 The first Māori to settle on the foreshore found rich natural resources in and around the Waitemata Harbour, especially seafood.The seasonal fishing grounds brought many Māori here to fish, trade and socialise, making it a very desirable location, worth defending.Māori recognised early the strategic significance of Takaparawhau ("Bastion Point"), the cliff between Okahu Bay and Mission Bay with its panoramic outlook over the Waitemata Harbour.