Ngake and Whataitai: The Taniwha of Wellington Harbour
The great taniwha Ngake and Whataitai lived in Lake Rotoroa (now Wellington Harbour) when it was still an enclosed lake. Ngake heard tales of the vast ocean beyond the hills and grew restless. He threw his body against the land at the southern end, eventually breaking through at what is now the harbor entrance, creating Te Whanganui-a-Tara. Whataitai tried to follow but became trapped in shallow waters as the lake drained. He transformed into a hill, Mt. Victoria, where his spirit still watches over the harbor. The story explains the geological formation of Wellington Harbour and the Miramar P