At the foot of Titirangi Reserve is the spot where Captain Cook first landed in NZ in 1769, and where nine Māori were killed by Cook's crew. In 2019, a $5.3-million upgrade of the formerly grim obelisk marked the 250th anniversary of Cook's arrival, and 750 years since the Horouta waka, a pioneering Polynesian canoe, landed at the same site. The addition of 112 huge steel tukutuku (weaving) panels symbolises the meeting of – and differences between – two cultures.
From the monument, join the sweaty joggers on the steep track up to the top of Kaiti Hill for some great views and to imagine the Horouta waka and Cook's Endeavour surging towards the shore.
