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Te Ngutu o te Manu Battlesite and Historic Reserve

Te Ngutu o te Manu Battlesite and Historic Reserve sits on Ahipaipa Road in south Taranaki, roughly midway between Kāpuni and Mātapu.

The name means "the Beak of the Bird," and the 20-hectare reserve — much of it still bush-clad — marks the site of a major Ngāti Ruanui settlement and fortified pā.

On 7 September 1868, Ngāti Ruanui leader Riwha Tītokowaru won a decisive victory here, repelling a colonial assault force and inflicting casualties on roughly one-fifth of the attacking party.

The reserve doubles as a basic campground managed by South Taranaki District Council. Facilities are minimal — toilets and a children's playground — with a large open area suitable for camping and recreation.

Visitors describe it as spacious, well-maintained, and peaceful, surrounded by trees and farmland with abundant birdlife. A memorial and signage on site commemorate the battle and the broader history of the New Zealand Wars.


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