Location: Headlands above Tarakena Bay on the Miramar peninsula, at the southern end of the Eastern Walkway.
Entrance and exit points: Tarakena Bay car park and Kekerenga Street in Strathmore.
Brief description: The headlands give excellent views of the harbour and the open sea and are part of the Eastern Walkway.
Parking: Ample parking at Tarakena Bay.
Accessibility: A sealed path and gentle slope is an option to the steps leading to the Ataturk memorial.
Dogs: Sealed path and grassed area in centre of the reserve is an off-lead dog exercise area.
Mountain bikes: Not permitted.
Features: Ataturk Memorial.
History: Rangitatau Reserve takes its name from a Ngai Tara pā which was situated on the headland on the western side of Tarakena Bay. Poito Pā was located below it on a low spur in the valley.
The two pā were built to protect the sea approach to a third pā site in Worser Bay, but both were destroyed by raiders in 1819 -1820.
The Poito track from the Tarakena Bay car park winds up to the left towards the pā sites, then joins the sealed road near the airport navigation beacon.
World War II fortifications are at the end of this headland.
Friends group: Breaker Bay Progressive Association
Visit map