Mount Cargill

Mount Cargill, known in Māori as Kapukataumahaka,[1] is a volcanic outcrop which dominates the skyline of northern Dunedin, New Zealand.

Māori legend tells of the mountain showing the profile of a prominent warrior, and indeed from Dunedin Buttar's Peak and Mount Cargill between them do form the outline of a reclining figure, with the nearby Buttar's Peak being the head and Mount Cargill the body.

Panoramic views of Dunedin and its surrounding area are visible from the summit, making it a popular, if difficult to access, site.

These tracks pass through regenerating native bush and volcanic outcrops before a sharp climb along the northern flank immediately below the summit.

[3] Similar outcrops are found elsewhere in the Dunedin area, at Blackhead near Waldronville and at Second Beach, Saint Clair.

Although the tracks are easy (but steep), care should be taken by walkers, as the weather conditions on Mount Cargill are notoriously unpredictable and can change very rapidly.

The peak is, along with the similarly high Flagstaff one of the highest points surrounding Dunedin, and as such, it is a popular lookout.

Mount Cargill, and the nearby smaller peaks are among the youngest parts of the massive extinct Dunedin Volcano and was formed between 16 and 10 million years ago.

[8] The Mount Cargill transmitting station sits atop the mountain, broadcasting television and FM radio to Dunedin and the eastern Otago area.

Dunedin sits beneath the snowy mid-winter slopes of Mt. Cargill in this photo from July 2007.
Mount Cargill and Dunedin from Buttar's Peak
This is a panorama of the view from the summit of Mount Cargill. The base of a television mast can be seen on the left, with the Otago Harbour and the Otago Peninsula beyond. Dunedin city centre can be seen in the middle.
This is a panorama of the view from just east of the summit of Mount Cargill. Otago Harbour runs from its entrance near the centre to the city centre on the right, the peninsula can be seen beyond. The central foreground shows the nearby Buttar's Peak. The base of a television mast can be seen at the extreme left and right edges.
Organ Pipes on Mount Cargill