A Story About Three Different Kings
Welcome to Te Tātua-a-Riukiuta (Big King Reserve) & the Three Kings Domain. The Big King Reserve is a large dog park where owners can walk their dogs off leash and they run freely.
Having changed hands many times, Big King was gifted to the borough in 1927 and has been a public reserve since 1949. The Big King reserve is also used as an emergency water reservoir for the Auckland area.
The Three Kings Domain is more of a human recreational reserve, containing things such as sports fields and public tennis courts.
The views from the summit are excellent, you can see Mt. Eden and several other Auckland mountains very clearly.
Enjoy your time here!
Warning:
DOGS - If you are not fond of dogs, you probably shouldn't visit this cache. You may choose to visit this cache during weekday mid-day hours when there will be fewer people. After work hours in the evening and on weekend there can be dozens of people and dogs running around.
Please be careful on the paths and trails. They can be steep and slippery when wet.
Earthcache Logistics:
Parking can be found near most park entrances, but can be a bit tricky as there are time restrictions and limited parking. I recommend taking your bike, walking or taking public transit to the reserve. Please pay attention for other people and their dogs and expect some stairs and / or walk up hill.
This cache should take you under an hour and you will walk around 3 km with some elevation gain and loss. You can start at any position in the park and answer the questions as you walk. I highly recommend you plan to spend some extra time to relax here.
You will need to visit two primary locations and answers a few questions.
This Earthcache should not be done at night, as you won't really be able to see to answer the questions.
This cache can be fun for all ages, but make sure you pay attention to kids running around on the hills.
At no point for this Earthcache should you NEED to leave the paved paths, however there are numerous more direct trails that you may decide to use.
There are several information signs throughout the park, if you are interested they are worth the read!
Mostly, HAVE FUN!!!
---So, let's get to the GEOLOGY.---
This area was actually once one of the Auckland areas most complex volcanos. Originally, this area had five large scoria cones as well as about a dozen smaller cones. These scoria cones all sat inside a large volcanic crater caused by a massive volcanic eruption occurring approximately 28,500 years ago. The crater at one time was nearly 800-1000 meters across and up to 200 meters deep. Lava flows ran up to three kilometers towards Western Springs. This created lava caves and tubes that still exist today under the surface.
Around the reserves, you can still see evidence of the explosive eruption, small scoria stones and rocks are found everywhere in the landscape. Evidence of lava tubes and caves can be seen on the lower slopes and out towards Western Springs. The caves are large enough to explore. Occasionally people find basalt and other rocks in their backyards. Evidence of the tuff ring can be found hundreds of meters in every direction. Exposed rock faces reveal it's volcanic history.
The name "Three Kings" comes from the biblical reference and referenced to the three largest scoria cones of the group. These peaks were known as Highest King (Southern King) (135 m / 443 ft), Big King (133 m / 436 ft), and East King (120 m / 390 ft).
This area has been quarried since the 1840s for the scoria rock these peaks are made of. Quarry activities still occurs to this day, although demand for the Scoria has dropped and much of the work by Winstone Aggregates (the company that owns the quarry) is now to fill the quarry so it can be used in future land development.
Volcanic Scoria is a strong and light-weight volcanic rock. It is porous and has a large surface area making it excellent for drainage. Scoria is highly sought after for use in roads due to its low density and cheap and easy extraction methods.
The porous nature of the scoria and ability to hold large amounts of water is part of the reason this area was selected for a water reservoir.
About 80% of the original site has been quarried away. This completely destroyed Southern and East King. Only one peak (Big King) remains today.
See in images a topographical image of what the area would have once looked like over-layed on a current map.
How to log this Earthcache:
(Answered to be sent to my geocaching account, photos can be posted with the log.)
Note: there are questions that are required for answering this Earthcache and an optional fun extra thought experiment related to the mining, but this is not required for logging.
----> Please make your way towards the general area around the posted coordinates / stage one.
A) Arriving at the Posted Coordinates / Stage One, you will be on the flat summit area around the water tank. Take a look around from the summit, walking around the summit, you can get a 360° view of the area. --PLEASE DO NOT CLIMB THE WATER TANK--
Q1) What evidence of the eruption and volcanic past do you see while looking around the general reserve, quarry and three kings area? Observations can be made from anywhere on the summit looking in any direction.
