Local Information

Titirangi

Bush Markers

Titirangi is one of the areas served by Glover Real Estate. Visitors to Titirangi maybe puzzled by our ‘bush markers’, those strangely elegant sculptures that dominate a roundabout just west of Titirangi Village.

In 1993, Lisa Higgens, then a design graduate, won a competition sponsored jointly by the Waitakere City Council and the Unitec School of Design, for a public art work. Lisa was inspired by natural forms common on the forest floor and uses these in her jewellery, so it was quite natural for her to enlarge three of these to form the very appropriate sculptures for this position which is at the start of the Scenic Drive, which winds its way for many kilometres along most of the ridge of the Waitakere Ranges, much of it through native bush.

When first unveiled, they polarised public opinion over their size, design and bright pink colour. They were only ever intended to be temporary, but now, however, they have become symbolic of Titirangi; so much so that when the time came to replace them, there was an outcry.

Now, in a pale shade of green, possibly more in keeping with the lush greens of the New Zealand bush, they continue to stand serving as reminders of the ‘different’ culture that is Titirangi. They have become a symbol of our independent culture and we wouldn’t be without them.

Arataki Visitors Centre 

The area around Titirangi abounds with extensive areas of bush complete with bush walks. Although much of the area up to the 1920s was cut-over forest and dairy farms, nowadays regenerating bush is so lush that visitors could be forgiven for thinking that it has always been this way.

A large amount of the bush and consequently a large number of the bush walks are in the Waitakere Ranges Regional Park. Many of these walks are centred around or very close to the Arataki Visitor Centre, which is about six kilometres from Titirangi Village, along the Scenic Drive.

The Centre has information about the fauna and flora of the area and of Maori settlement in the area from Whatipu to Muriwai. Also available is information about tracks that are open and likely walking times, together with maps of the tracks. There are tracks suitable for all ages and abilities.

The centre is open during the following hours:

Summer – 9.00 am to 5 pm
Winter    -  10.00  am to 4 pm

There are campsites and lodge accommodation available and self-contained campervan are able to stay for up to two nights at the Visitor Centre carpark.

Further information on the Visitor Centre can be seen at:
 http://www.arc.govt.nz/parks/our-parks/arataki-visitor-centre

or phone the centre on 09 817 0077