This site is part of the once Mangaone Kainga Village, with the Skipper Marae neighbouring to the west.
This pa site strategically commanded the Waiwhakaiho flat and the main route in and out of New Plymouth from the North.
A 1894 survey plan indicates a Maori kainga containing nine buildings in the vicinity and a later archaeological excavation in 2009 conducted prior to fencing of the reserve discovered a circle of stones on the south western boundry that was an early cooking site and also disturbed soil across the southern boundry that two parallel trenches had been dug. These trenches would have had the fill taken from them piled up between the trenches to create a mound, which would of been planted with gorse to to contain stock.
Two Pa sites exist on the opposite side of SH3 from the reserve, both known as Katere Pa on the Mangaone Hill.
This street will be generally busy during weekday hours so stealth is required but is pretty much deserted during the weekend...BYOP