When I was growing up as a child in the suburbs of Auckland my mother use to take my siblings and I up to the top of this mountain in Devonport. Mount Victoria, where I took this photo however it's the volcanic landscape in the distance that interests me more.
Rangitoto Island is volcanic and located in the Hauraki Gulf. It is 5.5km island and measures in height 260m. "Rangitoto" is maori for "bloody sky" and is the youngest and largest of around 50 volcanoes in the Auckland area. It erupted approx 600 years ago. It is not dead like most volcanoes but dormant (asleep) and could erupt again at any time. I've never been there, you have to get there by boat and it is now managed by the Department of Conservation, the Ngai Tai and Ngati Paoa tribes.
Visitors are not allowed to take dogs or other animals onto the island and after many years of trying to get rid of rats, stoats, mice, cats, goats, deer, wallaby and possums it is now pest free. North Island Saddlebacks are prevalent there after once being threatened into extinction and Kaka birds once lived there before colonization.
Linking up with Skywatch Friday.

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