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Rangipo Desert Te Onetapu (Māori) | |
|---|---|
 The Rangipo Desert, withMount Ngauruhoe and the Tongariro Massif in the background | |
.png)  Rangipo Desert Location of the Rangipo Desert in New Zealand | |
 Interactive map of Rangipo Desert | |
| Coordinates:39°18′43″S175°40′30″E / 39.312°S 175.675°E /-39.312; 175.675[1] | |
| Location | Ruapehu District, New Zealand |
| Part of | North Island Volcanic Plateau |
| Formed by | Volcanic eruptions and ashfall |
| Etymology | Te Onetapu translates fromMāori as "The sacred sand", referencing the killing of Taiteariki.Rangipo translates as "Place where the sky is dark", referencing ash clouds from nearby volcanoes.[1][2] |
| Defining authority | New Zealand Geographic Board |
| Area | |
| • Total | 100 km2 (39 sq mi) |
| Volcanic arc | Taupō Volcanic Zone |
| Topo map | NZTopo50-BJ35 306452 |
Te Onetapu (Māori: [tɛˌɔnɛˈtaˌpʉ]), commonly known as theRangipo Desert (Māori: [ˌɾaŋiˌpɔː]), is a barrendesert-like environment located inNew Zealand, located in theRuapehu District on theNorth Island Volcanic Plateau; to the east of the three active peaks ofMount Tongariro,Mount Ngauruhoe, andMount Ruapehu, and to the west of theKaimanawa Range.
Two main names have been given to the desert, both of which are derived fromte reo Māori and describe the area's history. The first of these, Te Onetapu, is derived from the wordsone - beach or sand, andtapu - sacred. This name refers to the death of Taiteariki, an ancestor of theNgāti Rangiiwi who was killed at a location in the desert in early Māori history after conflict arose between him and two children of Houmea, Tura and Rotuia.[1][4]
FollowingPākehā settlement and expansion into the region, the desert became known as Rangipo, from the Māori wordsrangi, meaning sky, andpō, meaning night or darkness. This name references the story ofNgātoro-i-rangi, atohunga and ancestor ofNgāti Tūwharetoa who explored the region in search of land for his people. According to legend, Ngātoro-i-rangi saw explorers from theTākitimuwaka while camping onMount Tongariro, and pleaded toRuaumoko for help defending the area from the encroachment. Ruaumoko responded by causingMount Ngauruhoe to erupt, darkening the sky and enveloping the new party in smoke and ash.[2]
In 2019, the desert's original name of Te Onetapu was officially restored as part of aTreaty of Waitangisettlement between the Crown and Ngāti Rangi.[5]
The Rangipo Desert receives 1,500–2,500 mm (59–98 in) of rainfall per year, but resembles a desert because of its location on the volcanic plateau adjacent to and east of Ruapehu, poorsoil quality and drying winds,[3] and also due to the mass sterilisation of seeds during a series of violent eruptions, particularly pyroclastic flows formingignimbrite rocks about 20,000 years ago. The vegetation is low and sparse, consisting of mainlytussock andsnow grasses. The headwaters of many small streams, which later turn into large rivers, gouge deep serrated valleys through the unconsolidated ash and pumice-rich earth. The climate here is harsh and alpine, with close to 270 ground frosts per year in comparison with fewer than 30 in the coastal regions ofHawke's Bay, 80 km (50 mi) to the east. Heavy snowfalls - rarely seen in the rest of the island - are also a common occurrence in winter. Trampers and climbers in the area should be mindful of the extreme chill effect of the cold south wind which can producewind chill factors lowering the temperature below 0°C (32°F) for days on end.
Much of the desert lies at an altitude of over 600 m (2,000 ft), and a considerable proportion of it is over 1,000 m (3,300 ft) above sea level. Many of the North Island's largest rivers have their headwaters in the area, particularly around the slopes of Mount Ruapehu, the North Island'shighest mountain. These include theWaikato andWhangaehu Rivers, as well as major tributaries of theRangitikei andWhanganui Rivers.
The region is largely uninhabited, possibly due to the unproductive nature of the extreme winter climate. One account of crossing the desert from an early Pākehā explorer in the region described it as "a most desolate and weird-looking spot... a fit place forMacbeth's witches, orFaustus's Brocken scene."[6] The town ofWaiouru, with itsarmy camp, lies to the south and much of the southern part of the desert is used for training purposes. To the north of the desert lies theRangipo prison farm.
The desert is bisected by only one sealed road, a section ofState Highway 1 known as theDesert Road. The road is closed with barrier arms for short periods most winters, due to severe snow storms and icy road conditions. Turangi emergency services monitor the northern part of the Desert Road, and theNZDFMilitary Police at Waiouru are responsible for the southern end. The boundary between theWaikato andManawatū-Whanganui regions intersects the Desert Road at its summit, which at 1,074 m (3,524 ft) above sea level is the highest pass on theNew Zealand State Highway network.
TheLord of the Rings films were shot in New Zealand, and the Black Gate ofMordor sceneswere shot in the Rangipo Desert in 2000.
