Southland. ''Lake Wakatipu'' comes from the original Māori nam ...

, before extending approximately further south, past the glacial

moraine A moraine is any accumulation of unconsolidated debris (regolith and rock), sometimes referred to as glacial till, that occurs in both currently and formerly glaciated regions, and that has been previously carried along by a glacier or ice shee ...

at Kingston on the southern end of the lake. On their eastern side, the mountains mark the edge of the

Nevis valley Nevis is a small island in the Caribbean Sea that forms part of the inner arc of the Leeward Islands chain of the West Indies. Nevis and the neighbouring island of Saint Kitts constitute one country: the Federation of Saint Kitts and Nev ...

, a largely tussocked area which saw significant activity during the

Otago Gold Rush The Otago Gold Rush (often called the Central Otago Gold Rush) was a gold rush that occurred during the 1860s in Central Otago, New Zealand. This was the country's biggest gold strike, and led to a rapid influx of foreign miners to the area – ...

of the 1860s. Historically, the mountains were an important ''mahinga kai'' (food gathering-place) for

Ngāi Tahu Ngāi Tahu, or Kāi Tahu, is the principal Māori (tribe) of the South Island. Its (tribal area) is the largest in New Zealand, and extends from the White Bluffs / Te Parinui o Whiti (southeast of Blenheim), Mount Mahanga and Kahurangi Poi ...

and other local

Māori Māori or Maori can refer to: Relating to the Māori people * Māori people of New Zealand, or members of that group * Māori language, the language of the Māori people of New Zealand * Māori culture * Cook Islanders, the Māori people of the C ...

iwi Iwi () are the largest social units in New Zealand Māori society. In Māori roughly means "people" or "nation", and is often translated as "tribe", or "a confederation of tribes". The word is both singular and plural in the Māori language, an ...

, who used the area to hunt for

weka The weka, also known as the Māori hen or woodhen (''Gallirallus australis'') is a flightless bird species of the rail family. It is endemic to New Zealand. It is the only extant member of the genus ''Gallirallus''. Four subspecies are recognize ...

and gather tikumu while visiting the region. Many of the peaks in the range remain unnamed, a group which until 2013 included its highest point. Following a joint process between Ngāi Tahu and the

Central Otago District Council Central Otago District Council is the territorial authority for the Central Otago District of New Zealand. The council is led by the mayor of Central Otago The Mayor of Central Otago officiates over the Central Otago District of New Zealand wh ...

, four new names were added to the region in 2013, including the adoption of the range's current dual name. This included the name of Mount Tūwhakarōria for the highest point of the range, as well as Te Karearea Peak for another prominent point as seen from

Cromwell Oliver Cromwell (25 April 15993 September 1658) was an English politician and military officer who is widely regarded as one of the most important statesmen in English history. He came to prominence during the 1639 to 1651 Wars of the Three Ki ...

and

Lake Te Kōhua A lake is an area filled with water, localized in a basin, surrounded by land, and distinct from any river or other outlet that serves to feed or drain the lake. Lakes lie on land and are not part of the ocean, although, like the much larger ...

for the small lake between the two.

Geology

As with the majority of mountain ranges in the

South Island The South Island, also officially named , is the larger of the two major islands of New Zealand in surface area, the other being the smaller but more populous North Island. It is bordered to the north by Cook Strait, to the west by the Tasman ...

, the Hector Mountains are the largely the result of

tectonic uplift Tectonic uplift is the geologic uplift of Earth's surface that is attributed to plate tectonics. While isostatic response is important, an increase in the mean elevation of a region can only occur in response to tectonic processes of crustal thick ...

