Mount Kaukau

Mount Kaukau, (pronounced /kaʊkaʊ/) also known as Tarikaka, is in Wellington, New Zealand on the western side of Wellington harbour near Johnsonville and Khandallah. The summit is 445 metres above sea level and is the most visible high point in the Wellington landscape further accentuated by Wellington's main television transmitter tower the Kordia TV transmitter mast, which stands 122m tall. There is also a compass pedestal placed at the top. Spectacular views of the city, harbour and the Rimutaka and Tararua Ranges can be experienced from the summit. On a clear day Mt. Tapuaeoenuku and the Bryant Range in the South Island may be seen, whilst northwest is the Porirua Basin and the broad expanse of the Tasman Sea. Mount Kaukau is also a field trip for primary schools and provides a great scenery spot for photographing.

Transmitter

File:Kordia TV mast, Mount Kaukau, New Zealand.jpg

Close-up of the Mount Kaukau television transmitter

The 122-metre Mount Kaukau television transmitter was built in 1965 to transmit television channel WNTV1 offering improved coverage over the channel's previous transmitter at Mount Victoria. Today it is the main television and FM radio transmitter for the Wellington metropolitan area.

Transmission Frequencies

The following table contains television and radio frequencies currently operating at Mount Kaukau:

TV Channel	Transmit Channel	Transmit Frequency	Band	Power (kw)
Sky digital	30	546.00 MHz	UHF	40
MediaWorks digital	32	562.00 MHz	UHF	40
TVNZ digital	34	578.00 MHz	UHF	40
Kordia digital	36	594.00 MHz	UHF	40
Radio Station	Transmit Channel	Transmit Frequency	Band	Power (kw)
Newstalk ZB		89.3 MHz	VHF	40
ZM		90.9 MHz	VHF	80
The Edge		91.7 MHz	VHF	80
Radio New Zealand Concert		92.5 MHz	VHF	80
Radio Hauraki		93.3 MHz	VHF	40
The Breeze		94.1 MHz	VHF	40
Coast		95.7 MHz	VHF	4
The Rock		96.5 MHz	VHF	16
The Sound		97.3 MHz	VHF	16
Radio Live		98.9 MHz	VHF	2
More FM		99.7 MHz	VHF	40
Mai FM		100.5 MHz	VHF	2
Radio New Zealand National		101.3 MHz	VHF	8
Kiwi FM		102.1 MHz	VHF	50
Niu FM		103.7 MHz	VHF	8
Radio Sport		104.5 MHz	VHF	2
105.3FM Wellington		105.3 MHz	VHF	2

Former analogue television frequencies

The following frequencies were used until 29 September 2013, when Kaukau switched off analogue broadcasts.

TV Channel	Transmit Channel	Transmit Frequency	Band	Power (kw)
TV One	1	45.25 MHz	VHF
Four	2	55.25 MHz	VHF
TV2	5	182.25 MHz	VHF
TV3	11	224.25 MHz	VHF
Māori Television	44	655.25 MHz	UHF
Prime	60	783.25 MHz	UHF

Kaukau Challenge

Every year Khandallah School, which is at the base of Mount Kaukau, organises a fun walk / fun run from the school to the summit and back, called the Kaukau Challenge. The Kaukau Challenge has been an annual event since 2006 with about 500 people taking part each year.

Snowfall of 2011

In mid-August 2011, two Wellington men, Nick Fone and Daniel McFayden claimed to be the first people to ski and snowboard down Mount Kaukau when they took advantage of the highly unusual weather pattern delivering snow to most parts of the North Island. [1]