Kaimai Range

Kaimai Range
Kaimai Range with communications towers
Highest point
Elevation	953 m (3,127 ft)
Coordinates	37°32′01″S 175°44′33″E / 37.533654°S 175.742412°E / -37.533654; 175.742412[1]
Geography
Approximate extent of Kaimai Range
Geology
Age of rock	Between 5.5 million (some volcanic features) with major uplift between 1 million and 150 thousand years ago5.5–0.15 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N
Mountain type	Mostly andestic and some rhyolitic formations
Type of rock	Predominantly andesite and rhyolite volcanics
Volcanic arc	Coromandel Volcanic Zone
Last eruption	1.53 million years ago
Climbing
Easiest route	State Highway 29 (New Zealand) (North-South track, Hendersons Tramline, Ngamuwahine track)[1]
Normal route	State Highway 2 (New Zealand) (Mount Karangahake Walk, Waitawheta Pipeline Walk and most eastern tracks)[1]
Access	As well as above State Highway 26 (New Zealand) (Te Arohoa track), Te Arohoa Gordon Road, Old Te Arohoa Road (Te Tuhi track) and State Highway 24 (New Zealand)[1]

The Kaimai Range (sometimes referred to as the Kaimai Ranges) is a mountain range in the North Island of New Zealand. It is part of a series of ranges, with the Coromandel Range to the north and the Mamaku Ranges to the south. The Kaimai Range separates the Waikato in the west from the Bay of Plenty in the east.

The highest point of the range is Mount Te Aroha (953 m), at the foot of which is the town of Te Aroha.^[1] The range's terrain is rough, and only two roads pass over it: State Highway 2, across the northern end of the range through Karangahake Gorge, and State Highway 29 from Tauranga to Hamilton. Mt Te Aroha can be described as the northern head peak of the Kaimai Range.

The New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage gives a translation of "eat fermented food" for Kaimāī.^[2]

The Kaimai Ranges feature in local Māori folklore. The name Te Aroha translates from Māori as Te - The & Aroha - Love. Literally "the love". The name comes from a Māori legend that the sun god - male - loved the moon goddess - female. They never could see each another due to the planets positions. One day the moon goddess came to earth to see the sun god, knowing the risks, was turned to stone as the daylight came. Hers was the ultimate expression of love: Te Aroha in Māori. This is why on the Kaimai Range, to the right of Mt Te Aroha is a high skyline silhouetted rock that from afar is shaped as a woman. It is known locally as the rock of Hinemoa.

Within the Kaimai Ranges the Hendersons Tramline loop track follows the route of bush tramlines and haul lines once used to extract logs from the bush. The walk includes forest and clearings near the fringe of the park. A side track off the main walk leads down to the base of a waterfall and a large swimming hole. Also some 10–16 km, on the Gordon backroad from te Aroha is a four-wheel drive track named Thomsons track, that takes venturers from the foothills around manawaru to the ranges top, where a large swimming hole is present.