Hill in Wellington, New Zealand
Mount Victoria, also known as Matairangi and colloquially as Mt Vic, is a prominent 196-metre (643 ft) hill immediately to the east of central Wellington, New Zealand. About 4 kilometres due south is a spur named Mount Albert and the two are linked by a ridge. Mount Victoria gives its name to the suburb of Mount Victoria to the west.
History
Mount Victoria's original Māori name is Tangi Te Keo,[1] though Matairangi is also used.[2] The first name derives from a legend in which two taniwha tried to escape from Wellington Harbour which was then an enclosed lake. One taniwha became stranded and died, and its spirit turned into a bird named Te Keo, which flew to the top of the mountain and mourned (tangi).[1]
The second name translates as "to examine the sky".[3]
In 1931, the Mount Victoria Tunnel was opened,[4] connecting the suburbs of Mount Victoria and Hataitai.
Television broadcasts began in Wellington on 1 July 1961, broadcast from a transmitter atop Mount Victoria. In 1967, the Mount Victoria transmitter was replaced with a more powerful transmitter at Mount Kaukau.[5]
Amenities
Mount Victoria is a popular walk for tourists and Wellingtonians alike, as from the summit one can see most of Wellington. There are numerous mountain bike and walking tracks on the hill.
Gallery
References