Auckland to close 14 mountains ahead of Guy Fawkes night

6:11 pm on 30 October 2023
Sunrise view of Auckland from Mount Eden, New Zealand

Photo: 123RF

All 14 ancestral mountains in Auckland will be closed in the lead-up to Guy Fawkes night next Sunday, to protect them from fire damage.

It will be the fourth consecutive year the maunga are closed to the public, after fires caused by fireworks broke out in 2019 and 2020.

The areas closed from 2-5 November include One Tree Hill, Mount Wellington, Mount Eden and Mount Albert.

The Tūpuna Maunga Authority said the closures would be reinforced by security patrols and signage.

The authority said it continued its advocacy to end public sales of fireworks, supporting controlled public displays instead.