Mount Cargill
Encyclopedia
Dunedin
Dunedin is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the principal city of the Otago Region. It is considered to be one of the four main urban centres of New Zealand for historic, cultural, and geographic reasons. Dunedin was the largest city by territorial land area until...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. It is situated some 15 kilometres north of the city centre.
The peak is named for Captain William Cargill
William Cargill
William Walter Cargill was the founder of the Otago settlement in New Zealand, after serving as an officer in the British Army. He was a Member of Parliament and Otago's first Superintendent.-Early life:...
, an early leader of the Province of Otago
Otago
Otago is a region of New Zealand in the south of the South Island. The region covers an area of approximately making it the country's second largest region. The population of Otago is...
. It is one of the youngest parts of the massive extinct Dunedin shield volcano
Shield volcano
A shield volcano is a type of volcano usually built almost entirely of fluid lava flows. They are named for their large size and low profile, resembling a warrior's shield. This is caused by the highly fluid lava they erupt, which travels farther than lava erupted from more explosive volcanoes...
and was formed some 10 million years ago.
From the summit, views can be obtained of the entire Dunedin urban area, as well as a considerable stretch of open countryside and much of Otago's coastline, from Shag Point near Palmerston
Palmerston, New Zealand
The town of Palmerston, in New Zealand's South Island lies 50 kilometres to the north of the city of Dunedin. It is the largest town in the Waihemo Ward of the Waitaki District with a population of 890 residents...
to Nugget Point in The Catlins
The Catlins
The Catlins comprises an area in the southeastern corner of the South Island of New Zealand. The area lies between Balclutha and Invercargill, straddling the boundary between the Otago and Southland regions...
. Particularly notable is the view of the Otago Peninsula
Otago Peninsula
The Otago Peninsula is a long, hilly indented finger of land that forms the easternmost part of Dunedin, New Zealand. Volcanic in origin, it forms one wall of the eroded valley that now forms Otago Harbour. The peninsula lies south-east of Otago Harbour and runs parallel to the mainland for...
and Otago Harbour, the entire length of which can be seen from the summit.
To the northeast of Mount Cargill's peak are several smaller peaks including Mount Zion, Mount Holmes and (most notably) Buttar's Peak.
A rough road from the end of Pine Hill Road
Pine Hill, New Zealand
Pine Hill is a suburb, hill, and general area of the New Zealand city of Dunedin. It is sited on the hill of the same name, a spur of Mount Cargill overlooking North East Valley and Glenleith to the north of the city centre. This spur lies in the fork of the confluence of the Water of Leith and...
provides vehicular access to the summit, and several walking tracks also lead to the top, notably a 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) walk from Bethune's Gully
Bethune's Gully
Bethune's Gully is notable geological feature of northern Dunedin, in the South Island of New Zealand. It is located close to the suburb of Normanby towards the northern end of North East Valley. It preserves a number of acres of very old-growth forest and a large stand of exotic Douglas fir, and...
in North East Valley
North East Valley
North East Valley is a suburb of the New Zealand city of Dunedin.-Geography and demographics:...
at the northern end of Dunedin's urban area and a 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) walk though Graham's Bush which starts in Sawyers Bay
Sawyers Bay
Sawyers Bay is a suburb of the New Zealand city of Dunedin. It is located to the southwest of Port Chalmers in a wide valley on the shore of Mussel Bay, to the northeast of Dunedin city centre....
close to Port Chalmers
Port Chalmers
Port Chalmers is a suburb and the main port of the city of Dunedin, New Zealand, with a population of 3,000. Port Chalmers lies ten kilometres inside Otago Harbour, some 15 kilometres northeast from Dunedin's city centre....
. These tracks pass through regenerating native bush
The Bush
"The bush" is a term used for rural, undeveloped land or country areas in certain countries.-Australia:The term is iconic in Australia. In reference to the landscape, "bush" describes a wooded area, intermediate between a shrubland and a forest, generally of dry and nitrogen-poor soil, mostly...
and volcanic outcrops before a sharp climb along the northern flank immediately below the summit.
The tracks pass two significant points of interest. One of these is a prominent formation of columnar jointed basalt known as the Organ Pipes. Similar outcrops are found elsewhere in the Dunedin area, at Blackhead near Waldronville
Waldronville
Waldronville is a coastal settlement on the Pacific Ocean coast of the South Island of New Zealand. Established in the 1950s as a commuter settlement, it is located to the southwest of Dunedin city centre, and lies within the city's limits. Waldronville was developed by Bill Waldron, when he...
and at Second Beach, Saint Clair
Saint Clair, New Zealand
St Clair is a leafy residential suburb of the New Zealand city of Dunedin. It is located on the Pacific Ocean coast five kilometres from the city centre on the southwesternmost part of the coastal plain which makes up the southern part of the urban area, and also climbs the slopes of Forbury Hill...
