Ruahine Range
The Ruahine Range is the largest of several mountain ranges in the North Island of New Zealand that form a ridge running parallel with the east coast of the island between East Cape and Wellington. The ridge is at its most pronounced from the central North Island down to Wellington, where it comprises the Ruahine, Tararua and Remutaka Ranges.
The Ruahines run northeast-southwest for 110 kilometres from inland Hawke's Bay to near Woodville. It is separated in the south from the northern end of the Tararua Range by the Manawatu Gorge.
The highest point in the Ruahines is Mangaweka, situated along the Hikurangi Range, which at 1733 metres is the second highest non-volcanic mountainous peak in the North Island after Mt Hikurangi in the Raukumara Range.
The other notable peak is Wharite, which visually marks the southern end-point of the Ruahine Range. The dominant geographical landmark in the Manawatu and Tararua District, Wharite is perhaps better known in the region for its highly visible television transmission tower, which for a number of decades has rebroadcast national television services to the region.Name
Ruahine is a Māori name believed to mean “wise woman”, with reference to the migrant leader's granddaughter on the Aotea canoe.