--As you walk around the Big King Reserve, if you see further evidence, please feel free to note this in your log and / or add photos to your log.--
----> (optional) <---- Note the elevation around the water tank (nearest 10 meters).
B) Big King Summit Area
Q2) Please take a photo of yourself, your GPS, a personal item or a paper with your caching name with the quarry area (if you are unsure where the quarry is, see waypoint titled "quarry") in the background.
(Photo required for logging, so I know you visited the peak).
Update - 14 Feb. 2023: The photo is absoluetly REQUIRED to be attached to the log, no exceptions. Do not send the photo to the CO, post it in the log. This photo only need to be proof you visited. It can be as simple as your caching name on a piece of paper. Thank you!
(See example photo in gallery)
C) Proceed to Stage Two, you are now in a former quarry site turned into a sports field. Look / walk towards the south / southwest. You'll see an exposed rock wall on the hill. (Rock wall location is in waypoint as a reference point.)
Q3) Describe the nature of the exposed rock wall you are looking at. What do you think this is, and why?
----> (optional) <---- What is the elevation (nearest 10 meters) at stage two?
D) ----> (optional) <---- Now for some (easy) math and a small thought experiment.
Note the difference in meters between stage one and stage two. This will become our 'height'.
Let's pretend the old scoria peak here used to be perfectly cone shaped and around 150 meters in diameter.
What was the volume of rock that was quarried here?
V=π (r2) (h/3)
Where:
V = volume
π = pi (constant) = 3.14159
r = radius = 75 meters
h = height (meters) = (your calculated difference between the stage one and two)
To make your life easier, calculate this:
V = (5890.5 * h)
V = (?????) Cubic Meters (m3)
----> (optional) <---- Send me your calculated volume (cubic meters) and imagine how much rock that would be!!
Note : A standard commercial dump truck carries approximately 7-10 m3.
COPY / PASTE QUESTIONS :
For your convince, you can copy / paste the questions to answer from here:
Required questions for logging -
Q1) What evidence of the eruption do you see while looking around the general reserve, quarry and three kings area? Observations can be made from anywhere on the summit looking in any direction.
Q2) Please take a photo of yourself, your GPS, a personal item or a paper with your caching name with the quarry area (if you are unsure where the quarry is, see waypoint titled "quarry") in the background.
Q3) Describe the nature of the exposed rock wall you are looking at. What do you think this is, and why?
Optional questions for fun and virtual bonus points -
----> (optional) <---- Note the elevation around the watertank (nearest 10 meters).
----> (optional) <---- What is the elevation (nearest 10 meters) at stage two?
----> (optional) <---- What was the volume of rock that was quarried here?
----> (optional) <---- Send me your calculated volume (cubic meters) and imagine how much rock that would be!!
Need help?
Are you confused on a question? On the optional math? Don't stress! I'm looking for answers that showed me you went to the site and tried.
If there are any problems I will contact you and I am happy to help further with the math.
If you have any further questions, please feel free to send me a message, read the information boards along the boardwalk or look at the following references.
Logging:
Feel free to log this Earthcache immediately.
However, after 10 days, any log that is not accompanied by a message with the answers and a photo will be unceremoniously deleted.
Update - 14 Feb. 2023: The photo is absoluetly REQUIRED to be attached to the log, no exceptions. Do not send the photo to the CO, post it in the log. This photo only need to be proof you visited. It can be as simple as your caching name on a piece of paper. Thank you!
References:
"Three Kings Quarry | Auckland City's Largest Scoria Quarry".Threekingsquarry.Co.Nz, 2020, http://www.threekingsquarry.co.nz/. Accessed 28 June 2020.
"Te Tatua-A-Riukiuta". En.Wikipedia.Org, 2020, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Te_Tatua-a-Riukiuta. Accessed 28 June 2020.
The information boards in Big King Reserve & Three Kings Domain provided by the Puketāpapa Local Board and the Auckland Council.
Pishief, E. Dr & Adam, John. 2015. Te Tātua a Riukiuta. Three Kings Heritage Study 2015. For: Puketapapa Local Board. Auckland Council. 173p.