. The second point of interest is the small temperate cloud forest
Cloud forest
A cloud forest, also called a fog forest, is a generally tropical or subtropical evergreen montane moist forest characterized by a persistent, frequent or seasonal low-level cloud cover, usually at the canopy level. Cloud forests often exhibit an abundance of mosses covering the ground and...
which dominates the vegetation of the upper slopes. Though not a true cloud forest, in that it is not tropical, it bears many of the hallmarks of true cloud forest, with abundant moss and fern cover under thick low canopy.
The cloud forest is protected within a 1.8 square kilometre reserve, which includes the peak of the mountain as well as several secondary peaks. Although the tracks are easy - if steep - care should be taken by walkers, as the weather conditions on Mount Cargill are notoriously unpredictable and can change very rapidly.
Transmitting station
The Mount Cargill transmitting station sits atop the mountain, broadcasting television and FM radio to Dunedin and the eastern Otago area. The station was completed in 1970, and features a 104.5 metres (342.8 ft) mast, the tallest structure in Dunedin.The following television stations and radio stations broadcast from Mount Cargill:
Television stations
- TV One - channel 2
- TV2 - channel 4
- TV3TV3 (New Zealand)TV3 is a New Zealand commercial television network, owned by MediaWorks New Zealand. Launched on 26 November 1989, the first private television network in New Zealand...
- channel 9 - C4 - channel 11
- Freeview
multiplex A (TVNZ) - channel 43 - Māori TelevisionMaori TelevisionMāori Television is a New Zealand TV station broadcasting programmes that make a significant contribution to the revitalisation of the Māori language and culture . Funded by the New Zealand Government, the station started broadcasting on 28 March 2004 from a base in Newmarket.Te Reo is the...
- channel 44 - Freeview
| HD multiplex B (MediaWorks) - channel 45 - Freeview
| HD multiplex C (Kordia) - channel 53 - Trackside - channel 56
- PrimePrime Television New ZealandPrime is the seventh national free-to-air television station in New Zealand. The station airs a mixed group of programmes, largely imported from Australia, the UK and the United States, as well as free-to-air rugby union, cricket and rugby league matches....
- channel 60 - Channel 9 DunedinChannel 9 (New Zealand)Channel 9 is a regional television station operating in Dunedin, New Zealand. The channel is an operating division of Allied Press, also the publishers of the local daily newspaper. It commenced transmission in 1995 as a tourism station. In 1997 the station was expanded to a full service regional...
- channel 62
Radio stations
- Classic Hits FMClassic Hits FMClassic Hits is an Adult Contemporary music radio network broadcasting in 25 markets throughout New Zealand, targeting 25 - 55 year olds. Its a family-focused radio network with some of New Zealand's most experienced broadcasters on air and behind the scenes. It currently has around 387,000...
- 89.4 FM - Solid GoldSolid Gold (radio)Solid Gold FM is a New Zealand radio network owned by MediaWorks New Zealand and dedicated to the music of the 1960s and 1970s. It began broadcasting in late 1997...
- 90.2 FM - Radio One - 91.0 FM
- The EdgeThe Edge (radio station)The Edge FM is a MediaWorks New Zealand New Zealand youth radio network, playing predominantly pop, rock and R&B. The network's flagship is The Morning Madhouse with Jay Jay Feeney, Mike Puru and Dom Harvey....
- 91.8FM - Radio New Zealand Concert - 92.6 FM
- The RockThe Rock (New Zealand)The Rock is a New Zealand rock music radio station. It currently holds the #1 ratings spot out of the music stations nationwide. The station is known to broadcast material of a controversial nature, and The Rock has in the past had some issues with the Broadcasting Standards Authority with a number...
- 93.4 FM - Life FM - 94.2 FM
- ZMZM (New Zealand)ZM is a New Zealand contemporary hit radio network owned by The Radio Network. It broadcasts 19 markets throughout mainland New Zealand via terrestrial FM, and worldwide via the Internet. The network targets the 15–39 demographic specialises in a chart-music playlist of pop, rock, hip hop and dance...
- 95.8 FM - Radio LiveRadio LiveRadio Live and Radio Live Sport are nationwide Auckland-based New Zealand talkback, news and sports radio networks owned and operated by MediaWorks New Zealand...
- 96.6 FM - More FMMore FMMORE FM is a New Zealand radio network playing adult contemporary music or Pop music. It is operated by MediaWorks New Zealand.MORE FM broadcasts in 22 centres throughout New Zealand with local programming in most markets between 6am and 1pm and networked programming the rest of the day...
- 97.4 FM - The BreezeThe Breeze (New Zealand)The Breeze is a group of New Zealand easy-listening radio stations owned by RadioWorks, a MediaWorks New Zealand company. The Breeze plays easy-listening music from the 1970s to the present day, aimed at a 35–54 year old female audience...
- 98.2 FM