Entrance to Otatara Pa Historic Reserve
Otatara is the largest pa you can visit in New Zealand. The views from this site are outstanding. You can see Napier, across to Cape Kidnappers and out to the sea. It is possible on a clear day to see Ruapehu in the centre of the North Island. It's no wonder that Otatara was the most prized pa in Hawke's Bay and its ownership was so strongly contested.
Otatara Pa is near Taradale between Napier and Hastings. Look out for the pallisades on the hill above the Eastern Institute of Technology.
Find out about the history of Otatara Pa and what you will see there today.
Read about the work that has been done to protect this special place.
Get a list of useful resources including publications and website links.
Otatara Pa Historic Reserve encompasses one of the most outstanding defensive and settlement complexes in New Zealand.
Icon sites tell a range of great stories about kiwi identity and are located in beautiful natural settings.
You and your students can visit Otatara Pa, which is an archaeological site of national significance.
NZ Historic Places Trust
International Council on Monuments and Sites
Ministry for Culture and Heritage
NZ Archaeological Association
Further information about Hawke's Bay's historic sites is available from the:
Contacts