. The majority of this uplift occurred during the

Pliocene The Pliocene ( ; also Pleiocene) is the epoch in the geologic time scale that extends from 5.333 million to 2.58Cardrona. This uplift cut the

Nevis River The Nevis River is in Otago, New Zealand. It flows north for through rough country before meeting the Kawarau River, of which it is a tributary. A prominent rock outcrop close to this junction is known as the Nevis Bluff. The river was one ...

off from its original outflow as a tributary of the

Mataura River The Mataura River is in the Southland Region of the South Island of New Zealand. It is long. Description The river's headwaters are located in the Eyre Mountains to the south of Lake Wakatipu. From there it flows southeast towards Gore, New ...

, causing it to carve a new course north to the

Kawarau River The Kawarau River is a river in the South Island of New Zealand. It drains Lake Wakatipu in northwestern Otago via the lake's Frankton Arm. The river flows generally eastwards for about and passes through the steep Kawarau Gorge until it joins L ...

. More recently, the western reaches of the mountains have been altered as a result of glaciation during the

last glacial maximum The Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), also referred to as the Late Glacial Maximum, was the most recent time during the Last Glacial Period that ice sheets were at their greatest extent. Ice sheets covered much of Northern North America, Northern Eur ...

, at which point the valley of present-day Lake Wakatipu was occupied by a large glacier. Although a separate ice tongue from this glacier extended eastward from Queenstown towards nearby

Arrowtown Arrowtown (Māori: ''Haehaenui'') is a historic gold mining town in the Otago region of the South Island of New Zealand. Arrowtown is located on the banks of the Arrow River approximately 7.5 km from State Highway 6. Arrowtown is locat ...

, the primary terminus of this glacier went as far south as Kingston, with the glacier's moraine forming the southern lake shore. This glacier eroded the western face of the Hector Mountains to a lesser extent than the Remarkables to the north, however the mountains still result in a sharp drop to the Lake below in places as a result most famously along the route of State Highway 6. Following the glacier's retreat, this moraine was the original outflow of Lake Wakatipu until an

alluvial fan An alluvial fan is an accumulation of sediments that fans outwards from a concentrated source of sediments, such as a narrow canyon emerging from an escarpment. They are characteristic of mountainous terrain in arid to semiarid climates, but a ...

from Lorn Peak in the Hector Mountains blocked this exit, again rerouting the water flow to the Kawerau system.

Ecology

Owing to its relatively untouched environment and prominence in the local landscape, the Hector Mountains have a high conservation value. A study during the 1990s found over 500 species of

vascular plant Vascular plants (), also called tracheophytes () or collectively Tracheophyta (), form a large group of land plants ( accepted known species) that have lignified tissues (the xylem) for conducting water and minerals throughout the plant. They al ...

growing across the mountains, representing a greater than expected ratio of species to families found in the region. This includes a wide range of plants native to New Zealand, such as

Celmisia ''Celmisia'' (New Zealand aster or New Zealand daisy) is a genus of perennial herbs or subshrubs, in the family Asteraceae. Most of the species are endemic to New Zealand; several others are endemic to Australia. ; Species and nothospecies #RED ...

, Hebes, and Tussocks although there is disagreement as to whether the range of Hebe present are self-sustaining or sporadically introduced to exposed areas. Plant species are generally sparser in the more alpine portions of the range, with the higher northern portions of the range home to extensive

fellfield A fellfield or fell field comprises the environment of a slope, usually alpine or tundra, where the dynamics of frost (freeze and thaw cycles) and of wind give rise to characteristic plant forms in scree interstices. Soil dynamics The freeze-thaw ...

ecosystems instead. These regions are still home to some plants, including the tikumu, however this is not to the same extent as lower reaches. While a number of species of lizard endemic to New Zealand are either confirmed or believed to live on the Hector Mountains including the

Nevis Nevis is a small island in the Caribbean Sea that forms part of the inner arc of the Leeward Islands chain of the West Indies. Nevis and the neighbouring island of Saint Kitts constitute one country: the Federation of Saint Kitts and Ne ...

Cryptic Cryptic may refer to: In science: * Cryptic species complex, a group of species that are very difficult to distinguish from one another * Crypsis, the ability of animals to blend in to avoid observation * Cryptic era, earliest period of the Earth ...

