- Two historic sites in one loop, a Victorian estate and a volcanic cone
- Plenty of seats along the way, good spots for a rest or a picnic
- Cafe at the Pah Homestead, eateries at Three Kings Plaza
- Some steeper sections, especially on Big King
Quick Facts
| Distance | approx 7.5 km return |
| Time | 2 to 2.5 hours at an easy pace |
| Difficulty | Easy to moderate, several steeper spots, particularly on Big King |
| Dogs | On lead at all times unless signs say otherwise |
| Toilets | Monte Cecilia Park near the Pah Homestead, and Mt Eden Road by the bus stop |
| Parking | Herd Road, Hillsborough, both sides of the road |
This walk links two significant pieces of Auckland’s story, about 3 kilometres apart on the isthmus. Monte Cecilia Park in Hillsborough was once a Maori pa, then a Victorian gentleman’s estate with the grand Pah Homestead at its centre. Big King is the last survivor of the Three Kings, the volcanic cones that stood here when Europeans arrived. The other two were quarried away to build the city, and the old crater below is now being reborn as a new residential area. The walk between them follows quiet streets and parkland, with plenty of seats along the way, and finishes with a climb to the Big King summit where the views reward the effort.
The full turn-by-turn walking notes, all 31 of them, are in the free PDF map.
Note: the video above should have stopped at the same place it started but forgot to hit the finish button!
Getting There
By car: The walk starts at the pedestrian entrance to Monte Cecilia Park on Herd Road, Hillsborough. It’s easy to miss if you’re not looking for it, near the crest of the road about 50 metres past Selwyn Heights Retirement Village. Park on either side of the road.
The Herd Road entrance, easy to miss if you’re not looking for it.
By bus: There are heaps of bus routes near this walk, along Pah Road (which becomes Queenstown Road), and along Hillsborough Road. Your best bet is to check the Auckland Transport journey planner app for current routes and times. Because most of this walk is a loop, you can also join it at the Mt Eden Road/Mt Albert Road intersection, which is close to the halfway point and well served by buses. From there you can walk the loop in either direction.
What You’ll See
Monte Cecilia Park is 15 hectares of rolling volcanic ground with some seriously big old trees, planted back when this was a Victorian estate. The Pah Homestead sits at the centre, modelled partly on Osborne House, one of Queen Victoria’s summer homes on the Isle of Wight. The Arts House Trust runs it now, with exhibitions, workshops and a well patronised cafe. Step onto the big grassy area in front for a proper look at the building.
The Pah Homestead, worth stepping onto the grass for a proper look.
From the high ground in the park you get views out over the Manukau Harbour, and glimpses of One Tree Hill between the old trees.
The view over the Manukau from the top of the park.
The middle stretch links the two parks through quiet suburban streets, nothing fancy, but it moves along quickly and there’s a pedestrian island where you need one. At Three Kings, a viewing area looks out over the new residential development rising from the floor of the old quarry, with Big King standing above it. It’s quite something, an entire suburb growing out of a hole where two volcanic cones used to be.
The new development rising from the old quarry floor, Big King behind.
Along the way there’s an information board about the Pumphouse, which pumped water from a well (located by a water diviner, no less) up to the reservoir on Big King’s summit from 1915, until a typhoid outbreak in Mt Roskill shut it down in 1922 as a precaution. The concrete reservoir is still on the summit, and it’s still officially an emergency supply, reconfirmed by an inspection in 2025.
The new playing fields and gardens below Big King.
The climb up Big King is the effort of the day, but the main stairway is about 64 steps with a shallow rise and wide tread, which makes it easier than it sounds. Take your time and look behind you as the view opens up. From the summit the views are impressive and different in every direction.
The summit views, different in every direction.
The return retraces the route with one small variation past the Pumphouse itself. The full details, including exactly where to leave the paths at Monte Cecilia and which side paths to ignore on Big King, are in the free PDF map.
Back at the Homestead, the cafe is a good way to finish.
Good to Know
- Dogs on lead at all times unless signs say otherwise
- Plenty of seats throughout, good spots for a rest, snack or picnic
- Cafe at the Pah Homestead, and Three Kings Plaza has a variety of eateries (a small detour off the route)
- Several steeper spots, particularly on Big King, more of a challenge for mature walkers than energetic youngsters
- Hillsborough Road is busy, cross with care
- Toilets at Monte Cecilia Park and on Mt Eden Road by the bus stop
