Mount Maunganui (mountain)
New Zealand · Oceania
About
Mount Maunganui, or Mauao, known colloquially as The Mount, is a 232 metre (760 foot) lava dome at the end of a tombolo in the Tauranga suburb of Mount Maunganui in New Zealand, beside the eastern entrance to the city's harbour. Local Māori consider Mauao to be tapu (sacred), and it plays an important role in their mythology. They own the mountain and manage it jointly with Tauranga City Council. Mauao is open to the public and is popular for scenic walks, jogging, paragliding and hang gliding. In recent years, fires and storm damage have required replanting and track repairs.
Adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA). Photography via Wikimedia Commons.