, and McCann's skinks birds the majority of native animal life on the range. The mountains are a breeding site for the

Southern black-backed gull The kelp gull (''Larus dominicanus''), also known as the Dominican gull, is a gull that breeds on coasts and islands through much of the Southern Hemisphere. The nominate ''L. d. dominicanus'' is the subspecies found around South America, part ...

, while birds of prey such as the kāhu and

kārearea The New Zealand falcon ( mi, kārearea or ''kāiaia''; ''Falco novaeseelandiae'') is New Zealand's only falcon. Other common names for the bird are Bush Hawk and Sparrow Hawk. It is frequently mistaken for the larger and more common swamp harrie ...

(the latter of which gives its name to Te Karearea Peak) are frequently seen.

Kea The kea (; ; ''Nestor notabilis'') is a species of large parrot in the family Nestoridae found in the forested and alpine regions of the South Island of New Zealand. About long, it is mostly olive-green with a brilliant orange under its wings ...

and

were historically common in the mountains, however their range has since been reduced due to predation by introduced pests. Evidence of habitation by

Moa Moa are extinct giant flightless birds native to New Zealand. The term has also come to be used for chicken in many Polynesian cultures and is found in the names of many chicken recipes, such as Kale moa and Moa Samoa. Moa or MOA may also refer ...

(most likely the

Upland moa The upland moa (''Megalapteryx didinus'') was a species of moa endemic to New Zealand. It was a ratite, a grouping of flightless birds with no keel on the sternum. It was the last moa species to become extinct, vanishing in 1445 CE, and was pr ...

) and other extinct species of birds has been found, however the extent to which the area was inhabited by such species is still unknown. A variety of introduced species of mammal can also be found in the Hector Mountains, with detrimental affects on the traditional ecosystem including on the extent and variety of vegetation. In particular, low numbers of

Chamois The chamois (''Rupicapra rupicapra'') or Alpine chamois is a species of goat-antelope native to mountains in Europe, from west to east, including the Alps, the Dinarides, the Tatra and the Carpathian Mountains, the Balkan Mountains, the Ril ...

are found across the range, as well as larger numbers of

hares Hares and jackrabbits are mammals belonging to the genus ''Lepus''. They are herbivores, and live solitarily or in pairs. They nest in slight depressions called forms, and their young are able to fend for themselves shortly after birth. The gen ...

Human interaction

The Hector Mountains have a long history of human use, and had a significant role in the early Māori settlement of the region. The adjacent Nevis valley was part of an ''ara tawhito'' (traditional travel route) which connected

Murihiku Murihiku is a Māori name describing a region of the South Island in New Zealand. Traditionally it was used to describe the portion of the South Island below the Waitaki River, but now is mostly used to describe the province of Southland. The nam ...

(modern-day

Southland Southland may refer to: Places Canada * Dunbar–Southlands, Vancouver, British Columbia New Zealand * Southland Region, a region of New Zealand * Southland County, a former New Zealand county * Southland District, part of the wider Southland Reg ...

) with Central Otago and other regions further north. The placement of the range along this route saw the eastern foothills used as a ''nohoanga'', or a seasonal occupation site used when Māori were passing through the area. This usage dates back to the 14th century to Waitaha habitation of the island, with evidence of "moa-hunter" huts near Schoolhouse creek in the eastern reaches of the Hector Mountains. Knowledge of the ara tawhito and use of the area for habitation continued through various iwi to inhabit the South Island, through to the present day Ngāi Tahu who arrived in the area as late as the 18th century. For all Māori who travelled through the Nevis, the range held importance as a ''mahinga kai'' (food gathering site), for its population of weka and various forms of edible vegetation. The food sources available on the mountains were able to sustain Māori on their way through the region, simplifying the journey through. The foothills of the Hector Mountains were also significant to early

Pākehā Pākehā (or Pakeha; ; ) is a Māori term for New Zealanders primarily of European descent. Pākehā is not a legal concept and has no definition under New Zealand law. The term can apply to fair-skinned persons, or to any non-Māori New Ze ...

