Tāpapakanga Regional Park
Tāpapakanga Regional Park, located just south of Ōrere Point beside the Firth of Thames, is a coastal farm park rich in both Māori and European history. The area was historically significant for the Marutūahu iwi, particularly Ngāti Pāoa and Ngāti Whanaunga, who established several large kāinga (villages) with extensive kūmara and taro cultivations. Archaeological sites within the park include three Māori pā, storage pits (rua), terraces (tūāpapa), shell middens (ahu ota ota), ovens (umu), and stone heaps indicating extensive riverside gardens