. The range was largely affected by the

of the 1860s, which saw miners flock to the Nevis in search of gold and a small town established in the foothills of the range.

Sluicing In syntax, sluicing is a type of ellipsis that occurs in both direct and indirect interrogative clauses. The ellipsis is introduced by a ''wh''-expression, whereby in most cases, everything except the ''wh''-expression is elided from the clause. S ...

sites are found along the eastern end of the range, many of which had the inadvertent impact of destroying archaeological evidence of earlier habitation. Some seventy years later, the southern reaches of the range were used by the

New Zealand Alpine Club The New Zealand Alpine Club (NZAC) was founded in 1891 and is one of the oldest alpine clubs in the world. The NZAC is the national climbing organisation in New Zealand and is a member of the Union Internationale des Associations d'Alpinisme. It ...

as an early site for

skiing Skiing is the use of skis to glide on snow. Variations of purpose include basic transport, a recreational activity, or a competitive winter sport. Many types of competitive skiing events are recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IO ...

in the region. Following the discovery that the range allowed for skiing at a relatively low altitude, a hut was built and the area turned into a rudimentary ski field. Although a tow was eventually installed, the area did not develop further due to the Southland Ski Club relocating to establish a ski field at

Coronet Peak Coronet Peak is a commercial skifield in Queenstown, New Zealand located seven kilometres west of Arrowtown, on the southern slopes of the 1,649-metre peak which shares its name. A popular ski resort in the Southern Hemisphere, Coronet Peak offe ...

in the 1950s due to its more reliable snow. The Hector Mountains continue to be a waypoint for travellers passing through the region to this day. Unlike earlier travellers however, the main route past the range State Highway 6 now passes the western flank of the mountains. Known colloquially as the Devil's staircase, the route was built during the Great Depression and opened during 1936, and remains a popular lookout point.

Name

The Māori name, (also recorded as ) references

Uenuku Uenuku (or Uenuku-Kōpako, also given to some who are named after him) is an atua of rainbows and a prominent ancestor in Māori tradition. Māori believed that the rainbow's appearance represented an omen, and one kind of yearly offering made ...

, an

atua Atua are the gods and spirits of the Polynesian peoples such as the Māori mythology, Māori or the Hawaiian religion, Hawaiians (see also ); the Polynesian languages, Polynesian word literally means "power" or "strength" and so the concept is s ...

(the god of rainbows) and prominent ancestor for Ngāi Tahu. The range shares this name with

Tapuae-o-Uenuku Tapuae-o-Uenuku, formerly Mount Tapuaenuku, is the highest peak in the northeast of New Zealand's South Island. The name translates from Māori as "footprint of the rainbow", though is usually regarded as being named after Chief Tapuaenuku. At ...

, the highest peak of the

Kaikōura Ranges The Kaikōura Ranges are two parallel ranges of mountains located in the northeast of the South Island of New Zealand. The two ranges are visible from a great distance, including from the southern coast of the North Island. Description Formed ...

in the upper South Island, although it is unclear whether the two share a common etymology. In the 19th century,

explorers named the range the Hector Mountains in honour of

James Hector Sir James Hector (16 March 1834 – 6 November 1907) was a Scottish-New Zealand geologist, naturalist, and surgeon who accompanied the Palliser Expedition as a surgeon and geologist. He went on to have a lengthy career as a government employe ...

, a New Zealand naturalist and scientist at the time. In 2013, the range was given an official dual name, Tapuae-o-Uenuku / Hector Mountains, following a joint process between

and the

, which also resulted in the naming of three previously-unnamed features of the range.

References

{{reflist Mountain ranges of Otago Queenstown-Lakes District